10:24 AM EDT 9/9/2013
Wentworth Miller revealed that he was suicidal because he had to keep his sexuality secret, E News! reported Sept. 8.
Miller made his comments during an appearance at the Human Rights Campaign gala at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel on Sept. 7. He shared with the audience that he overdosed on pills at the age of 15. He was away from his parents from the weekend and it was the first time he tried to kill himself. The burden of keeping his sexuality secret became too much.
"I waited until my family went away for the weekend and I was alone in the house and I swallowed a bottle of pills. I don't remember what happened over the next couple days, but I'm pretty sure come Monday morning I was on a bus back to school pretending everything was fine. And when someone asked me if that was a cry for help, I say no, because I told no one," he said.
Miller added that he felt like an easy target growing up. He knew that he was being judged for the way that he walked and spoke. He felt that he was being set up for failure beause of the expecrations of others. That sense of fear carried over into his career.
"I chose to lie-when I thought about the possibility of coming out, how that might impact me and the career I worked so hard for, I was filled with fear," he said.
In August, the star publicly revealed he was gay. It was in response to Russia's anti gay policy and he declined to attend a film event in the country.
Watch Miller speak below.
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