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Porsha Williams

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Porsha Williams
File:Porsha Williams 2019.jpg
Williams in 2019
Born (1981-06-22) June 22, 1981 (age 43)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
EducationSouthwest Dekalb High School
Occupations
  • Television personality
  • businesswoman
  • actress
Years active2011–present
Television
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2011; div. 2013)​
Children1
RelativesHosea Williams (grandfather)

Porsha Dyanne Williams (born June 22, 1981) is an American television personality, actress, and author. Williams starred on the television series The Real Housewives of Atlanta from 2012 until 2021, when she departed to star in her spin-off series, Porsha's Family Matters, currently in its first season. She has been host of Dish Nation since its second season in 2013.[1] In 2021, Williams published her memoir, The Pursuit of Porsha.

Early life and education

Williams was born in Atlanta, Georgia on June 22, 1981.[2] Her parents are self-employed entrepreneurs.[3] She has a younger half sister named Lauren whom they share a father; and, a brother named Hosea.[4] Her grandfather is the late Hosea Williams, a civil rights activist.[5] She attended Southwest Dekalb High School in Decatur, Georgia as a teenager,[6] and later pursued a degree in business information technology at the American InterContinental University.[citation needed]

Career

Early career

In 2005, when she was 24 years old, Williams opened a daycare facility, revealing that she was inspired by her parents' careers. Also in 2005, Williams modeled for a "pin-up" calendar for the Atlanta Dymes.[7] Williams met football player Kordell Stewart in 2009.[8] The couple married in May 2011, which was filmed and broadcast for the WE tv television series Platinum Weddings.[citation needed] Through the marriage, she became the stepmother to his minor-aged son Syre from his previous relationship with Tania Richardson.[9]

2012–present: The Real Housewives of Atlanta, The Celebrity Apprentice, and music

In September 2012, it was announced by Bravo that Williams and Kenya Moore were cast for the fifth season of the reality television series The Real Housewives of Atlanta, alongside returning cast members Cynthia Bailey, Kandi Burruss, NeNe Leakes, Phaedra Parks and Kim Zolciak.[10] Williams made her first appearance of the season during the third episode on November 18, 2012, where she was shown to clash with Moore during a charity event for Feed the Homeless.[11] The remainder of the season documented their ensuing feud,[12] and a later conflict with Bailey after she felt that Williams lacked dedication to a pageant Bailey coordinated for her modeling agency.[13]

She additionally expressed an intent to have children with Stewart,[14] although she later visited a therapist after they began experiencing marital difficulties.[15] After approximately two years of marriage, Stewart filed for divorce from Williams in March 2013.[16] During the reunion special for the fifth season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta the following month, she commented that she was "totally blindsided" by the filing and alleged that she learned of their separation through Twitter.[17] Their divorce was finalized in December 2013;[18] Williams received none of his property or earnings through the settlement.[19]

The sixth season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta premiered in November, and documented the deterioration of Williams's relationship with her husband.[20] She was briefly hospitalized during the season, which the series depicted was caused by stress stemming from her then-ongoing divorce.[21] After an episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta broadcast in December 2013, Williams received criticism after making comments in which she indicated her belief that the Underground Railroad was an actual railroad line.[22] She later commented that "It was a brain lapse. I have Porsha moments that you’ve seen on the show before. For me seeing that I knew that I had to go back and brush up on my history so I’m representing my legacy well."[3] She also joined the cast of Burruss's stage musical A Mother's Love.[3]

She released her debut single "Flatline" through the iTunes Store on March 17, 2014.[23] Later that month, Williams received media attention after an altercation with Moore while filming the sixth season reunion for The Real Housewives of Atlanta.[24] While filming the reunion special at the Biltmore Hotel on March 27,[25] Moore implied that Williams was unfaithful during her marriage; after Williams called Moore a "slut from the '90s" and Moore yelled that Williams was "a dumb ho" from a megaphone, Williams assaulted Moore.[26] Moore later threatened to quit the series if Williams was to remain, commenting that "we've become angry with each other, we've threatened each other and gone to the edge. But at the end of the day, we know there's a line."[27] Williams was arrested on December 29, 2014, for speeding with a suspended license, but was released the same day.

In September 2015, Bravo announced that Williams had signed on to return as a main cast member, along with new cast member and actress Kim Fields.[28] On January 28, 2016, it was announced that she is participating as a contestant on The New Celebrity Apprentice, also known as The Apprentice 15 and The Celebrity Apprentice 8.[29] On September 19, 2018, Williams announced her pregnancy.[30] On October 1, it was reported that she was engaged to entrepreneur Dennis McKinley. The proposal was shown on The Real Housewives of Atlanta (S11 Ep15) which aired February 17, 2019. On March 22, 2019, she gave birth to their daughter, Pilar Jhena showcased on her first spin-off Porsha’s Having a Baby.[31] Williams and McKinley briefly split in June,[32] but have reunited as of August.[33]

2021–present: Activism, The Pursuit of Porsha, and Porsha's Family Matters

Williams departed the Real Housewives of Atlanta after its thirteenth season in 2021 to star in Porsha's Family Matters, a spin-off series currently in its first season. Williams' time on the Real Housewives earned her a loyal fanbase; her story arc, which documented nearly ten years of Williams' life, is considered one of the franchise's greatest. Williams' departure was met with disappointment from fans and critics. The Cut reported in 2021 that "Porsha’s ability to weather the storm, and her personal growth both in front of and away from the cameras, made her one of the most dynamic and likable Housewives in any city."[1]

Since the murder of George Floyd, Williams has worked as an activist and was described by The New York Times as becoming "a crusader against police violence."[34] On July 15, 2020, Williams was among 87 protesters who were arrested outside the home of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. She was calling for Cameron to arrest the officers involved in the Shooting of Breonna Taylor. After law enforcement warned that staying on Cameron's property was unlawful, Williams and others in the group were charged with intimidating a participant in a legal process, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. She was released the next day.[35] In 2021, Williams published her memoir, The Pursuit of Porsha, which has been met with acclaim from fans.[2]

Personal life

Porsha was married to Kordell Stewart in 2011. During their marriage she suffered a miscarriage. Stewart filed for divorce in 2013. She was briefly engaged to entrepreneur Dennis McKinley, and she gave birth to their first child, Pilar Jhena in March 2019.[36] In May 2021, Porsha confirmed that she is engaged to Simon Guobadia.[37]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Platinum Weddings Herself
2012–2021 The Real Housewives of Atlanta Main (season 5-6, 8-13); Recurring (season 7)
2013 The Rickey Smiley Show 1 episode
2013 The Wendy Williams Show
2014-2021 Dish Nation Co-host
2014 The Real
2017 The New Celebrity Apprentice Contestant
2017 Star Episode: "Infamous"
2017 Daily Pop Herself Episode: dated 16 November 2017
2017 Sharknado 5: Global Swarming Andromeda
2017 Cargo Carlotta Carlotta (voice)
2017 The Apprentice Herself
2020 Steppin' Back to Love Television film
2020–present Bravo's Chat Room Herself Season 1-present, co-host
2021–present Porsha’s Family Matters Herself Season 1-present

Stage

Year Show Role
2013 A Mother's Love Jada
2017 Two Can Play That Game Connie

Discography

Singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
US
2014 "Flatline" — TBA

References

  1. ^ Ho, Rodney. "Did Porsha Williams make the top 7 on Arnold's 'Celebrity Apprentice'? | Radio and TV Talk". Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  2. ^ "RHOA Birth Dates, Where They Were Born, How old is..." About.com. IAC. November 29, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c S. Tia Brown (January 6, 2014). "Why Wait for the Reunion? Porsha Williams Tells All". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  4. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 6 Ep 5: Save the Drama for Mama". Bravo. NBCUniversal. December 1, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  5. ^ Diane Anderson-Minshall. "Porsha Williams-Stewart of The Real Housewives of Atlanta". About.com. IAC. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  6. ^ "This Is Porsha Stewart". Issuu. Winter 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  7. ^ Tracy Scott (December 5, 2012). "Porsha Stewart has video vixen past". S2S. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  8. ^ Ho, Rodney (November 16, 2012). "Meet Porsha Williams Stewart, the newest 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' cast member". The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Evelyn Diaz (April 8, 2012). "Kordell Stewart Alleges Porsha Is Negligent Stepmother". BET. Viacom. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  10. ^ Dahvi Shira (September 21, 2012). "Real Housewives of Atlanta Returns with New Faces". People. Time Inc. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  11. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 5 Ep 3: Call Me Miss U.S.A." Bravo. NBCUniversal. November 18, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  12. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 5 Ep 8: Fools of Engagement". Bravo. NBCUniversal. December 23, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  13. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 5 Ep 14: Prayed Up". Bravo. NBCUniversal. February 10, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  14. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 5 Ep 5: No Excuse for Excuses". Bravo. NBCUniversal. December 2, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  15. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 5 Ep 19: Donktabulous!". Bravo. NBCUniversal. March 24, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  16. ^ Nicole Eggenberger (April 22, 2013). "Porsha Stewart Learned Husband Kordell Stewart Filed for Divorce Through Twitter". Us Weekly. Wenner Media, LLC. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  17. ^ Evelyn Diaz (April 22, 2013). "Porsha Stewart Breaks Silence on Divorce, Was "Totally Blindsided"". BET. Viacom. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  18. ^ Veronica Linares (January 21, 2014). "Porsha Williams facing money problems after divorce from Kordell Stewart". United Press International. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  19. ^ Brennan Williams (March 12, 2014). "Porsha Williams Walks Away Empty-Handed From Kordell Stewart Divorce Settlement". The Huffington Post. AOL. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  20. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 6 Ep 1: Bye Bye With The Wind". Bravo. NBCUniversal. November 3, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  21. ^ "The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 6 Ep 6: The Old Lady and the Shoe". Bravo. NBCUniversal. December 3, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  22. ^ Rachel McRady (December 23, 2013). "Porsha Stewart Thought the Underground Railroad Was a Real Train: How Did the Real Housewives of Atlanta React?". Us Weekly. Wenner Media, LLC. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  23. ^ Danielle Canada (March 12, 2014). "Porsha Williams teases debut single 'Flatline'". Rolling Out. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  24. ^ "'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star Porsha Williams arrested after fight during filming". Fox News Channel. 21st Century Fox. April 18, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  25. ^ "'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star Porsha Williams arrested after fight during filming". Fox News Channel. 21st Century Fox. April 18, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  26. ^ Fisher, Luchina (April 21, 2014). "Watch Porsha Williams, Kenya Moore Brawl on 'Housewives'". ABC News. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  27. ^ Landrum, Jonathan (April 21, 2014). "'Housewives' star says she may not return to show". Philadelphia Media Network. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  28. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (September 28, 2015). "First Look at #RHOA Season 8: Kim Fields Joins the Crew & Sheree Whitfield Returns". Bravo Media. NBCuniversal. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  29. ^ Webber, Stephanie. "Celebrity Apprentice Season 15 Cast Revealed: Snooki, Kyle Richards, Boy George and More!". US Weekly.
  30. ^ Junuea, Jen (September 19, 2018). "RHOA's Porsha Williams is Pregnant 6 Years after suffering miscarriage". People. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  31. ^ "Pregnant Real Housewives of Atlanta Star Porsha Williams Is Engaged to Boyfriend Dennis McKinley". People. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  32. ^ Dupre, Elyse (June 20, 2019). "Porsha Williams and Dennis McKinley Break Up 8 Months After Engagement". E!. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  33. ^ "RHOA: Porsha Williams's Fiance Admits to Cheating During Pregnancy". People. November 10, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  34. ^ Weaver, Caity (August 10, 2020). "Porsha in Protest". The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  35. ^ Riess, Rebekah; Ries, Brian (July 15, 2020). "'Real Housewives' star and NFL wide receiver among 87 arrested at Breonna Taylor protest". CNN. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  36. ^ "Dennis McKinley Shares What Daughter Pilar Jhena Was Originally Going to Be Named". Bravo TV Official Site. May 29, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  37. ^ "Porsha Williams Is Engaged to Her 'RHOA' Co-Star's Ex Simon Guobadia". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
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