Broadway star Billy Porter to make his directorial debut with the coming-of-age drama film What If?

Billy Porter is an Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning actor and singer.

And now the renown Broadway star will be taking on a new role when he makes his directorial debut in the drama film, What If? 

The coming-of-age romance, written by Alvaro García Lecuona, is the first project produced under MGM’s recently relaunched Orion Pictures, which aspires to focus on features from underrepresented storytellers to raise the voices of underserved communities.

What If? centers on a high school senior posting on social media about his crush on Kelsa, a trans girl at his school, resulting in the internet encouraging him to pursue the relationship. The two then navigate a senior year relationship that neither of them could have expected, according to the logline as reported by Variety. 

The project is being produced by Christine Vachon and David Hinojosa under the New York-based production company Killer Films, which recently signed a first-look deal with MGM.  

‘I’m thrilled to be part of this new space in Hollywood for telling all types of stories from all types of people,’ Porter said.

‘I am grateful to be in a position to usher some of these stories into the mainstream and I am humbled that heavy hitters like Christine Vachon and Alana Mayo have entrusted and empowered me in this insane time we all find ourselves in.’

‘We couldn’t be more excited to work with Billy Porter on his feature directing debut and are privileged that he, Alvaro and the producing team behind this special film have entrusted us with their vision for this beautiful, contemporary love story,’ Mayo said in a statement.

‘What If? is perfectly emblematic of the ambitions we have for the new Orion Pictures: To tell stories about the totality of the human experience.’

Vachon and Killer Films are best known for such acclaimed independent films as Kids (1995), I Shot Andy Warhol (1996), Happiness (1998), Velvet Goldmine (1998), Boys Don’t Cry (1999), Far From Heaven (2002), One Hour Photo (2002), I’m Not There (2007), Still Alice (2014) and Carol (2015).   

Andrew Lauren and D.J. Gugenheim will produce on behalf of Andrew Lauren Productions, which were behind the coming-of-age romantic drama film The Spectacular Now (2013).  

Porter was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and won the 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Pose, making him the first openly gay black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category at the Primetime Emmys.

He originated the role of Lola in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots, for which he won a Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards, as well as the Grammy for best musical-theatre album.