Pose star Billy Porter is giving the gays a gift – again – with fierce new queer comedy To Be Real

Aug 23 2021
Written by Jonny Yates

Billy Porter is directing a new queer teen comedy for Amazon. (Paras Griffin/Getty)

Billy Porter is directing a queer teen comedy film and we can’t wait to watch it.

The Pose star will step behind the camera to direct To Be Real for Amazon Studios.

The coming-of-age comedy will put LGBT+ characters at the centre of the story and has been compared to cult favourites Superbad and Booksmart.

It will follow three queer friends who escape their hometown for Pride Weekend in New York City.

“They discover that life over the rainbow is an insane, raunchy, often divisive, but ultimately fierce non-stop party,” reads the film’s logline.

It been written by Ryan Shiraki, while Gabrielle Union’s I’ll Have Another Productions will produce the film for Amazon.

A release date is yet to be revealed but it will likely get an exclusive premiere on streaming service Prime Video.

The announcement follows up a number of LGBT+ themed films and shows confirmed to be heading to the streaming service.

This includes the film adaption of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and queer love triangle series, Exciting Times starring Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor.

Porter will also appear in Amazon’s upcoming Cinderella film as Fab G, a gender neutral fairy godparent alongside Camila Cabello in the title role.

The film will premiere on Prime Video on 3 September and follows an ambitious young woman who dreams of opening her shop “Dresses by Ella”.

The cast also features Missy Elliott, Idina Menzel, Minnie Driver, James Acaster, Beverly Knight and James Corden, whose appearance in the trailer received a mixed reaction from social media.

Porter recently received an Emmy nomination for his role as Pray Tell in the final season of Pose in the category for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

He won the same award in 2019, becoming the first openly gay Black man to be nominated and win in a lead acting category at the Emmys.

The show about the ballroom scene once again made history after Mj Rodriguez became the first trans woman to be nominated for Best Actress at the awards.