Billy Porter addresses Met Gala exclusion in candid radio interview

• Billy Porter has not received a Met Gala invitation since his 2019 debut.
• The actor noted his exclusion from last year’s significant Black dandyism theme.
• Porter stated that he no longer requires external validation for his iconic status.

Billy Porter, the "Pose" star and fashion trailblazer, has confirmed he will not be attending the 2026 Met Gala.

Appearing on SiriusXM’s "Bevelations" this week, the actor made the surprising revelation that he has not been invited to the prestigious event in seven years.

"No, I'm not going," Porter told host Bevy Smith. "I have not been invited. I haven't been invited back since 2019. 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."

Porter expressed particular disappointment regarding his exclusion from the 2025 event, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," which focused on Black dandyism.

"Last year was Black dandyism, and I was not invited. I'm just gonna throw that out there," he said, adding that while he is "good" with the situation, he chooses not to go where he is not welcome.

The 56-year-old actor’s only appearance at the gala remains his 2019 "Camp: Notes on Fashion" entrance, where he was carried onto the red carpet on a litter by six shirtless men while dressed as a golden "Sun God."

Despite being a staple of high-fashion red carpets, Porter emphasised that he no longer seeks the event's approval. "I've earned the invitation, and it's OK that I don't have it," he explained.

"Because there's a level that I've reached that doesn't require validation from the outside." Looking forward, Porter is focusing on his role in the upcoming film "Christmas Karma."

The 2026 Met Gala, themed "Fashion is Art," is set to take place on 4 May without the presence of the genre-defying star.