The Ezra Miller Controversy, Explained

The actor took centre stage in the most recent Fantastic Beasts film The Secrets of Dumbledore, reprising the role of Credence Barebone opposite the likes of Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, and Mads Mikkelsen. However, Ezra Miller has since been making headlines for reasons other than their acting. Their arrests in Hawaii on March 27 and April 19 led to reports that Miller’s title role in DC superhero film The Flash was being discussed. Another troubling incident made headlines on August 8 as Miller was charged with felony burglary by Vermont State Police relating to an incident in May 2022.

Now, Miller has issued their first statement about their recent behaviour and legal troubles, revealing that they have sought help for their mental health. “Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment,” Miller noted.

“I want to apologise to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behaviour. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe, and productive stage in my life.”

This comes after the Vermont State Police issued a statement in relation to the offence which is alleged to have taken place at a residence in the town of Stamford, Vermont, on May 1. “Initial findings indicated that several bottles of alcohol were taken from within the residence while the homeowners were not present,” the police said. After an investigation “that included surveillance videos and statements,” they found “probable cause” to charge Miller “with the offence of felony burglary into an unoccupied dwelling.” The actor was issued a citation on Aug. 7 and is to appear in court on Sep. 26, per The Guardian.

In June, the parents of an 18-year-old from North Dakota obtained a protective order against Miller, which accused the actor of “physically and emotionally abusing” the teenager. Later that month, another mother and her 12-year-old child in Massachusetts were “granted a temporary harassment prevention order” against Miller. The family alleged that Miller acted “inappropriately” towards their non-binary child, as per the Daily Beast.

Meanwhile, in early April, Miller, 29, who had travelled from the U.S. to stay with friends on the island of Hawaii, was charged with “disorderly conduct and harassment” at a bar in the town of Hilo, on the east side of the Big Island. A statement posted by the Hawaii Police Department on Facebook claimed that the actor had become “agitated while patrons at the bar began singing karaoke.” They allegedly “began yelling obscenities,” grabbed the microphone from a woman singing, and “lunged” at a man playing darts. The actor was reportedly told by the bar owner to “calm down several times to no avail.”

The bar owner called the Hawaii Police Department about a “disorderly patron” and South Hilo patrol officers responded to the call. Miller was arrested and charged, with their bail set to $500 (£381). The New Jersey-born posted their bail, with the help of the couple they were staying with, and was subsequently released.

However, hours later, Miller reportedly threatened the couple — the very same couple who bailed them out of jail. As per the Daily Mail, the couple claim that Miller “burst into their bedroom” and verbally berated them. Miller is accused of saying: “I’ll bury you and your sl*t wife.” The couple also allege that the actor stole “some of their belongings” including a wallet, passport, driver’s license, and bank cards. The husband and wife filed a petition asking for a temporary restraining order against the actor, but the couple has since dropped their petition. A judge dismissed the case, at the couple’s request.

On April 19, Miller was in the news again, as they were arrested in Hawaii. According to Hawaii News Now and KITV, ABC’s local affiliate, Miller was arrested “on a complaint of second-degree assault following an incident at a home in Pāhoa.”

According to reports from the Hawaii Island Police Department, Miller allegedly threw a chair and struck a 26-year-old woman, inflicting a half-inch cut on her head. Allegedly, Miller was angry because they were asked to leave the home in the Leilani Estates subdivision in lower Puna. The police reportedly arrested Miller after they were found during a traffic stop at an intersection around 1:30 a.m., and they were released around 4 a.m.

Following the controversy, a video resurfaced on Twitter, showing Miller putting their hands around the neck of a woman at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland. Filmed in April 2020, Miller was allegedly responding to a group of fans who had approached them. The actor was “upset and angry” when they were escorted from the bar, per Variety.

Back in April, Rolling Stone reported that executives at Warner Bros. and DC had an “emergency impromptu meeting” to review Miller’s future projects. However, a source from Warner Bros. later told IGN that “no such meeting took place,” and dismissed the initial report as an “exaggeration.”

These controversies come at a time that should be a happy one for Miller. Having made their debut in DC’s Justice League franchise in 2016, the actor is finally getting their own title film, with The Flash scheduled for release in 2023. Miller stars alongside Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, Kiersey Clemons, and Sasha Calle in the hotly-anticipated instalment. The DC universe is famed for its films’ sequels, but Miller’s future in the franchise is seemingly uncertain at this point.

Bustle has contacted Ezra Miller’s representative for comment