SPOILER WARNING!
Billy Porter may have said goodbye to Pose, but the Emmy winner is now ready for his own "rebirth."
In an exclusive red carpet interview with E! News' Daily Pop, Porter revealed that his character Pray Tell inspired his own life off-screen. For those who have not seen the Pose series finale on June 6, Pray Tell passed away after his battle with AIDS. Porter shared his HIV diagnosis in May 2021, 14 years after testing positive.
"It is the death of the character of Pray Tell but it's the rebirth of me," Porter beautifully mused. "I'm really excited about that."
Porter previously told The Hollywood Reporter that playing Pray Tell was a "surrogate" to have important conversations. "I was able to say everything I wanted to say," Porter explained. "I survived so that I could tell the story. That's what I'm here for."
The E! Fashion Hall of Fame inductee continued on Daily Pop that he felt "blessed" to be on Pose.
"I just want to use my powers for good," Porter concluded. "So to play this character set in this time period on Pose and to have this parallel life to it and not speak about it just felt disingenuous to me. The whole point and the whole reason for me being in front of you is because I'm transparent and honest."
Watch the full interview above for more details on Porter's moving farewell to Pray Tell.