David Livingston/Getty ImagesWentworth Miller is a member of the autism community.
The 49-year-old actor shared his diagnosis in a July 25 Instagram post. In his caption, Miller noted he received an informal autism diagnosis last fall, "preceded by a self-diagnosis" and "followed by a formal diagnosis."
The Prison Break star described the process as "long," "flawed" and "in need of updating."
"I'm a middle-aged man. Not a 5-year-old," he wrote. "And (it's a 'both/and') I recognize access to a diagnosis is a privilege many do not enjoy."
While the diagnosis "was a shock," he said, it also was "not a surprise." He then reflected on sharing his diagnosis with the world.
"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,'" Miller added. "Good for them. /srs. And (it's a 'both/and') that's not necessarily what's going to happen here."
The Golden Globe nominee explained he doesn't "know enough about autism. (There's a lot to know.)" So, he's taking his time to learn.
"Right now my work looks like evolving my understanding," Miller stated. "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).'"
However, he offered to share the resources he's come across so far. "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," he continued. "Adding nuance. Fighting stigma. These creators (some quite young) speak to the relevant issues more knowledgeably/fluently than I can. (They've been schooling me as well.)"
Near the end of his post, Miller wrote, "This isn't something I'd change."
"No. I get - got - immediately being autistic is central to who I am," he added. "To everything I've achieved/articulated."
He then took a moment to thank "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."
And for "those who made a different choice," he concluded, "well. People will reveal themselves."