Billy Porter Returns to Producing After Near-Fatal Sepsis Battle; Opens Up About Managing Diabetes and Surviving Life Support
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Billy Porter attends "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)" Opening Night at Longacre Theatre on November 20, 2025 in New York City. Photo Credit: Theo Wargo
Billy Porter, the Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning actor known for his trailblazing roles and open advocacy as a gay man, has resumed his theatre work after a severe health scare. He is co-producing the London transfer of Sam Morrison’s acclaimed solo show "Sugar Daddy" at Underbelly Boulevard in Soho, running from March 5 to April 4, 2026. The production, which follows its Off-Broadway run in New York City in 2023, is a semi-autobiographical piece blending Morrison’s experiences with type 1 diabetes, love, and loss amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
This personal connection underscores the production’s resonance within LGBTQ+ communities, where health challenges like diabetes can intersect with broader experiences of trauma and resilience. Porter’s involvement highlights ongoing visibility for gay men navigating chronic illnesses in the arts. His return comes after he was forced to exit the Broadway revival of Cabaret in New York City, where he played the Emcee, due to a sepsis diagnosis in September 2025. Sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection, nearly proved fatal for Porter, who described himself as a “walking miracle” in recent reflections.
Addressing his recovery, Porter told Attitude: “Thank you for asking. I am on the mend. My stamina is still a bit compromised, and my spirits are high. I’m on the road to a full recovery. Daddy’s got to get back into her pumps!” This candid update reflects his characteristic blend of humor and determination. Reflecting on Cabaret, Porter shared: “I think it would be the blessing of having lived long enough to see the day where people of colour would be given the opportunity to tell these very human stories about a period of time when, up until now, we were invisible. The truth of the matter is: we were there. We are always there.”
The interview also touched on themes of loss central to Sugar Daddy. Porter described his “greatest personal loss” as the passing of his mother: “My precious mum passed away two years ago this past February. She was the greatest woman that walked the face of this earth.” His mother, who lived with spinal muscular atrophy, passed away in February 2024. Porter, who has been open about his own Type 2 diabetes and past bariatric surgery, noted that his survival from sepsis has given these themes of resilience a newfound resonance.
On his hopes for the production, Porter stated: “That life is precious, joy is a choice, and love is an action.” Tickets are available via the Underbelly Boulevard website. Porter’s return to producing amplifies vital conversations about health equity and the power of storytelling within the LGBTQ+ community.
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