Billy Porter To grieve his mother, he will not be attending the Met Gala on Monday, May 6. Chloe Linda Jean JohnsonDied in February.
“I just lost my mom.” Porter, 54, said. and! News At the TIME 100 Gala on Thursday, April 25th. “I’m doing it because I need to take care of myself. And that sometimes means not going to parties.”
Fans of the Met know the time and care required to complete a look, with most attendees spending months creating their red carpet ensembles. Porter said he “can't do it all,” joked that “daddy's tired,” and needed a break.
Porter publicly announced the news of his mother's death at the age of 79 in a joint statement with his sister. mary martha ford.
The siblings posted on their Instagram account on February 29, “We were in our arms when our mom took her last breath. Her mom lived her life as best she could despite her physical limitations. She was the embodiment of true Christianity and her unconditional love was an example the world could benefit from adopting.”
“Her example is something we continue to strive for,” their statement concluded.
Porter has become a Met Gala staple year after year thanks to his extravagant looks. He made his biggest appearance ever at 'Camp: Fashion Notes' in 2019. Inspired by ancient Egypt, the porter is carried on a palanquin by six shirtless men. Stepping down from his throne, he presented himself in a catsuit with 10-foot wings and a 24-carat gold headdress. The ensemble created by Porter's stylist is, Sam RatelAnd design duo The Blondes had five hours to prepare before the big event.
He explained his appearance on the red carpet at the time, “I want to have wings so I can fly.” “I wanted to become a god, a sun god, enlightenment. It's all within the realm of my appearance. I wanted to do something positive and bring joy to people. “We need a little bit of that.”
With an extensive background in theater and performing arts, it is no surprise that the 2019 theme struck a particular chord with Porter.
“Camp is often used in a derogatory sense,” he said. “What I love about contextualizing camp at the Met Gala and doing it is that it honors words and genres that can often be ignored or seen as cheesy. When done right, it is one of the highest forms of fashion and art.”