Actor Wentworth Miller comes out as gay
“Prison Break” star Wentworth Miller has just revealed he’s a gay man … in a statement that reads as a giant “F YOU” to Russia.
The 41-year-old actor fired off a letter to the director of the St. Petersburg International Film Festival – rejecting its invitation for him to travel to the Motherland for the event … and in the letter, WM went public about his sexuality for the first time.
“Thank you for your kind invitation. As someone who has enjoyed visiting Russia in the past and can also claim a degree of Russian ancestry, it would make me happy to say yes. However, as a gay man, I must decline.”
Wentworth Miller.
Miller continued -
“I am deeply troubled by the current attitude toward and treatment of gay men and women by the Russian government. The situation is in no way acceptable, and I cannot in good conscience participate in a celebratory occasion hosted by a country where people like myself are being systematically denied their basic right to live and love openly.
Perhaps, when and if circumstances improve, I’ll be free to make a different choice.”
“Wentworth’s bold show of support sends a powerful message to LGBT Russians, who are facing extreme violence and persecution: you are not alone” – said a statement from GLAAD representative Wilson Cruz, who is also an actor (My So-Called Life).
Miller’s announcement comes amid international condemnation of Russia’s recent crackdown on homosexuals. Stringent new laws prescribe fines for people accused of spreading “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” to minors. Gay pride rallies are banned, as is the adoption of Russian-born children by same-sex couples. And foreign visitors suspected of being gay can now be detained for up to 15 days, which has raised concerns worldwide as Russia prepares to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.