‘Prison Break’ actor Wentworth Miller has opened up about being diagnosed with autism a year ago, saying “it was a shock. But not a surprise.”
Miller, 49, shared a blank white square on Instagram and detailed his diagnosis process in the caption.
“Like everyone, life in quarantine took things from me. But in the quiet/isolation, I found unexpected gifts,” he wrote. “This fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis.”
The actor, who has Syrian and Lebanese ancestry on his mother’s side, said being diagnosed was a “long, flawed process in need of updating” but in his note he made clear that he was not regretful about being diagnosed.
“This isn’t something I’d change ... immediately being autistic is central to who I am. To everything I’ve achieved/articulated,” he added.
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is a developmental disorder “characterised by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication.”
Miller explained that “access to a diagnosis is a privilege many do not enjoy,” and added that he was not seeking to be seen as an expert on the condition.
“I don’t want to run 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),” he wrote.
In the past, Miller has be vocal about his mental health struggles and how it has made him stay out of the public eye. In 2013 he said he had attempted suicide a number of times as a teenager. In 2016, he wrote a searing Facebook post in response to a meme making fun of his weight gain. The meme used a picture comparing his body in the series ‘Prison Break’ and one from him in 2010.
“In 2010, semi-retired from acting, I was keeping a low-profile for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I was suicidal,” he explained in his 2016 post. “This is a subject I’ve since written about, spoken about, shared about. But at the time I suffered in silence. As so many do. The extent of my struggle known to very, very few.”
“I’ve struggled with depression since childhood. It’s a battle that’s cost me time, opportunities, relationships, and a thousand sleepless nights,” his post read, saying that having his favourite meals and watching ‘Top Chef’ helped him get through the hard times.
“And I put on weight. Big [expletive] deal,” he wrote.
Miller is best known for his role as a gifted man trying to save his brother in the show ‘Prison Break’. He has also starred in ‘The Flash’ and DC’s ‘Legends of Tomorrow’.