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Billy Porter, Adam Smith to divorce after 6 years of marriage

A representative for the actor said in a statement the couple made the "sad decision" together and amicably.
Billy Porter, Adam Smith to divorce after 6 years of marriage
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"Pose" star Billy Porter and his husband Adam Smith have announced they will divorce after being married to each other for over half a decade. 

A representative for the Emmy-winner said the couple made the "sad decision" amicably and said, "They continue to love and support each other as they embark on this next chapter."

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The representative told People magazine, "There will be no further comment from either [of the] parties and it would be appreciated if their privacy be respected."

Other news outlets reached out for comment but were not immediately given further details. 

Smith and Porter were engaged in 2016 after meeting years before in 2009 and then subsequently dating for around a year, according to reports. 

They rekindled their attraction for each other in 2015, which was said to have been the beginning of their decision to eventually marry in January 2017 during a small ceremony in New York City. 

Porter said he secretly arranged the engagement in London on the 42nd floor where a restaurant was housed overlooking the city skyline. 

Smith told People magazine part of the reason for the timing of their wedding was related to the White House and politics. 

"We were discussing, and Billy had actually brought up to me that it’s important for us to get married while Obama is still president and before January 20," Smith said. 

He said of their urgency to hold the 2017 wedding, "We sat down and figured out when we could make it work before the 20th."

The two were known for attending various red carpet events together over the years. 

Porter said he and Smith, who works in the fashion industry and is a creative director for the men’s swimwear brand The Smith Society, grew up believing marriage was not meant for them, and considered their union an important milestone in their lives. 

Porter, 53, is an experienced Broadway stage actor who gained international fame for his role playing "Pray Tell" on the hit series "Pose" about New York's LGBTQ+ ballroom culture in the 1980s.

He will star in a biopic based on a screenplay he co-wroteon the life of author and activist James Baldwin. 


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