Prison Break’s Wentworth Miller Speaks On His Autism Diagnosis: ‘It Was A Shock, But Not A Surprise’

Wentworth Miller has revealed he is a member of the autism community.

The 49-year-old shared his diagnosis in a July 25 Instagram post. In the caption, Miller stated he received an informal autism diagnosis last fall, “preceded by a self-diagnosis” and “followed by a formal diagnosis.” 

“Like everyone, life in quarantine took things from me. But in the quiet/isolation, I found unexpected gifts. This fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis,” Wenworth began his lengthy caption.

“It was a long, flawed process in need of updating. IMO. I’m a middle-aged man. Not a 5-year-old. And (it’s a “both/and”) I recognize access to a diagnosis is a privilege many do not enjoy. Let’s just say it was a shock. But not a surprise.”

“There is a now-familiar cultural narrative (in which I’ve participated) that goes, “Public figure shares A, B and C publicly, dedicates platform to D, E and F. Good for them. /srs.”

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“And (it’s a “both/and”) that’s not necessarily what’s going to happen here. I don’t know enough about autism. (There’s a lot to know.) Right now my work looks like evolving my understanding. 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).”

“If anyone’s interested in delving deeper into #autism + #neurodiversity, I’ll point you toward the numerous individuals sharing thoughtful + inspiring content on Instagram, TikTok… Unpacking terminology. Adding nuance. Fighting stigma.”

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“These creators (some quite young) speak to the relevant issues more knowledgeably/fluently than I can. (They’ve been schooling me as well.) That’s the extent of what I’m inclined to share atm.”

“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. Oh – 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.”

“And to those who made a different choice… well. People will reveal themselves. Another gift,” he concluded.