Actor Wentworth Miller claims he was able to figure something very important about himself while under quarantine — he is autistic.
The ‘Prison Break’ star revealed the stunning diagnosis on Instagram by sharing a lengthy message to his fans and others in Hollywood who have helped make him comfortable along the way, not knowing why he acted in a certain way. The actor says the diagnosis was a surprise, but not a shock.
In the message, Miller says it has been a year since his “informal autism” diagnosis, which he received after self-diagnosing his condition. In the end, he was formally diagnosed but says it is a “long, flawed process in need of updating.”
‘Prison Break’ Star Diagnosed As An Adult
“Like everyone, life in quarantine took things from me. But in the quiet/isolation, I found unexpected gifts. This fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis. It was a long, flawed process in need of updating,” he wrote. Adding, “I’m a middle-aged man. Not a 5-year-old.And (it’s a “both/and”) I recognize access to a diagnosis is a privilege many do not enjoy. Let’s just say it was a shock. But not a surprise.”
He continued, “I don’t know enough about autism. (There’s a lot to know.) Right now my work looks like evolving my understanding. Re-examining 5 decades of lived experience thru a new lens. That will take time.”
Interestingly, Miller says he is not going to dive right into sharing information on his massive platform, to avoid the risk of “suddenly being a loud, ill-informed voice in the room.”
“The autistic community (this I do know) has historically been talked over. Spoken for. I don’t wish to do additional harm. Only to raise my hand, say, “I am here. Have been (w/o realizing it),” Miller wrote.
Wentworth Miller: I Wouldn’t Change It If I Could…
Adding, “If anyone’s interested in delving deeper into autism + neurodiversity, I’ll point you toward the numerous individuals sharing thoughtful + inspiring content on Instagram, TikTok… Unpacking terminology. Adding nuance. Fighting stigma. These creators (some quite young) speak to the relevant issues more knowledgeably/fluently than I can. (They’ve been schooling me as well.) That’s the extent of what I’m inclined to share atm.”
In the end, Wentworth says his condition is NOT something he would change if possible, saying it is central to “who I am” and claims it was important to everything he has achieved. Lastly, he thanked those who knew there was an issue but gave him the ability to deal with any issues surrounding his condition. “Also, want to say to the many (many) people who consciously or unconsciously gave me that extra bit of grace + space over the years, allowed me to move thru the world in a way that made sense to me whether or not it made sense to them… thank you,” he concluded.
The actor’s fans flooded his Instagram with support, including many who just posted messages like, “This was beautiful to read, welcome to the community Wentworth! 💕”
