14 DAY TRIAL // Speculation about Wentworth Miller’s orientation has been making the rounds for years but, until just now, the former “Prison Break” star never bothered to publicly address the rumors. He’s doing now – and it’s for a cause.
As more and more celebrities are reacting to Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay law, Miller too is lending his voice to the cause, refusing to attend a film festival in Russia precisely because of it.
The actor was asked to attend the St. Petersburg International Film Festival but, in light of the controversial law (which makes anyone pushing “gay propaganda” liable to jail time and a fine), he’s opted to sit this one out as a sign of protest.
“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,” the actor says in a statement cited by TMZ.
“I am deeply troubled by the current attitude toward and treatment of gay men and women by the Russian government,” he adds.
Refusing to attend an event in the country is his way of letting authorities know that what they’re doing is not right, he continues.
“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,” Miller says.
“If circumstances improve, I'll be free to make a different choice,” he adds.
As expected, neither the organizers nor authorities have acknowledged Miller’s statement yet.
Just recently, Andy Cohen of Bravo, a high profile, openly gay entertainer, announced that he’d be boycotting the Miss Universe beauty pageant by not accepting to host again because it takes place in Russia this year.