Billy Porter says playing genderless Fairy Godmother is about 'simply being myself and embracing the totality of that'

Billy Porter may be making history by being the first male to play a genderless Fairy Godmother in an upcoming reimagining of "Cinderella," but he's just staying true to himself.

"My tag line is 'Magic is genderless,' " the "Pose" star tells USA TODAY. "I feel like people have taken that and made that about something else, but it’s not about my gender, it’s not about a boy or a girl or anything, it’s about magic. And how I play it is simply being myself and embracing the totality of that."

The Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor says these classic stories have been told a certain way since their conception, and that needs to change.

"It’s time that everyone is represented in the stories that we consider classic. They’ve been told from one vantage point for a very long time," he says, noting he's not the only anomaly in the "Cinderella" remake.

"The entire piece is from a different perspective," Porter teases. "It’s a Cinderella for a new generation."

"Cinderella" is expected to be released in 2021 and also stars Camila Cabello (as the title princess), Minnie Driver and James Corden.

Porter has long been outspoken about gender fluidity, especially when it comes to making red carpet statements. He's turned heads with his androgynous style that blends traditionally gendered clothing, from his pink cape at the 2019 Golden Globes to his full-skirted velvet tuxedo gown at the 2019 Academy Awards.

At the Critics' Choice Awards, the fashion icon donned temporary butterfly tattoos as a symbol of metamorphosis for himself and his peers.

"They are a representation for the transgender community," Porter told USA TODAY on the (blue) red carpet. "The butterfly comes into the world as one thing in cocoons and transforms into this beautiful creature that can fly."

The journey is personal for Porter, who says, "I've been on a version of that myself."

Contributing: Cydney Henderson

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Billy Porter: Cinderella's Fairy Godmother is about magic, not gender