Porter frames his Met Gala absence as a badge of honor, insisting he's reached a level of success that doesn't require validation from outside institutions like Vogue or the Met.
The tension between Porter and Anna Wintour runs deep — he publicly called her a 'bitch' in 2023 after slamming Harry Styles' Vogue cover, making his Met Gala snub feel deeply personal rather than coincidental.
Porter's only Met Gala appearance was in 2019 when Ryan Murphy invited him to the camp-themed event. He arrived as a golden phoenix carried by six shirtless men on a black velvet bed and called Anna Wintour a 'bitch' in 2023.
Billy Porter has turned his Met Gala exile into a masterclass in self-worth — and honestly? The phoenix moment was so iconic that even not being invited feels like the gala's loss, not his.
Billy Porter is keeping it real about his Met Gala status — and he's completely unbothered by the snub.
In a new interview with "Bevalations" on Wednesday, the "Pose" actor confirmed what many in the fashion world have suspected: he hasn't received an invitation to the Met Gala since his sole appearance in 2019. "That's the only time I've ever gone, and the only time I've ever been invited," Porter matter-of-factly stated, noting that Ryan Murphy had originally secured his invite to the camp-themed event. "The reality is, when people ask me, you need to know I was not invited and I'm good."
While he's only attended once, Porter made absolutely certain it would be a memorable debut. Arriving at the 2019 Gala in full golden phoenix regalia, he was carried down the iconic stairs on a black velvet bed borne by six shirtless men. The dramatic entrance saw the actor positioned at the base of the stairs, dramatically spreading his fully embellished gold wings while wearing a bodysuit and shoulder-length jeweled wig. It was, in short, absolutely everything — and arguably one of the most talked-about looks in recent Met Gala memory.
The shade, it seems, cuts both ways. Porter has had a complicated relationship with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour over the years, and in 2023 he made his feelings crystal clear — publicly calling her a "bitch" while simultaneously slamming Harry Styles' controversial Vogue cover. So when last year's Met Gala theme "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" came and went without an invitation, Porter took notice. "I'm just going to throw that out there, [but] I'm good," he said about the snub.
Ultimately, Porter is channeling his inner queen — and making it everyone else's problem. "I don't go to places where I'm not welcome," he concluded. "I've earned the invitation and it's ok that I don't have it because there's a level that I've reached that doesn't require validation from the outside. I'm going to sit and live in that because it helps keep me sane, too."
