# Peter Porte
**Peter Porte** is an American actor and producer known for playing [Ricky Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricky-williams) on the soap opera *The Young and the Restless*, the recurring role of Brad on the Freeform sitcom *Baby Daddy*, Dimitri von Leuschner on *Days of Our Lives*, and a string of lead roles in [Hallmark Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/hallmark-channel) television movies.
His reported birth details vary between sources: IMDb gives 1984,[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173/bio/) while TV Insider, AlloCiné, and Hypnoweb give 1985.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/peter-porte/) • [3](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D554574.html) All agree that he was born in Greenwood Lake, New York, and that his birth name is Peter John Porte.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173/bio/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Peter John Porte[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173/bio/) |
| Birth year | 1984 (IMDb) or 1985 (TV Insider, AlloCiné, Hypnoweb); sources disagree[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173/bio/) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/peter-porte/) |
| Breakout soap role | Ricky Williams, series regular on *The Young and the Restless*, September 2011 to 2012, 51 episodes[4](https://www.hypnoweb.net/www/acteurs/peter-porte-biographie-carriere-et-filmographie.2.3256/) |
| Signature sitcom role | Brad (Brad/Tad) on *Baby Daddy*, 19 episodes, 2014–2017[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173) |
| Soap return | Dimitri von Leuschner on *Days of Our Lives* from 2023, returning in season 61[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-554574/filmographie/) |
| Training | BFA in Acting, NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London[7](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/cherished-memories-a-gift-to-remember-2/cast/peter-porte) |
| Spouse | Jacob Villere, married October 7, 2018[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173/bio/) |
| Height | 6′ 0¾″ (1.85 m)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173/bio/) |
## Training and early work
Porte is a first-generation American who grew up in a small village in upstate New York with his European parents; his mother is from Poland.[7](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/cherished-memories-a-gift-to-remember-2/cast/peter-porte) • [8](https://mydevotionalthoughts.net/interview-with-actor-peter-porte-love-at-the-shore/) He has said his first acting role came in third grade, as [Christopher Columbus](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-columbus) in a school pageant, a part he attributes to a period costume borrowed from his mother's traditional Polish garb.[8](https://mydevotionalthoughts.net/interview-with-actor-peter-porte-love-at-the-shore/)
**Training.** He earned a BFA in Acting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, graduating in 2006 with a degree in drama and journalism according to Hypnoweb, and then studied the classics, including Shakespeare and Molière, at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London; the Hallmark biography also lists study in Paris and Hong Kong.[7](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/cherished-memories-a-gift-to-remember-2/cast/peter-porte) • [4](https://www.hypnoweb.net/www/acteurs/peter-porte-biographie-carriere-et-filmographie.2.3256/) His first major professional job was with the Broadway National Touring Company of *Mamma Mia!*, after which he moved to Los Angeles.[7](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/cherished-memories-a-gift-to-remember-2/cast/peter-porte)
## Television roles
**The Young and the Restless.** Porte joined the cast of *The Young and the Restless* in September 2011 as a series regular, playing Ricky Williams, and left the series in 2012 after 51 episodes.[4](https://www.hypnoweb.net/www/acteurs/peter-porte-biographie-carriere-et-filmographie.2.3256/) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173)
**Baby Daddy.** After leaving the soap, he moved into comedy: guest appearances in 2012 on *The New Normal* and *Parks and Recreation* were followed by roles on *Devious Maids*, *NCIS: Los Angeles*, and *Mom* in 2013.[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-554574/filmographie/) What was intended as a single episode of *Baby Daddy* turned into four years, he told Soap Opera Digest: "I went from soaps, which are very dramatic and very serious, to doing sitcoms. I did a bunch and then found a little home at this show called BABY DADDY, which was on ABC Family that became Freeform."[9](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-peter-porte-interview/) IMDb credits him with 19 episodes as Brad (Brad/Tad) between 2014 and 2017.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173)
**Days of Our Lives.** Porte joined *Days of Our Lives* in 2023 as Dimitri von Leuschner.[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-554574/filmographie/) He reprised the role in 2025, returning just as his ex, Leo Stark, had married Javi Hernandez; in a TV Insider interview he described Dimitri as having been "trapped in a gilded prison for the last year."[10](https://www.tvinsider.com/1236694/days-of-our-lives-dimitri-von-leuschner-return-peter-porte-interview/) AlloCiné credits him with the role again in season 61.[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-554574/filmographie/)
His other television credits include *Cold Case* (2009, as Tucker 'Duke' Benton '66), *CSI: Miami* (2008, as Brad Garland, his first listed screen credit in that filmography), *New Girl*, *Telenovela*, *Filthy Rich* (2020, as Trey Atkins), and *NCIS* (2022, as Owen Belfort III).[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-554574/filmographie/) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/peter-porte/)
## Television movies and producing
A large share of Porte's screen work is in television movies, particularly for Hallmark Channel and related networks. His Hallmark debut came with *Love at the Shore* (2017), opposite [Amanda Righetti](https://www.edgepedia.org/amanda-righetti) as surfer Lucas McKinnon, followed by *A Gift to Remember* (2017) and its sequel *Cherished Memories: A Gift to Remember 2* (2019, both as Aiden Harris), *Love, Once and Always* (2018, as Duncan), and *Rome in Love* (2019, as [Philip Hamilton](https://www.edgepedia.org/philip-hamilton)).[7](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/cherished-memories-a-gift-to-remember-2/cast/peter-porte) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/peter-porte/) His holiday credits include Lifetime's *Christmas Harmony* (2018, as Devin, a musical with original music), ION Television's *A Cinderella Christmas* (2016, as Nikolaus Karmichael), *Dashing in December* (2020), and *Notes of Autumn* (2023, as Matt).[9](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-peter-porte-interview/) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/peter-porte/)
**The Hallmark connection.** Porte has described the network's productions as unusually close-knit. In a 2017 interview he said that Hallmark's producers visited the set in Georgia and that "they do a great job of making it feel like a family."[11](https://www.hollywoodsoapbox.com/interview-peter-porte-finds-love-at-the-shore-on-hallmark-channel/) A MediaVillage profile recounts that when Freeform declined to renew *Baby Daddy*, Porte found himself "network homeless" and was promptly "adopted" by Hallmark, beginning with *Love at the Shore*.[12](https://www.mediavillage.com/article/from-freeform-to-hallmark-the-journey-of-peter-porte/)
He has also worked behind the camera on some of these films: [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) lists him as associate producer on *Yuletide the Knot* (2023) and co-producer on *Dead in the Water* (2021).[13](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/peter-porte/credits/3000639482/) IMDb counts 53 acting credits, 2 producing credits, and one nomination overall.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173)
## Personal life
Porte married Jacob Villere on October 7, 2018; Hypnoweb reports the ceremony took place in the French Quarter of New Orleans with actress [Melissa Peterman](https://www.edgepedia.org/melissa-peterman), his *Baby Daddy* co-star, presiding.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173/bio/) • [4](https://www.hypnoweb.net/www/acteurs/peter-porte-biographie-carriere-et-filmographie.2.3256/) While riding a Vespa in Los Angeles he was struck by a car, and the Vespa landing on his ankle shattered it, an experience he has said changed how he plays injury scenes.[9](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-peter-porte-interview/) He resides in Los Angeles.[7](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/cherished-memories-a-gift-to-remember-2/cast/peter-porte)
## References
1. [Peter Porte – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173/bio/)
2. [Peter Porte – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/peter-porte/)
3. [Peter Porte - AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D554574.html)
4. [Peter Porte : biographie, carrière et filmographie, Hypnoweb](https://www.hypnoweb.net/www/acteurs/peter-porte-biographie-carriere-et-filmographie.2.3256/)
5. [Peter Porte, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2431173)
6. [Peter Porte : Filmographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-554574/filmographie/)
7. [Peter Porte – Cherished Memories: A Gift to Remember 2 cast, Hallmark Channel](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/cherished-memories-a-gift-to-remember-2/cast/peter-porte)
8. [Interview With Actor Peter Porte, "Love At the Shore", Media From the Heart by Ruth Hill](https://mydevotionalthoughts.net/interview-with-actor-peter-porte-love-at-the-shore/)
9. [ICYMI: Peter Porte Interview, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-peter-porte-interview/)
10. [Dimitri Returns to 'Days of Our Lives': Peter Porte Interview, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1236694/days-of-our-lives-dimitri-von-leuschner-return-peter-porte-interview/)
11. [INTERVIEW: Peter Porte finds 'Love at the Shore' on Hallmark Channel, Hollywood Soapbox](https://www.hollywoodsoapbox.com/interview-peter-porte-finds-love-at-the-shore-on-hallmark-channel/)
12. [From Freeform to Hallmark; the Journey of Peter Porte, MediaVillage](https://www.mediavillage.com/article/from-freeform-to-hallmark-the-journey-of-peter-porte/)
13. [Peter Porte List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/peter-porte/credits/3000639482/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Pi to Q*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license