Hollywood Actor Says He Has to Sell His $1.4M House as He Lives Check-to-Check: 'I'm So Enraged'
Actor Billy Porter revealed he is having to sell his $1.4 million home in Long Island, New York, due to the ongoing Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strike.
Porter spoke with U.K.’s Evening Standard last week to discuss how the strike has been impacting his life.
“I don’t know when we’re gonna go back [to work],” Porter said.
“The life of an artist, until you make f***-you money — which I haven’t made yet — is still check-to-check.”
Porter stated, “I’m so enraged,” adding he is happy to currently be spending time in England as the strike continues.
The U.K. Daily Mail reported the 53-year-old purchased the New York home in October 2020.
The outlet added the value of the home is now over $2.3 million.
The “Pose” actor told the Standard, “I was supposed to be in a new movie, and on a new television show starting in September. None of that is happening.”
“So to the person who said, ‘We’re going to starve them out until they have to sell their apartments,’ you’ve already starved me out,” Porter said.
Not everyone has been sympathetic toward Porter’s financial situation:
The general public is trying to feed their families and keep their light on. Welcome to the real world. Just how large is this home of his ?
— RoodyRoo (@RoodzRoo) August 9, 2023
“I have to sell my house”…..for millions.
— Runaway777 (@runawa777) August 9, 2023
Selling an expensive house to buy a less still expensive house is still OWNING any house. This a bit tone deaf
— aevious (@aeviious) August 10, 2023
Porter previously told Condé Nast Traveller in August 2021 that the home sat on an acre of land and was a short walk from the beach. He described it as a place where he was the happiest.
An unnamed studio executive told Deadline in July the plan is to essentially just wait the strike out and “allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses.”
The writers’ strike originally began in May, causing some shows to halt and networks to pivot toward reality shows and reruns to fill the gaps.
Actors found themselves joining the writers in July, when they too were unable to secure a deal.
The strike revolves around both groups wanting higher residuals for streaming services and protection with regard to the rise in artificial intelligence to preserve their jobs.
The last time both groups were both on strike was 1960 — when Ronald Reagan wasn’t the president of the United States, but was the president of the Screen Actors Guild.
While the strike shows no signs of slowing down, the Emmy Awards have already been moved to Jan. 15, 2024 after being previously scheduled for this September.
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