Billy Porter has issued a public apology to Harry Styles after bemoaning the reaction the chart-topping singer received when he wore a dress on the cover of Vogue last November.
Last month, the Emmy-winning actor said of Harry’s Vogue shoot: “I’m not dragging Harry Styles, but he is the one you’re going to try and use to represent this new conversation?
“He doesn’t care, he’s just doing it because it’s the thing to do.”
Referencing his own numerous red carpet appearances in dresses – including the iconic tuxedo dress he sported at the 2019 Oscars – Billy continued: “This is politics for me. This is my life.
“I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned now. All he has to do is be white and straight.”
The Pose star went on to suggest that he “personally changed the game” for men choosing to embrace skirts and dresses as part of their wardrobe.
However, it seems he’s now had something of a change of heart.
Apologising to the former One Direction star during an interview on Stephen Colbert’s US talk show, Billy said: “Harry Styles, I apologise to you for having your name in my mouth.
“It’s not about you. The conversation is not about you. The conversation is actually deeper than that. It is about the systems of oppression and erasure of people of colour who contribute to the culture.”
He added: “I’m sorry, Harry. I didn’t mean no harm. I’m a gay man. We like Harry Styles, he’s cute!”
Alongside his photo-shoot, Harry told Vogue last year that he thought “clothes are there to experiment with”, with the majority of his fans and peers applauding the cover.
There was a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the cover from certain right-wing critics, though.
This included US conservative pundit Candace Owens, whose comment that she wanted to “bring back manly men” inspired a cheeky response from Harry himself.