Wentworth Miller has come out as gay after rejecting an invitation to attend the St. Petersburg film festival in Russia. His declining the invitation was clearly in protest of Russia’s recent anti-gay laws, which has caused a lot of controversy around the rest of the world.
His letter declining the invitation was posted on the official GLAAD website, so it’s not like anyone’s outing him without permission. He wrote, “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.”
He also added, “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.”
Miller is best known for his role on the hit TV show Prison Break, and he’s recently made his screenwriting debut with Stoker, starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, and Mia Wasikowska. Although Miller reportedly used to keep his sexual orientation quiet, he went public with his boyfriend around 2007/2008, and he hasn’t looked back. However, this letter would mark his first public statement confirming that he is gay, and that’s always a big step for public figures. He’s managed to do it in an incredibly classy way, without lying or hiding about it, so kudos to him.