Billy Porter has said he isn't welcome at the Met Gala, revealing he hasn't been invited back since his show-stopping appearance in 2019. The 56-year-old Pose actor made his debut at the star-studded VIP event in a bejewelled gold ensemble for that year's theme, "Camp: Notes on Fashion," entering sprawled across a plinth carried by six shirtless men.
No Invitation Since 2019
In a new interview with SiriusXM's Beverly Smith, Porter was asked if he would attend this year's event on May 4. He responded: "No, I'm not going. I have not been invited… I haven't been invited back since 2019." Porter said he doesn't go "where I'm not welcome" and spoke about feeling omitted from last year's event, which celebrated Black dandyism through the theme "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style."
"I'm just going to throw that out there," he said. "I'm good. It's all good. But the reality is when people ask me, you need to know I was not invited and I'm good, and I don't go to places where I'm not welcome."
Making Peace with the Situation
The Tony-winning actor said he has made peace with the situation since he "doesn't require validation from the outside." He added: "So I'm going to sit and live in that because it helps keep me sane, too."
Celebrities are invited to the Met Gala primarily through the approval of Vogue's global editorial director and chair of the benefit, Anna Wintour, who controls the guest list and waitlist. The Independent has contacted the Met and Wintour for comment. Invitations are often based on cultural relevance, and some celebrities are invited as guests of a fashion brand that has paid thousands of dollars for a table at the benefit.
Porter's 2019 Met Gala Look
Porter's 2019 Met Gala look paid homage to the Egyptian art on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and also referenced an outfit worn by Diana Ross during a montage in the 1975 film Mahogany. The actor wore a gold headdress, bedazzled leotard, and a pair of sweeping golden wings.
The dress code for the 4 May event is "Fashion is Art," which celebrates the Costume Institute's "Costume Art" exhibit, exploring the "centrality of the dressed body." Guests are encouraged to think about how they can use their bodies as a blank canvas.
This Year's Hosts and Sponsors
This year's honorary hosts are Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams. Members of the Gala Host Committee, co-chaired by Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz, include singer Sabrina Carpenter, musician Doja Cat, ballerina Misty Copeland, Girls creator Lena Dunham, singer Sam Smith, and One Battle After Another actor Teyana Taylor, among others.
Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, are lead sponsors for the event. Their role gives them influence over everything from invites to the overall presentation. Their involvement has led to a boycott campaign from the political activist group Everyone Hates Elon, which has distributed flyers across New York City reading "Boycott the Bezos Met Gala" in the lead-up to the event.
