Billy Porter Thrills Twitter by Showing Up to Oscars in a Dress and Gold Feather Vest: ‘Stunning’

Advocates of the LGBT community celebrated “Pose” star Billy Porter for his daring grand entrance at Sunday’s Oscars red carpet.

Porter, who has shown up at red carpets in the past year with headline-grabbing, gender-fluid outfits, kicked off the 92nd Academy Awards celebrations in a Giles Deacon custom couture outfit, donning a gold-feathered top and a voluminous printed gown paired with custom Jimmy Choo shoes – also golden.

“Welcome to the #academyawards2020. Let the fashion games begin!,” Porter wrote in a Twitter post in which he shared a photo and details about his outfit.

Users on social media were thrilled by the actor’s fashion statement, with some saying his attire was “stunning” and “brave.”

You're my hero @theebillyporter please don't stop being brave and #UltraStylish you make me happy ☆ https://t.co/511iV3xkcP

— TC Perret (@tcperret) February 9, 2020

Media personality Kalen Allen went as far as to claim Porter as an inspiration.

https://twitter.com/TheKalenAllen/status/1226327951878213632?s=20

And the Twitter account for LGBT rights advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign tweeted effusively about Porter’s Academy Awards appearance.

When Janelle Monáe AND Billy Porter open the #Oscars. 😍

We’ve come alive, @JanelleMonae & @theebillyporter! pic.twitter.com/wtOywqFx2S

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 10, 2020

Race and feminism at the Oscars

Actress Regina King, one of the night’s presenters and the winner of last year’s best supporting actress award for her role in the film adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel “If Beale Street Could Talk,” walked the red carpet in a single-strap light pink Versace gown with a diamond-laced top.

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“I think it works with the weather because it’s warm,” King said, jokingly referring to the chilly weather outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Asked by TV personality Ryan Seacrest about last year’s win, she responded, “It’s still surreal in a lot of ways for the piece that it was that I won for — that James Baldwin has so much to do with American culture, American literature. I still can’t believe that this is the anniversary of that moment.”

Academy award winner Natalie Portman delivered a statement on Hollywood’s record on gender equality with a Dior cape embroidered with the names of female directors.

Portman said she wanted to “recognize the women who are … not recognized for their incredible work this year.”

Wearing a crystal-studded, hooded Ralph Lauren gown that reportedly took 600 hours to make, actress and singer Janelle Monae delivered her message during a pre-show interview with Billy Porter.

“I think the important takeaway is to listen to black women,” Monae said when asked about her role in “Harriet,” a movie about the life of slavery-era hero Harriet Tubman. “When we are in positions of leadership, when we have your support we can do the unthinkable.”

(Reuters contributed to this report.)

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