Wentworth Miller on How He Became Hollywood's Hottest Secret Screenwriter
Wentworth Miller spent all four years of his stint on Prison Break convincing himself he wasn't a writer, but after the show wrapped, he spent four weeks writing the script Stoker -- a drama about a young girl and her mysterious, potentially murderous uncle -- and managed to attach A-list talent like Jodie Foster and Carey Mulligan. At Comic-Con, he told Movieline how it happened (and which Alfred Hitchcock movie Stoker is an homage to).
Now, you sent these scripts out under a pseudonym, right?
I did, I did. That wasn't about protecting my identity -- I just wanted the scripts to sink or swim on their own. I thought seeing my name on the cover might create static of some kind, maybe positive, maybe negative, but it just wasn't something I wanted to factor into the equation. I wanted them to stand on their own two feet.
So you've got Stoker, but you've also written a prequel to it?
There's a prequel called Uncle Charlie.
Is that a tip of a hat to Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt?
Absolutely. There's a leaping-off point in Stoker that was directly inspired by Shadow of a Doubt. Also, the character name is Uncle Charlie and the prequel's called Uncle Charlie, so that's a tip of the hat.
I know Jodie Foster and Carey Mulligan are attached, but is there a male lead attached?
You know, I wish I could give you all kinds of details. It's still in development. I have to say that when I hear some of these names, it's pretty exciting. There's incredibly talented people taking an active interest, so I'm very hopeful that it's going to come together in a powerful way.
You won't be acting in the film. Was that by design?
You know, writing it was probably the most creatively satisfying experience I've had, hands down, on a personal level. Regardless of where these two scripts go, in a way, it was the main event for me to be putting pen to paper, or fingertips to keyboard, as it were. As soon as I was done with both scripts, I really just wanted to hand them off to someone else and say, "See you at the premiere," then show up and get my big bucket of popcorn and watch someone else's interpretation of what I've laid out on the page.
You play Chris Redfield in Resident Evil: Afterlife. How different is your movie character from the one in the video game? Doesn't the video game Chris have biceps the size of his head?
[Laughs] Well, yeah, that's the first difference. You know, in preparing for the role, I felt the need to respect what was already out there, in terms of the video game anthology. I did my research online on websites and blogs to find out what the conversation was about this character and what the expectations might be, but then I had to balance that with who I am as an actor and inherently bring to the table. And, who is the Chris Redfield that Paul [W.S. Anderson, the director] established in this movie? it's very specific to the film adaptation of Resident Evil, rather than the video game. I'd like to think I did my best.
When you went to those sites to look at reaction to the character, were you also reading reactions to you being cast as the character?
I didn't read those reactions. I felt like I already knew what they were gonna be. I imagine that the reception will be across the board, and that's only natural when you're invested in a story or a certain character. [The fans] invest deeply, so they care when they finally see that character onscreen. They have opinions, and that's to be expected.
There was a rumor at one point that you were attached to Gore Verbinski's adaptation of another video game, Bioshock...
That was a rumor that showed up one day and took a while to go away. Yeah, no connection to that.
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Comments
I hope he writes better than he acts!
You've got to be kidding! Did you see his role as Michael Schofield in Prison Break. Wonderfully sensitive, portrayal of a character.
He is a good writer and actor too, i love him so much he is wonderful guy
Wow, 4 weeks to write a script and then he gets A list actors to be in it. There's always two stories to every story. The true one, and the made-up-for-the-media-to-print-one that Wentworth went with:)
What a lying dick.
It's nice that he finally came out... as a screenwriter.
Jealous much? Or is there something you want to tell us?
Not jealous one bit. Just telling the truth.
He said he spent 4 weeks writing the script after Prison Break finished.That was last year.The movie started to get ready just last month right?
Read well b4 u call him a liar.
I’m sure Went will be great as a writer as he is as an actor.He’s adorable & so talented in everything he does.Any1 doesn'e see this doesn't understand what real talent is
Good luck my adorable boy in all ur upcoming projects
i agree HEBA, Miller is a great actor regardless.. love him in prison break in resident evil and everything else, i wish him the best 🙂
id love to meet him one day and converse about writing and acting and so forth 🙂
you rock wentworth!! <3
wentworth will do a perfect job he always does i just hope he wont leave his acting carrer now that he is a sceen writer ....
he didnt say he spend 4 weeks to write stoker he spend 4 weeks after PB was over In an interview about 2 years ago when pb was still on TV he had said that he had a story but he hadnt finished this yet so when the show was over he had the chance the finish this ...and now anymore questions about this ?
hey excuse me! he is a good, no great actor!
He is not a lying duck, you are just a lame duck who does not have shred of talent... so burn yourself with envy
Opinions are like a$$holes everybody has one, but there is no need to slander someone for their success! Be happy for them and let them live their life and you live yours! By the way there is an old saying " if you don't have something nice to say.... don't say anything at all." Might want to try that sometime!
He is the best actor, and so intelligent AND SEXY he can do whatever he wants!!!
go for it Went!!!!..
It's great. I believe him. Love you, Went.
He came up with the story and outline AGES ago, but he only started writing when PB was over and it took him four weeks. It's possible! I myself wrote a script within a month, and that is with revisions too!
He's a lousy actor, very few expressions and deadpan delivery. He writes way better.
Good looking guy, very sweet man but terrible actor and just a passable writer. He's nice but hasn't got much talent.
And no I'm not jealous, I have no interest in acting or writing.
i love you as an actor but will see about the script you write and hoping to see you soon on movies
I think in Hollywood is possible all :-), so why he can not be good actor and writter also? He showed good actors experiences in Human Stain. Of course Prison break was "strange" serial but I think only this serial saved situation in TV. Now I saw Resident Evil, and he was good there, of course nothing special actors skills, but the 3D was fantastic. I wish him all the best for the future and I am looking forward for some movie which he will be writter.
I LOV WENT AND HE IS GREAT AS AN ACTOR,HOPE 2 C HIM SOON ON OTHER MOVIES.I WISH HIM THE BEST IN EVERY THING HE UNDER TAKES.IF U'VE GOT THE WRITING STUFF,GO 4 IT WENT
hi wentworth miller,ever since i watched the film prison break, i looked forward charting with you, if you dnt mind, this is my email-omobolanleadebiyi@yahoo.com
That's what I loved about his acting! That is what the character of Michael Scofield needed. He was a serious guy. He played it perfectly. The only thing I didn't "believe" was the love for "Sarah" that could have used a bit more passion. Like maybe a tear when he saw her again after thinking she had been decapitated. Aside from that, the "deadpan" delivery was exactly what it should have been. 🙂
the role of Michael as you say it was perfect. and was also the perfect party with Sarah, the view in which they were constantly aituazioni. young adults and then they were not the first cotta.E 'a story of people who live, if we say that, in a real world not in a fairy tale, and then we do not see passione.in After she becomes pregnant ... .... So there has been a passion. ,
Personally i think miller is great and all you haters dueces!!! because if flies above you idiots
wow!!! Veri happy for u went..and i wish u luck in your acting career n for u haters go hug transformer
I believe all of the actors are just what this show needed. Wentworth was suppose to be a serious & mysterious man. The one thing I didn't like was the chemistry between him & Sarah. At times I just didn't believe it, but on season 4 when they are talking about the ocean being their front yard & he says it in his goofy way, I did see it. It even made me laugh. I wish the show brought that side out of him a little more often. I know his roll required him to be guarded, but I've noticed a lot of the times when he is having an intimate moment with Sarah, ((saying I love you)) he hardly even looked at her in her eyes. When I'm being told those words, I like to be looked in the eyes. (: Overall, I personally think he is a good actor. I haven't seen him in anything else, so I have nothing to compare him to. I look forward to seeing more of his work soon.
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