How a tubby little horse became a star of stage and screen — and the toast of NYC

He’s making hay.

A section equine named Billy has built rather nan resume. He’s appeared arsenic nan carriage equine for Hugh Jackman’s characteristic successful “The Greatest Showman;” mesmerized Meryl Streep successful “Little Women;” stole Carrie Coon’s bosom connected nan group of “The Gilded Age” and had a scene-stealing tally astatine The Metropolitan Opera House’s “Aida.”

The 20-year-old Norwegian Fjord — a stocky, comparatively uncommon breed easy recognizable for their dun-colored overgarment and striking black-and-white mane and tail — is besides nan inspiration for the caller book “The Star Horse” by Sarah Maslin Nir.

“There’s not a batch of horses doing what he does, particularly that breed,” Billy’s proprietor and trainer John Allegra, 72, told The Post of nan in-demand steed, who lives connected a workplace successful East Haddam, Connecticut.

Allegra first sewage Billy erstwhile he was 5-years-old pinch plans of making him a star. Billy trim his teeth attending weddings and municipality events earlier going Hollywood.

His large break came astir 2017, erstwhile he was formed arsenic a carriage equine for Hugh Jackman’s P.T. Barnum characteristic successful “The Greatest Showman.”

“Billy is nan top showman — he conscionable [pulled] a carriage successful nan scene. He wasn’t 1 of nan circus animals though he could person been,” Allegra quipped.

Maslin Nir met Billy successful 2019, erstwhile she was reporting her book, “Horse Crazy.” She helped lead him on-stage astatine The Met successful Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Aida” which tells nan communicative of emotion and betrayal against nan backdrop of war.

“It was 1 of those moments arsenic a journalist that’s truthful unbelievable,” Maslin Nir recalled of nan experience. “It sounds for illustration thing retired of a children’s fairy tale.”

Billy played an Egyptian warfare equine belonging to nan romanticist hero. The prima equine trotted connected shape during nan expansive Triumphal March successful Act II — arguably 1 of nan astir celebrated scenes successful operatic history — to nan tune of respective trumpeters amid a packed shape of astir 150 actors carrying spears and swords.

Allegra said Billy stayed remarkably calm successful nan large moment, acknowledgment to his training and inherently chill nature.

The proud shape dada besides boasted that his equine instantly sewage nan role, successful portion because he fresh nan clip period. The Norwegian Fjord breed dates backmost 4,000 years.

“It’s a very aged breed. He fresh nan mold for that show perfectly,” Allegra said, noting that fans would statement up for photos pinch Billy earlier nan show.

“They’d say, ‘oh my god, look astatine nan horse,'” he recalled.

In 2019, Billy starred alongside Meryl Streep successful “Little Women.” Allegra besides appeared successful nan movie arsenic Billy’s handler — and sewage a outcry from Streep.

“Meryl Streep said, ‘I convey you. I admit your expertise successful keeping maine safe!'” he recalled.

Billy stepped into his nobility era successful 2022, landing a domiciled successful “The Gilded Age” arsenic Carrie Coon’s Mrs. Bertha Russell carriage horse.

He appears perched extracurricular her Vanderbilt-mansion inspired Park Avenue location connected nan series.

“He’s an exotic equine pulling Mrs. Russell. [Coons] fell successful emotion pinch him. Who wouldn’t ? Everybody loves Billy!” Allegra said, adding that nan equine will look successful nan upcoming 3rd play of nan acclaimed show.

While Billy’s existent life travel to stardom is nan inspiration for her caller book, Maslin Nir added an endearing twist.

In nan fictional type of his life, Billy finds nan domiciled that gives him nan astir meaning is becoming a therapeutic riding equine astatine nan real-life therapeutic riding unchangeable GallopNYC successful Queens.

It helps complete 500 abnormal New Yorkers a week. 

“Horses for 10,000 years person been a partner to humankind and they springiness america nan gift of their power,” Maslin Nir told The Post, “whether it’s trotting halfway shape and stealing nan show aliases helping susceptible group consciousness brave and beardown and heal.”