Billy Porter, the Emmy and Tony-winning actor known for his boundary-pushing fashion, has revealed he hasn't received an invitation to the Met Gala since his viral 2019 appearance.
During an April 22 interview on SiriusXM's Bevelations, Porter disclosed his seven-year absence from fashion's most exclusive event. "I haven't been invited back since 2019," he stated. "That's the only time I've ever gone and the only time I've ever been invited—and I was invited by Ryan Murphy that year."
The revelation comes as particularly striking given last year's Met Gala theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," which celebrated Black dandyism. Porter noted the irony: "Last year was Black dandyism and I was not invited, I'm just going to throw that out there."
"The reality is when people ask me, you need to know I was not invited and I don't go to places where I'm not welcome."
Despite the exclusion, Porter emphasized he's at peace with the situation. "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," he shared. "So, I'm going to sit and live in that because it helps keep me sane too."
Porter's 2019 Met Gala entrance remains legendary in fashion history. Embracing the "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme, he arrived as an Egyptian god in an all-gold ensemble complete with wings and a chain headdress, carried on a platform by six shirtless attendants.
At the time, Porter praised the event's theme, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "Camp is the art of being extra in its finest and highest form. I'm glad we get to reclaim that word and make it a positive again."
In 2024, Porter missed the Met Gala for personal reasons following his mother's passing, telling E! News, "I just lost my mom. I have to take care of myself, so I'm doing that. And that means not going to the party sometimes."
As the fashion world prepares for the 2026 Met Gala, Porter's absence highlights ongoing conversations about inclusion and recognition within elite fashion circles.