'Prison Break' star Wentworth Miller revealed that he is gay in a letter declining an invitation to appear as a guest of honor at the St Petersburg International Film Festival. Russia recently adopted anti-gay laws.
The 41-year-old actor posted a letter on the website GLAAD that keeps an eye on media representation on the issues of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people. "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," Miller said, addressing the festival director Maria Averbakh.
This is the first time that Miller has gone public about his sexuality. According to Reuters, the letter came after Bravo channel host and executive producer Andy Cohen told E! News last week that he would not be co-hosting Donald Trump's Miss Universe pageant this year in Moscow because he "didn't feel right as a gay man stepping foot into Russia."
He further wrote, "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. If circumstances improve, I'll be free to make a different choice."
In June, Russia passed a law that banned the spread of gay "propaganda" among minors. People can be fined for holding gay pride rallies. The law drew criticism from across the world.
Miller, famous for his roles in 'Prison Break,' recently ventured into screenwriting and also wrote a script for thriller 'Stoker,' that he described as a "horror film, a family drama and a psychological thriller."
