Yahoo Finance 'Prison Break' star Wentworth Miller reveals he is autistic: 'This isn't something I'd change'
Wentworth Miller is sharing his autism diagnosis with the world.
The "Prison Break" actor revealed for the first time in a lengthy Instagram post Sunday that he was diagnosed with autism as an adult a year ago.
"Like everyone, life in quarantine took things from me. But in the quiet/isolation, I found unexpected gifts," Miller wrote. "This fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis."
Calling it a "shock" but "not a surprise," Miller admitted he still has a lot to learn about autism. According to the Autism Society of America, autism is a lifelong developmental disability that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. The organization also notes that autism is a "spectrum condition" that affects people differently and to varying degrees.
"I don't know enough about autism. (There's a lot to know.)," Wentworth shared. "Right now my work looks like evolving my understanding. Re-examining 5 decades of lived experience thru a new lens. That will take time."
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Miller clarified he isn't speaking for the autism community as a whole when going public with his own experiences and acknowledged that the community has been "historically talked over."
"I don't want to run the risk of suddenly being a loud, ill-informed voice in the room… I don't wish to do additional harm. Only to raise my hand, say, 'I am here. Have been (w/o realizing it).' "
Miller called his autism diagnosis a "gift," and thanked those who supported him throughout his journey.
"Oh - this isn't something I'd change. No. I get - got - immediately being autistic is central to who I am. To everything I've achieved/articulated," he wrote.
"I 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."
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This isn't the first time Miller has gotten candid with his followers. He revealed he has no intentions to play straight characters — including in his well-known role as Michael Scofield on Fox's "Prison Break" — in a now-deleted Instagram post in November.
"I'm out. Of PB. Officially," Miller, who is gay, wrote at the time.
"I just don't want to play straight characters. Their stories have been told (and told). So. No more Michael. If you were a fan of the show, hoping for additional seasons... I understand this is disappointing. I'm sorry."
Miller starred as Michael on the show from 2005 to 2009, and reprised the role in 2017 after Fox revived it.
Contributing: David Oliver
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wentworth Miller autism: 'Prison Break' actor reveals diagnosis
