Billy Porter Shares Why He Hasn’t Attended the Met Gala Since 2019: ‘I’m Content’
Billy Porter Reflects on Absence from 2026 Met Gala
Billy Porter has come to terms with not being invited to this year’s Met Gala, marking another absence since his debut at the prestigious event in 2019.
During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Bevelations on April 22, the 56-year-old actor revealed, “I’m not going. I have not been invited.” He noted that his last invitation was extended by Ryan Murphy in 2019, the only time he has attended. Porter made headlines that night by arriving at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a cushioned chariot, dressed as a golden phoenix to celebrate the “Camp: Notes on Fashion” exhibit.
Reflecting on the past year, Porter said, “Last year was Black dandyism, and I was not invited. I’m just going to throw that out there, [but] I’m good.” He emphasized his sense of well-being, adding, “The reality is, when people ask me, you need to know I was not invited and I’m good.”
Porter expressed his belief in maintaining dignity in his absence, stating, “I don’t go to places where I’m not welcome. I’ve earned the invitation, and it’s OK that it hasn’t happened [again] 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.”
The Met Gala is set to return to New York City on May 4, featuring a “Costume Art” theme. This year, the event will be co-chaired by Beyoncé, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Wintour.
Museum curator Andrew Bolton spoke recently about the gala’s impact, stating, “It will be transformative for our department, but I also think it’s going to be transformative to fashion more generally — the fact that an art museum like The Met is actually giving a central location to fashion.” He highlighted how the gala emphasizes “the centrality of the dressed body” in the museum’s extensive collection.
As anticipation builds for this year’s event, the attendance list remains undisclosed, a practice largely attributed to Wintour and the Vogue team’s curation. In a prior interview, Wintour shared, “Each one is very different,” adding that the upcoming gala holds a “particularly meaningful and emotional” significance in light of contemporary societal conditions.
Us Weekly has reached out for additional comments regarding the event.
