You should know by now that Wentworth Miller, who played the leading character Michael Scofield in the popular TV series Prison Break, came out of the closet late last month. In a simple letter posted on the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation website, Miller declined an invitation to attend an international film festival in St. Petersburg, Russia as a form of protest against the anti-homosexual laws in that country. “It would make me happy to say yes, however, as a gay man, I must decline,” wrote Miller.
Having enjoyed watching the 1st season of Prison Break, I developed a small crush on Wentworth Miller as well as on his co-actor Dominic Purcell, who played Scofield’s half-brother Lincoln Burrows. At the height of his popularity, Miller was actually hounded by gay rumors and he emphatically said back in 2007, “I’m not gay.”
Now Miller, through an inspiring speech given at a recent dinner organized by the Human Rights Campaign, spoke about his struggles in coming to terms with his homosexuality. He revealed that he first tried to commit suicide at 15 by downing a bottle of pills while his family was away for the weekend. He survived and was asked if that was a cry for help. He said no because, “You only cry for help if you believe there’s help to cry for. And I didn't. I wanted out.” And on his decision to finally come out, Miller said, “let me be to someone else, what no one was to me.”
You can watch his full speech below. (Note: the audio is quite soft, so you should use earphones.)
