The 'Prison Break' actor explains in a new Instagram post that the autism diagnosis didn't come as a surprise for him as it's 'preceded by a self-diagnosis.'
- Jul 28, 2021
AceShowbiz - "Prison Break" star Wentworth Miller has shared his Autism diagnosis in a lengthy Instagram post.
The actor has been re-evaluating his life through a new lens after being told he was among the one per cent of people in the world with the developmental disability.
"This fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis," he wrote on 25 June (21).
"It was a long, flawed process in need of updating. (In my opinion). I'm a middle-aged man. Not a 5-year-old... I recognize access to a diagnosis is a privilege many do not enjoy (sic)."
Autism can impair a person's ability to communicate and interact socially, according to the Autism Society of America. Many people are diagnosed as children, while some are never officially diagnosed.
Wentworth, who has changed his Instagram bio to read "autistic/neurodivergent," said the official diagnosis was "a shock but not a surprise," adding, "I don't know enough about autism. (There's a lot to know)... Re-examining 5 decades of lived experience thru a new lens. That will take time."
"Meanwhile, 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) (sic).' "
He also thanked the 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. (sic)"
Miller is currently a regular on the superhero series "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" along with fellow former "Prison Break" co-star Dominic Purcell.
He came out as gay in 2013 after declining an invitation to the Saint Petersburg International Film Festival due to the country's human rights issues.
