Originated by actor Ron Taylor for the 1982 Off-Broadway production of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s classic musical, Little Shop of Horrors’ 2003 Broadway production underwent a huge casting purge that left Billy Porter, and many others, fired in that out-of-town tryout. Thankfully, when Love, Simon director Greg Berlanti took the helm of this new film adaptation, he was smart enough to do fate’s job for it, and hired Porter to fulfill his leafy destiny.
Article source: https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2547507/little-shop-of-horrors-billy-porter-explains-why-hes-so-excited-to-play-audrey-ii