Some things aren’t funny. Prison Break star Wentworth Miller found himself the butt of a new Internet meme on Monday, March 28 — and he took a little time out of his day to explain why fat-shaming just isn’t cool.
The meme showed a photograph of Miller looking buff and gorgeous, alongside another photograph, taken back in 2010, where he’s dressed down in a red T-shirt and is carrying some extra weight.
“When you break out of prison and find out about McDonald’s monopoly…” the pictures are captioned.
Miller put the creators of the meme firmly in their place by explaining the heart-wrenching backstory to the photographs.
“Today I found myself the subject of an Internet meme. Not for the first time,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “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,” he continued.
“I’ve struggled with depression since childhood. It’s a battle that’s cost me time, opportunities, relationships, and a thousand sleepless nights,” he went on. “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. And I put on weight. Big f–king deal.”
The actor, 43, then described a hike he took with a friend during that difficult time and remembered coming across a group of paparazzi.
“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,” he explained. “In 2010, fighting for my mental health, it was the last thing I needed.”
Miller admitted it “hurt to breathe” when this meme came up on his social media feed. “But as with everything in life, I get to assign meaning,” he continued, defiantly. “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.”
