Wentworth Miller has brilliantly hit back at a website’s bitchy post about the weight he gained after leaving hit show Prison Break.
Cheeky site The LAD Bible posted a couple of pictures of the 43-year-old actor, of him looking slim and shirtless from his Prison Break days in one and a pap pic of him looking heavier (but just as gorgeous!) in the other. An accompanuing caption read: ‘When you break out of prison and find out about McDonalds monopoly …” they captioned the picture.’
The meme attracted over 100,000 likes on Facebook and more than 12,000 shares but when Wentworth, who’s stars in the fab DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow saw the post he felt compelled to open up about a very dark time in his life.
‘Today I found myself the subject of an Internet meme. Not for the first time.
This one, however, stands out from the rest. In 2010, semi-retired from acting, I was keeping a low-profile for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I was suicidal. This is a subject I’ve since written about, spoken about, shared about.
But at the time I suffered in silence. As so many do.
‘The extent of my struggle known to very, very few. Ashamed and in pain, I considered myself damaged goods. And the voices in my head urged me down the path to self-destruction. Not for the first time. I’ve struggled with depression since childhood. It’s a battle that’s cost me time, opportunities, relationships, and a thousand sleepless nights.
‘In 2010, at the lowest point in my adult life, I was looking everywhere for relief/comfort/distraction. And I turned to food. It could have been anything. Drugs. Alcohol. Sex. But eating became the one thing I could look forward to. Count on to get me through. There were stretches when the highlight of my week was a favorite meal and a new episode of TOP CHEF. Sometimes that was enough. Had to be. And I put on weight. Big f–king deal.
‘One day, out for a hike in Los Angeles with a friend, we crossed paths with a film crew shooting a reality show. Unbeknownst to me, paparazzi were circling. They took my picture, and the photos were published alongside images of me from another time in my career. ‘Hunk To Chunk’ ‘Fit To Flab’ etc.
‘My mother has one of those “friends” who’s always the first to bring you bad news. They clipped one of these articles from a popular national magazine and mailed it to her. She called me, concerned. In 2010, fighting for my mental health, it was the last thing I needed. Long story short, I survived. So do those pictures. I’m glad.
‘Now, when I see that image of me in my red T-shirt, a rare smile on my face, I am reminded of my struggle. My endurance and my perseverance in the face of all kinds of demons. Some within. Some without. Like a dandelion up through the pavement, I persist.
‘The first time I saw this meme pop up in my social media feed, I have to admit, it hurt to breathe. But as with everything in life, I get to assign meaning. And the meaning I assign to this/my image is Strength. Healing. Forgiveness. Of myself and others.
‘If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Reach out. Text. Send an email. Pick up the phone. Someone cares. They’re waiting to hear from you. Much love.’
As you’d expect many news sites and magazines jumped to Wentworth’s defence – however the irony was not lost on GuysLikeU that many of the women’s websites who poured scorn on The Lad Bible for their post skinny and fat shame week in week out.
Meanwhile The Lad Bible have deleted theme and issued an apology saying: ‘We want to say we’ve got this very, very wrong. Mental health is no joke or laughing matter. We certainly didn’t want to cause you pain by reminding you of such a low point in your life. Causing distress and upset to innocent or vulnerable people is simply not acceptable.’