Billy Porter dazzles at the 2019 Tony Awards in pro-choice look
From his viral velvet tuxedo gown at the Oscars to his Egyptian-inspired ensemble at the Met Gala, Billy Porter sure knows how to make a major statement with his red carpet fashion choices.
But the “Pose” star, 49, might have outdone himself at the 2019 Tony Awards on Sunday at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall, arriving in a custom red and pink look by Celestino Couture that incorporated the crimson velvet curtain from Broadway’s “Kinky Boots,” for which Porter won the Tony for best actor in a musical back in 2013.
The gender-bending gown’s symbolism didn’t stop there, however.
“At the fitting, we spoke about making a pattern on the train that was in the shape of a uterus, but not obvious, of course,” Porter told The Hollywood Reporter. “And I thought it was awesome because women’s rights are under attack right now. I’m an advocate for all who are disenfranchised. None of us are free until we’re all free!”
“I really want to make sure that I’m showing up for all of the disenfranchised people I can so that we can find power in our unity,” he added. “This government is trying to take away the woman’s right to choose and that’s unacceptable. No!”
In January, Porter’s stylist Sam Ratelle spoke with Page Six Style about how the actor uses style as a form of activism.
“With [Billy], every single time we work on something together, the first thing we do is think: What is the statement we’re making with this?” Ratelle explained.
“Like when he started wearing dresses recently, that was very specific because of all the stuff that was going on in the White House regarding transgender rights. We started talking about it and we’re like, we have to start representing these people because you have to normalize that somehow publicly. There has to be visibility.”
See what all the stars wore to the Tony Awards below:
