What Led To Billy Porter's Split From Adam Smith

Billy Porter and his husband, Adam Smith, frequently appeared on red carpets together as Porter sported some of his best dressed moments. The couple appeared smitten with one another at each event. The pair first crossed paths in February 2009 at a dinner party when they were seated next to one another. Sparks flew, and the two dated for seven months before splitting in 2010. However, five years later, they reunited and walked down the aisle in January 2017. Sadly, there may have been trouble behind the scenes as the two called it quits in July 2023.

In a statement to People, Porter's spokesperson, Simon Halls, wrote: "I can confirm that Billy Porter and his husband Adam Smith have made the sad decision to end their marriage after six years. The decision was an amicable and mutual one and was made after much consideration. They continue to love and support each other as they embark on this next chapter." While this doesn't exactly state what caused their relationship to fail, Porter has made several comments that could be seen as indicators of what might've led to their romantic demise.

One untold truth of Billy Porter's life is his tragic upbringing, which still affected him in adulthood. Due to his feminine ways, he was beaten even leaving hospitalized on at least one occasion in the first grade. As a child, he began being molested by his mother's husband, Bernie. The sexual abuse lasted for five years until he finally told his mother about it. This left a lasting impact on the "Pose" star, who sought therapy when he was 25 and restarted his sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic. One way the molestation showed up in his personal life was through intimacy in his relationship. While he hasn't publicly disclosed if this contributed to his separation from Adam Smith, he acknowledged to People in October 2021 that it posed a significant challenge for them.

"My sex life in relation to intimacy, it's not — it's not good at all. It's really, really hard in a marriage, you know, when you're trying to figure out how to be intimate with somebody. But we're growing together and healing together. It's a lot of hard work. Let me say, it's worth it," Porter told the outlet.

Years prior, in 2018, Porter also detailed his brutal sexual assault in a graphic op-ed for Out. The actor revealed his continued rage, which stemmed from the years-long abuse. "The hate consumes me with a power that paralyzes," he wrote.

Billy Porter and Adam Smith have kept the specifics of their breakup away from the media. However, Porter did express his feelings about the marriage ending in an August 2023 interview with The Standard. "It's bittersweet. But relationships are hard. I will always love him. We made it as far as we could. But we learn, we grow, and we live. And I'm looking forward to the next ... adventure," Porter shared.

Since he and Smith have parted ways, Porter has been open about getting back into the dating scene. When speaking to Page Six in October 2023, he joked, "I'm not peeping nobody yet, they got to peep me. They got to take care of me, honey." Given reports of Smith trying to ensure Porter still provides for him financially, there may have been a bit of truth to his comment. Smith is allegedly seeking an unspecified amount in spousal support and half of Porter's estate. Additionally, the estranged lovers are battling it out over custody of their pet cockapoo, Lola. While none of this points to an amicable breakup, neither Porter nor Smith want to make a media circus out of their divorce.