Billy Porter has signed on to direct the upcoming LGBTQ+ teen comedy To Be Real, which is being sold to Amazon. The film will follow three queer friends who escape their hometown for Pride Weekend in New York City, where they discover that life over the rainbow is an insane, raunchy, often divisive, but ultimately fierce non-stop party.
The movie is being described as “an LGBTQ Superbad crossed with Booksmart.” Porter will direct from a script written by Ryan Shiraki (HBO Max’s upcoming series, Santa Inc.), while Gabrielle Union, owner of I’ll Have Another Productions, is selling the teen comedy to Amazon and also producing the film.
Porter is an actor, singer and style icon, as well known for his instantly memorable outfits on numerous red carpets as he is for his acting roles in Pose, American Horror Story and on stage in Kinky Boots, a role he credits for “cracking open” his feminine side to confront toxic masculinity.
There’s not much else to report on about To Be Real, but an LGBTQ+ mix of Superbad and Booksmart helmed by Porter sounds incredibly promising, and is practically a guaranteed fun time. We’ll wait for casting details to arrive.
If waiting for To Be Real is too much to bare and you need your Porter fix, he’ll next be seen in Amazon’s romantic musical version of Cinderella as Fab G, a genderless fairy godparent. That film arrives next week, Friday September 3, on Amazon video.
#Peace.Love.ToBeReal
