There’s a reason why celebrities like Tilda Swinton and Lady Gaga have become cultural icons: Hollywood loves an enigma.
Our undying fascination with the mysterious and ethereal manifests in many ways. Still, public interest has always been drawn to the bold few who balk at societal expectations, marching to the beat of an entirely different set of percussive instruments.
Of late, the enigmatic personality that has drawn the public’s eye is none other than Ezra Miller.
Ezra Miller attending the 2018 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund event in New York City on November 5, 2018 (Credit: Janet Mayer / Startraksphoto)
The 30-year-old star has garnered massive acclaim for parts in titles such as We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and the Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts film franchise.
In what is, perhaps, the actor’s most lucrative role, Ezra Miller has portrayed super-speedy superhero The Flash in Justice League (as well as the subsequent “Snyder Cut”) and will appear as the titular character in the upcoming film, The Flash.
Ezra Miller as The Flash/Barry Allen in the 2017 superhero film Justice League (Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Despite Ezra Miller’s involvement in numerous multi-billion-dollar franchises, the actor receives even more media attention for the things that happen once the cameras stop rolling.
Although Miller has recently been at the center of multiple controversies stemming from their unpredictable and sometimes downright dangerous behavior (which you can read about here [insert link]), the hottest tabloid topics seem to center around Ezra Miller’s gender identity and sexual or romantic orientation.
Ezra Miller Is Non-Binary.
On the red carpet, Ezra Miller’s creative and unconventional ensembles are both ostentatious interpretations of gender and uniquely androgynous, echoing the gender-bending looks worn by pop icon David Bowie.
They look perfectly at home in both glamorous evening gowns and debonair tuxedos, which makes sense considering that the actor identifies as nonbinary.
Ezra Miller attending the Justice League world premiere in Los Angeles, California on November 13, 2017 (Credit: Faye Sadou / Media Punch / INSTARimages)
This means that Ezra Miller does not exclusively identify as either male or female. Instead, they consider themselves to exist outside of the gender binary – with either male or female on opposite ends of the binary – and reject the notion that they must be one or the other.
As a Correct Reflection of Their Identity, Ezra Miller’s Pronouns Are They/Them/Theirs.
The actor’s understanding of their own identity has grown and evolved through the years.
As early as 2012, Ezra Miller’s red carpet styles had an epicene touch and became a form of gender expression for the star. By 2018, their looks had garnered them a cover spread with GQ Style.
“I was pleasantly surprised and overjoyed by how much room there was for my very strange and fluid expressions,” Miller told the magazine at the time, saying that while their gender identity was fluid, they were not partial to any set of pronouns. “I let he/his/him ride, and that’s fine.”
Ezra Miller at the UK premiere of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in London, England on November 13, 2018 (Credit: Doug Peters / PA Images / INSTARimages)
However, by 2022, Ezra Miller clearly asserted their preference in an unfortunate incident where the actor was arrested by police officers at a bar in Hawaii.
Their arrest was due to verbally assaulting unsuspecting karaoke night attendees and threatening officers with litigation during the actor’s detainment.
“I’m not a sir. I’m transgender nonbinary. Please call me they/them/theirs,” Miller said, in response to officers who had misgendered them moments before, in a video published by TMZ on March 16 of last year.
“You can use the term Mx.,” the actor continued, indicating that they wanted the arresting officers to address them with respect. Mx. is a gender-neutral honorific term, used as a non-gendered alternative to Mr., Mrs., or Ms.
Ezra Miller wearing a black inflatable outfit at the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald premiere in London, England on November 8, 2018 (Credit: INSTARimages)
Miller added, “If you fail to do that again, it is an act of intentional bigotry, and it is a technical hate crime according to U.S. Federal law.”
Ezra Miller has also previously indicated that they are comfortable with neopronouns. Before deleting all their posts and information on their Instagram page, their pronouns were listed in their bio as they/them/its/zir.
Neopronouns is the term used for new words that are used to refer to an individual, with the most common example being ze/zir. The term may also refer to words that aren’t typically used as pronouns but still exist within the language, such as it/its.
Ezra Miller attending the Ocean’s 8 premiere held at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on June 5, 2018 (Credit: Kristin Callahan / ACE / INSTARimages)
For some, neopronouns may feel like unfamiliar words, but they serve an important purpose because they help encompass individuals who feel they do not exist within the gender binary in any way, shape, or form. By adopting new – neo – pronouns into our vernacular, these individuals are better able to express their identities.
Ezra Miller Is Queer, Not Gay
The 30-year-old actor publicly came out as queer during an interview (with the aptly named Out magazine) in 2012.
He referred to himself as “queer” rather than “gay” and explained why he prefers the broader term. Ezra expressed his dislike for being labeled solely as a gay man and elaborated on his identification with the term “queer.”
Just 19 years old at the time, Ezra Miller told the outlet that they were still figuring things out and coming to understand their gender identity and sexual orientation, all while finding their place in the queer community.
“I’m queer,” Miller definitively told the LGBTQ+ magazine, Out. “I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are of very different sexes and genders. I am very much in love with no one in particular. I’ve been trying to figure out relationships, you know? I don’t know if it’s responsible for kids my age to be so aggressively pursuing monogamous binds, because I don’t think we’re ready for them.”
Ezra Miller attending the Time 100 Next List of 100 People Shaping the Future event in New York City on November 14, 2019 (Credit: JENNIFER GRAYLOCK / INSTARimages)
“Queer” is a broad term, used differently by each individual who identifies with the term. It is used flexibly by the LGBTQ+ community, with its simplest definition as being anything outside of societal “norms” – that is, cisgender or heterosexual – but the term’s use, in practice, may differ between individuals.
In 2018, Ezra Miller clarified that “queer” wasn’t a definitive label, telling the Hollywood Reporter: “I don’t identify. Like, f*ck that. Queer just means no, I don’t do that. I don’t identify as a man. I don’t identify as a woman. I barely identify as a human.”
Ezra Miller in costume at the Entertainment Weekly Comic-Con Bash in San Diego, California on July 21, 2018 (Credit: Vince Flores / Startraksphoto)
The actor continued to use “queer” in a broad sense, equating it to both their gender identity and romantic or sexual orientation, saying that they’re more interested in the person themselves, regardless of sex or gender.
Ezra Miller Is Polyamorous.
That being said, Ezra Miller does not like the idea of being with just one person. Instead, they prefer to romance a group of people. Miller refers to this as a “polycule” – a gaggle of individuals in either one or multiple non-monogamous relationships – which could be compared to a “free love” ideology.
In a 2018 interview with Playboy magazine, the actor wasn’t afraid to talk about some of the dirty details of their love life, describing themselves as a “sexual being.”
Ezra Miller making an appearance at the 2019 Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit Gala – Camp: Notes on Fashion in New York City on May 6, 2019 (Credit: PA Images / INSTARimages)
“I’m trying to find queer beings who understand me as a queer being off the bat, who I make almost a familial connection with, and I feel like I’m married to them 25 lifetimes ago from the moment we meet,” Miller said.
“And then they are in the squad – the polycule,” they continued. “And I know they’re going to love everyone else in the polycule because we’re in the polycule, and we love each other so much.”
Ezra Miller Shouldn’t Be the Poster Child for the Queer Community.
Ezra Miller’s blasé attitude towards the gender binary was a breath of fresh air, especially during an era when the world finally seemed to embrace the queer community.
Nowadays, more celebrities have come out of the closet while an increasing number of queer, trans, and nonbinary actors have lit up our screens and delighted viewers.
Ezra Miller at the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald UK premiere in London, England on November 13, 2018 (Credit: Ian West / PA Images / INSTARimages)
We love to see accurate and diverse representation in the media, but unfortunately, Ezra Miller is not the kind of representation the queer community wants.
Despite the good they’ve done in the past, the actor has displayed increasingly disturbing – and sometimes downright dangerous – behavior that should be addressed without placing Ezra Miller on some sort of a pedestal.
Click here to read more about the alleged crimes committed by the Crimes of Grindelwald star.