Emma Wilson
On the fourth season of *The Masked Singer*, a reality singing competition featuring celebrities in disguise, one of the 16 mystery contestants was Mushroom, a contestant dressed as a mushroom with a light brown dress decorated with mushrooms, moss, grasses, and a squirrel. Many viewers speculated that the celebrity behind the mask was Billy Porter, an American actor and singer known for his roles on Broadway and in film and television, including the series Pose and the film Twisted. Porter has also had a musical career, releasing three solo albums and featuring on several others. Porter's versatility, height, and vocal range, as well as clues in the show, such as a hot dog stand and references to Hamilton, led fans to believe he was the celebrity behind the Mushroom mask. Other celebrities guessed to be behind the mask included Frank Ocean, Johnny Depp, Pharrell Williams, Trixie Mattel, and Jordan Fisher.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the masked singer | Mushroom |
| Name of the show | The Masked Singer |
| Season | 4 |
| Year | 2020 |
| Celebrity guesses | Billy Porter, Jordan Fisher, Johnny Depp, Pharrell Williams, Frank Ocean, Maxwell, Trixie Mattel |
| Clues | Hamilton references, Hot Dog stand, Star Search, Reality-competition, Broadway vibes, height, falsetto |
| Billy Porter's career | Singer, actor, director, choreographer, dancer |
| Billy Porter's work | Topdog/Underdog, Twisted, The RuPaul Show, Pose, Kinky Boots, Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers, While I Yet Live, Billy Porter on DV8/A&M Records, At the Corner of Broadway + Soul, Billy's Back on Broadway, It's Only Life: The Songs of John Bucchino, Myths and Hymns, Love Rocks |
| Billy Porter's accolades | 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, 2013 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, 2013 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, 2014 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Isabelle Stevenson Award at the 77th Tony Awards |
| Billy Porter's personal life | Born on September 21, 1969, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to William Ellis Porter and Cloerinda Jean Johnson Porter Ford, has a sister named Mary Martha E. Ford, attended Reizenstein Middle School, Allderdice High School, and Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School, graduated from the College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama in 1991 |
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What You'll Learn
Billy Porter's multifaceted career
Billy Porter is an American actor, singer, producer, director, and choreographer. He was born on September 21, 1969, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and raised by his mother, Cloerinda Ford. Porter studied acting, music, and dance at the Pittsburgh School for the Creative and Performing Arts. He later attended Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama in Pittsburgh, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama in 1991.
Porter began his career in New York City, appearing in Broadway musicals throughout the 1990s, including Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Smokey Joe's Cafe, and the 1994 revival of Grease, in which he played Teen Angel. He also pursued a career in the music industry, winning the talent competition Star Search in 1992 and releasing his self-titled R&B debut album in 1997.
In 2013, Porter returned to Broadway as Lola in the musical Kinky Boots, winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for his performance. He has since appeared in other Broadway shows such as Shuffle Along and Angels in America. Porter has also written and performed in his own autobiographical shows, Ghetto Superstar (The Man That I Am) and While I Yet Live, which premiered Off-Broadway in 2014.
In addition to his stage career, Porter has appeared in several films, including Twisted (1997) and The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy. He has also starred in the television series Pose, for which he became the first gay black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category at the Primetime Emmys. Porter has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for his work on Pose and has also appeared in multiple episodes of American Horror Story: Apocalypse.
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Clues about the celebrity behind the mask
Fans of *The Masked Singer* have speculated that the celebrity behind the Mushroom mask is Billy Porter, an American actor and singer known for his multifaceted career. Porter has appeared in films such as the 1997 adaptation of Oliver Twist, titled Twisted, and on The RuPaul Show. He has also ventured into music, releasing three solo albums and contributing to various others. Porter gained recognition on Broadway, particularly for his role as Lola in Kinky Boots, for which he won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also received the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the Kinky Boots album.
Porter's potential connection to the Mushroom character is supported by several clues. One reference to a hot dog stand may allude to Porter's involvement in the play Topdog/Underdog. Additionally, Porter is known for his fondness for hats, which could be symbolised by the mushroom's cap. The clue package also contained numerous Hamilton references, and Porter has collaborated with Hamilton cast members on his 2017 album Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers.
Beyond Porter, other celebrities suggested to be behind the Mushroom mask include Jordan Fisher, who boasts a substantial Twitch following for his gaming skills, and has also performed in Hamilton. Other speculated names include Johnny Depp, Pharrell Williams, Frank Ocean, Maxwell, and Trixie Mattel.
While the true identity of the celebrity behind the Mushroom mask remains unknown, the clues and fan speculation have certainly pointed towards some intriguing possibilities.
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Billy Porter's personal life
Billy Porter is an American actor and singer born on September 21, 1969, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was raised by his mother, Cloerinda Ford, and attended Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, as well as the Pittsburgh School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where he studied acting, music, and dance. Porter later attended Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama in Pittsburgh, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama in 1991.
Porter began his career in the entertainment industry by performing on Broadway and appearing in Broadway musicals throughout the 1990s, including "Miss Saigon", "Five Guys Named Moe", "Smokey Joe's Cafe", and the 1994 revival of "Grease". He also pursued a career in music, winning the talent competition "Star Search" in 1992 and releasing an R&B album in 1997.
In 2013, Porter returned to Broadway as Lola in the musical "Kinky Boots", for which he won several awards, including the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. He has since appeared in various television shows, such as Pose, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, and Going Native. Porter has also been recognised for his support for the LGBTQ community and was named one of the Pride50 "trailblazing individuals" by Queerty in 2019.
In his personal life, Porter has faced several challenges, including being diagnosed with HIV and type-2 diabetes in 2007. He has also been open about his experiences with childhood sexual abuse and has shared his views on race and white supremacy in the United States. Porter has expressed gratitude for the guidance and support of his teachers, whom he credits as "angels in his life" for helping him access educational opportunities that prepared him for his career.
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Other celebrities who have been on 'The Masked Singer'
The Masked Singer is an American reality singing competition television series that premiered on Fox on January 2, 2019. The show is hosted by Nick Cannon and features a panel of judges who guess the celebrities' identities by interpreting clues provided throughout each season. The show is based on the 2015 South Korean television series King of Mask Singer.
- T-Pain as Monster
- Donny Osmond as Peacock
- Gladys Knight as Bee
- Joey Fatone as Rabbit
- Rumer Willis
- Patti LaBelle as Flower
- Wayne Brady as Fox
- Lil Wayne as Robot
- Drew Carey as Llama
- Chaka Khan as Miss Monster
- Tony Hawk as Elephant
- Dionne Warwick as Mouse
- Raven-Symoné as Black Widow
- Kelly Osbourne as Ladybug
- Margaret Cho as Poodle
- Antonio Brown as Hippo
- Tommy Chong as Pineapple
- Terry Bradshaw as Deer
- Tori Spelling as Unicorn
Some celebrities have also made appearances on the show without participating in the competition, such as Oscar winner Taika Waititi, who made clues and appearances throughout Season 13, and Demi Lovato, who was reportedly almost a contestant.
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Billy Porter's musical career
Billy Porter is a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actor, singer, director, composer, and playwright. He began his music career in 1996 (or 1997, according to some sources) with the release of his debut album, "Untitled" (also known as "Billy Porter"). The album included the song "Love Is On The Way," which was featured in the film "First Wives' Club." Porter has released several other albums, including "At the Corner of Broadway + Soul" (2005), "Billy's Back on Broadway" (2014), and "The Soul of Richard Rodgers" (2017). He has also appeared on various other albums, such as the tribute album "It's Only Life: The Songs of John Bucchino" (2006) and Adam Guettel's "Myths and Hymns" (1999).
Porter is also known for his work in theatre and has appeared in several Broadway productions, including "Grease", "Miss Saigon", "Angels in America", and Kinky Boots, for which he won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the "Kinky Boots" soundtrack. In addition to his work in music and theatre, Porter has appeared in films such as "Twisted" (1997) and "Cinderella" (2021). He has also been recognised for his humanitarian work, receiving the Isabelle Stevenson Award at the 77th Tony Awards for his contributions to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and the Entertainment Community Fund.
Porter has continued to release new music and collaborate with other artists. In 2019, he performed "For What It's Worth" with Stephen Stills during the Democratic National Convention. In 2020, he scored his first number-one hit with "Love Yourself" on the US Dance Club Songs Chart. He also released a reimagining of "For What It's Worth" that year. Porter's other recent collaborations include a feature on Boyfriend's concept album "In the Garden" (2025) and a duet with Pose co-star Dyllón Burnside to raise money for GLSEN.
In addition to his musical and acting endeavours, Porter made his directorial debut in 2022 with the romantic comedy film "Anything's Possible." He has also written a play, "While I Yet Live", which premiered Off-Broadway in 2014, and released a memoir, "Unprotected," in 2021. Porter is set to reprise his role as Emcee in the Broadway revival of "Cabaret" from July until October 2025.
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Frequently asked questions
William Ellis Porter II, born on September 21, 1969, is an American actor and singer. He gained recognition for his performances on Broadway and has since pursued a solo career in both acting and singing. He is also known for his work as a director, writer, and choreographer.
Fans of the show believe that the clues about the Mushroom's identity align with Billy Porter. These include references to a hot dog stand (a possible nod to the play "Topdog/Underdog"), a Star Search clue (Porter won the title of Best Male Vocalist), and the fact that Porter has worn many hats, reflecting the multifaceted nature of the Mushroom character.
The Mushroom's clues also suggest that the celebrity behind the mask is a part of the LGBTQ+ community and has a connection to the musical "Hamilton." There are also hints about turning a hobby into a career and a reality-competition clue.
Other celebrities that have been guessed by viewers include Jordan Fisher, Johnny Depp, Pharrell Williams, Frank Ocean, Trixie Mattel, and Maxwell.
No, Billy Porter has not been a confirmed contestant on The Masked Singer. However, fans guessed that he might have been the Leopard in a previous season.
