Billy Porter Is Adamant That He Is NOT the Leopard on 'The Masked Singer' (EXCLUSIVE)
Updated Dec. 4 2019, 4:40 p.m. ET
The cat is out of the bag!
If you've been tuning in each week to find out who is behind the ridiculously crafted costumes and outrageous performances on The Masked Singer, then you've probably had a few ideas about which celebrities could be unveiled as the mysterious performers.
Season 2 of the hit Fox reality singing series has most recently unmasked R&B singer Patti LaBelle as the Flower and Kelly Osbourne as the Ladybug. But, there is still much speculation as to which stars are left in the competition. Rumors have been swirling around that one of the masked figures on the series is Emmy Award-winning actor Billy Porter. And, even judge Robin Thicke has been in agreeance with that theory.
The Leopard showed off his/her spots on The Masked Singer, showcasing the celeb's vocal range. Before starring in the FX series Pose, Billy was very well known on the Broadway circuit, especially for his Tony-winning performance in the theater production of Kinky Boots.
So, is Billy the Leopard on The Masked Singer? The performer and activist spoke exclusively with Distractify in honor of his partnership with PayPal for #GivingTuesday, and we couldn't help but ask the actor if he's heard the theories...
Billy Porter shuts down rumors he's the Leopard on The Masked Singer.
"I’ve never seen the show. I don’t know what it is about," the 50-year-old actor told Distractify. However, he has heard the rumors and was even confronted by a fan while riding on a float at the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "This little kid screamed at me from the parade when I did the parade last week, on the float, asking me if I was the Leopard on The Masked Singer," he explained.
Adding, "I told him no and he didn’t believe me." To drive the point home, the actor stated: "I’m telling you now, if you say it’s Billy Porter, you will lose 'cause it ain’t me! It's not me."
While fans and the judges continue to theorize who could be donning the disguise, another popular guess is that singer Seal is actually the Leopard, or RuPaul. Either way, we can't wait to find out who is behind the mask!
Billy Porter explains how Pose offers "visibility" to the LGBTQ community.
Billy has regularly used his platform to advocate for the LGBTQ community. While discussing his philanthropic work, it's hard not to recognize how the FX series Pose has highlighted queer culture and issues, such as those living with HIV/AIDs.
Though the show takes place in the late '80s, it is still very relevant to the current time. "I hope that the show is reminding the world of a largely marginalized and dismissed group of people," the actor told Distractify. "We're here, have always been here, are still here and aren’t going anywhere."
Concluding: "No matter how invisible outside energies want to make us, Pose makes us visible again, and that’s necessary because with visibility … comes everything."
