Prison Break Actor Wentworth Miller Comes Out In Protest Of Russia's Anti-Gay Law

Prison Break actor Wentworth Miller has always been a standup guy. Unlike many other Hollywood types who are interested in making any kind of headlines, he?s always preferred to let his work speak for itself. As such, when he wrote the screenplay for the strangely brilliant Stoker, he sold it under a pseudonym so as to properly gauge whether or not he had any real writing talent. Let the record show he does, and if further evidence of either his wonderful, understated personality or his ability with the pen is needed, look no further than the letter he published today on GLAAD?s official website.

Asked to be a guest of honor at the upcoming St Petersburg Film Festival, Miller declined in order to show solidarity with his fellow members of the LGBT community who are actively being discriminated against thanks to a new law that essentially forbids talking positively about or displaying any signs of homosexuality anywhere children could be present. Didn?t know Miller was gay? Neither did pretty much anyone else. He?s never talked about it on the record, but given the situation, he decided to take a stand.

Here?s a transcript of the entire letter?

Dear Ms. Averbakh:

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.

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.

Until then.

Wentworth Miller

If you?re keeping score at home, that?s one of the most classy and pointful ways I?ve ever seen someone come out. It doesn?t beg for attention. It doesn?t use a world event for personal gain. It doesn?t even go out of its way to attract headlines. It simply says there is a battle for human rights going on, and it?s time I made it clear exactly where I stand.

Miller?s acting career might not be on an upward trajectory right now, but his writing career certainly is. He?s currently working on several different projects, and he?s reportedly been asked to script an upcoming film being produced by Oprah and Tom Hanks. Really, there aren?t any better words to express burgeoning success than that statement of facts.

Pop Blend?s sincerest salute goes out to Miller for being courageous enough to come out and for being wise enough to choose a moment that really matters. Here?s to hoping he receives nothing but support.