Billy Porter, an actor who is known for expressing his “gender fluidity” on Hollywood red carpets, has just announced that he will be playing a “genderless” fairy godmother in the upcoming remake of Cinderella.
Porter is reportedly making history as the first man to play the role of the fairy godmother in the fairytale, which he describes as “a classic fairytale for a new generation,” according to CBS News.
“It hit me when I was on the set last week, how profound it is that I am playing the Fairy Godmother – they call it the Fab G,” Porter added. “Magic has no gender.”
Porter, who has won an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony Award, has made a name for himself on red carpets by wearing gender non-conforming dresses and high heels.
“I got my shot being a drag queen and it made me feel the most grounded and powerful that I have ever felt in my life and I’m not going back,” Porter told Good Morning America in 2019. “When women wear pants that’s not a problem, that’s strong, that’s powerful being associated with masculinity. Because if a man wears a dress, then that’s disgusting. So what are we saying? Women are powerful and men are disgusting. I’m not doing that anymore. So I’m going to wear a dress when I want to.”
The latest remake of Cinderella is scheduled to be released in 2021 with singer Camila Cabello making her screen debut as Cinderella.
Originally appeared in LifeZette.