Wentworth Miller - Racism, Singing & Graduating.

Went says that it was always expected of him to go to college and follow along a certain career path.  So he was enrolled in Princeton University.

Went was very concerned about whether his classmates and roommates would accept him.  He didn’t know how he was going to explain his mixed race.  Would it mean that every time he met someone he would have to tell them?  His insightful parents suggested that he should put pictures of his family all over his dorm room so if his friends came to visit they would see and will know immediately.  So no explanations were necessary for Went.

(I commend Went's parents with the way they dealt with this very sensitive issue. )

As a result of Went’s hurtful experiences of racism and his identity crisis he said he adopted a bad attitude which resulted in him earning a bad reputation, so his friends called him “Stinky”.

(“Stinky” what a name … and just another thing that Went has had to explain …. )

Unfortunately for Went his bad attitude got him into trouble at Princeton while in his junior year in 1994.  The incident was later dragged up during the promotion of “The Human Stain”.  A New York reporter reported the incident as follows:

“he (Wentworth) published,, in the Daily Princetonian, a cartoon featuring Cornel West, who was then a professor of African-American studies there but who had just been hired away by Harward.  The cartoon depicted Muffy, a white Harvard student, imagining her first class with West, who is saying, “Today’s lecture is entitled, ‘Rhythm – Why None of You Have It, and How You Can Get It.’”  It also described West as “newly purchased,” which is academe-speak for a new hire. 

You can imagine this didn’t go over too well as “newly purchased” was taken to be a reference to slavery – and within days the paper had run angry letters signed by dozens of students and faculty members, including the novelist Toni Morrison, symposia had been convened, and the school had been plunged into one of those predictable convulsions of recrimination and argument.  Unfortunately, the story made the Times and Went, who everyone assumed was white, was transformed into a controversial figure, you know the campus bigot.  Went never brought up his background, but instead chose to mutter some sentences about an attempt to lampoon racial stereotypes.  His own race card went unplayed.

Went has said “Instead of stepping forward and explaining what I’d meant by the cartoon and posting my own racial background as evidence that I’d really meant no harm, I chose to remain silent.  My attitude was, ‘If they don’t get it, I don’t have to explain it,’ which was my way of saying if they don’t get me, I don’t have to explain me.  The people who knew me on campus knew where I was coming from, but I think for most people I was just a name in the paper, and they probably assumed I was white.”

Went has also said this about growing up mixed-race ......

"It had its challenges, for sure, but I mean, everyone has their challenges. I'm not going to pretend it was any more difficult than being anything else, than having any other kind of attribute that might distinguish a person for ill in the eyes of some. My experience is that I find myself having to constantly define myself to others, day-in, day-out. The quote that's helped me the most through that is from Toni Morrison's Beloved where she says, "Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined"--so I find myself defining myself for other people lest I be defined by others and stuck into some box where I don't particularly belong. There is the sense of being between communities and you sometimes wonder if you don't have to answer to any group or interest, that you're some sort of racial Lone Ranger, but the flip side of that is that a racial community, functioning at its best, provides not only a sense of identity--that luxury of looking into another's face and seeing yourself reflected back at you--but a sense of security and support. When I run into trouble, what group will rally to my defense, come to my aid. The answer, and it's scary, might be "no one."

"I've been spared to a large extent the business end of the race stick. Nobody's ever asked me to pay for a meal before I've eaten it, I've never been pulled over just because I was driving the wrong kind of car in the wrong kind of area at the wrong time of night. My encounters with racism are sort of second-hand situations where I might be standing around with a group of white friends and someone makes a comment that they wouldn't make, say, at my family reunion. It leaves a cut. Someone calls you "nigger" and it's like a knife to the gut. To be in that sort of situation it's just a little nick, but you suffer enough nicks and you bleed to death just the same. So when that happens, you're confronted with the quandary: do I stop the party, do I grind things to a halt? And ideally you would each and every single time, but I have better things to do than to educate people--it just has to be a case-by-case basis and you develop a lot of scars."

(When I researched this information about this issue of racism in Went's life, it pierced my heart but it made me realise what a strong character Went has and how very wise he is .)

It was during this time that Went, took a tour with the Princeton Tigertones, an Acapella singing group. He toured around the country during the year and went to Europe in the summer.  He says “On a dime we would throw down a hat in every piazza and plaza we could find to get a little lunch money. It was just the best way to see the world."

(I'm sure you all would agree with me that Went has such a beautiful voice!)

Went decided to do his English Literature Major in his final year on “the idea of doubling and the gender identity construct in Jane Eyre and The Wide Sargasso Sea--which, I guess, is also about identifying yourself; perceiving yourself through the eyes of the dominant white male hierarchy”. This later influenced his work as an actor, going through the casting system in Hollywood.

Graduating in 1995 with a degree in English literature Went was faced with a difficult decision about what to do. "Princeton was such a conservative environment-a third of the class was going to med school, a third to law school or Wall Street or whatever-and acting seemed like a really risky proposition." Regardless of what was expected of him he decided to move from New York to L. A so he can enter the entertainment industry.  He planned to be an entertainment development executive. Working behind the scenes he would be able to secure a steady pay check. Concerns about the financially risky life of an actor had finally influenced his career choice.

So Went and me are off to L.A. to pursue his career.

We’ll continue with our new life and career in LA in my next blog. 

Speak to you then.

Wentworth Miller - The Makings of an Educated Englishman in NY.

The Miller family decided to move to Brooklyn, Park Slope, New York with their one year old bundle of joy, Wentworth.  A decision was made that Wentworth retain his dual citizenship.

It wasn’t long before Wentworth had two younger sisters to play with.  Their names are Gillian and Leigh.

(I often wonder to myself who was the first in his family to call him Went for short.  I probably would have called him Wentyworth or Wentywoo because that is what I affectionately call him.  I'll try to behave myself when writing my blogs and call him Went as he is known by his family and friends.)

Went’s first experience in acting was in kindergarten, when he played a dinosaur … he was the T-Rex of the show.   He says “We were supposed to cook up these costumes, and most kids came in with some kind of paper bag over their head, but my father went all out and made this huge T-Rex head out of paper mache …. And on the day of the play, when I came out on stage with this thing on my head, the audience just went crazy.”

(So this was the seed of love that was planted and that had influenced Went to pursue an acting career.)
 

Throughout his schooling Went continued to act in stage productions whenever his parents would allow it.

Went attended Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York.  His father at the time worked as an assistant district attorney and his mom worked as a Special education teacher.  In an interview Went recalled “I was raised with a certain ethic.  If you’re going to do a job, do it well and no half-way measures….” “I remember my father saying one word to me as I would walk out to school every day:  ‘Increments.’  Every test, every quiz, every conversation with the teacher, it all added up to the final grade, which would affect where you went off to college and the rest of your life.  All those little bits and pieces added up to something larger.”

(What a wise man Went’s dad is, as it sure paid off big time for Went.)

According to sources Went’s first heart break was at Midwood High School.  It happened to him in the sixth grade.  He was expected to do a school assignment so he decided to talk about his family tree in class.  His girlfriend at the time didn’t realise that Went was mixed race (African-American, Jamaican, English, German, French, Dutch, Syrian and Lebanese) so when she found out she ignorantly said nasty things to him.  This was hurtful to him as it confused him over his racial identity.

(Such a pity that this incident happened to Went but things always work out.  After all, Went has had the last laugh, hasn't he?)

The Miller family were living in Prospect Park and Went recalls “We had all kinds of people.  You’re rubbing elbows with just about every race, creed, religion on the subway.”  Went’s parents were very concerned about the urban environment their children were growing up in, so they wisely chose to move to Sewickley, Pittsburgh before Went’s senior year.  Went has said that he was keen to experience a year in a suburban high school.  He said “The difference between Midwood with its multicultural students and Quaker Valley Senior High School in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, were very different.”  “My school in Brooklyn had 3,000 kids.  It was, of course, overwhelming by sheer numbers but beautifully diverse.  Quaker Valley was only about 400 students, tops.  So my class rank shot up, which was great.  Sewickley was an entire town operating as a community, and I found that a very powerful and supportive kind of experience.”

When the Miller family were living in Sewickley, Went and his dad collaborated together and wrote a book "Sewickleyness" hence the authorship of “TwoWents Associates.”  The book poked fun at the Sewickley neighborhood in Pennsylvania and of course, the stodgy, rich, Sewickley-ites.  They had hoped their book would gently and humorously deflate stereotypes.

"Sewickleyness" included cartoons like "Garden Club Tea," which showed three upper crust Sewickley women carrying on a conversation with a neighbor to the northwest. The caption: "So my dear, I understand you live in Ambridge. Um, may I offer you a beer?"

 

Went said, "Some people found the book to be hilarious, others weren't so enthused."  He also said the project was rewarding to him because it let him spend quality time with his father.

(Now it’s obvious who Went gets his sense of humour from.  I bet they had quite a few laughs together while writing this book.)

While Went was at Quaker Valley his dad started developing LEEWS (legal essay exam writing system) which has helped so many anxious law students through the difficult process of studying for their law exams. 

After graduating from Quaker Valley, Went enrolled in Princeton University.

I'd like to end my blog with a song I like, it goes like this ......

Wentworth Miller has arrived!

The day is the 2nd of June 1972 and history is being made.

The Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Indian tribes filed Joint Tribal Council of the Passamaquoddy Tribe v. Morton, a suit against the State of Maine in the U.S. District Court in Portland.

The Four Power Agreement on Berlin was signed by the foreign ministers of the Allied Powers in World War II in West Berlin.

Maj. Roger Locher, whose 4F-4D had been shot down on May 10, was finally rescued after 23 days behind enemy lines.  His time behind enemy lines and successful rescue was a record for the Vietnam War.  It was the farthest penetration of an American search and rescue operation into North Vietnam.

In Reno, Nevada a United Airlines jet was hijacked by one man.  He demanded a $200,000 ransom while the plan remained grounded.  His only hostages were crew members since passengers had not boarded yet.

Heart of Gold by Neil Young, Rocket Man by Elton John,  Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple, Always on my Mind by Elvis Presley, Take it easy by The Eagles, Mother and Child Reunion by Paul Simon and Starman by David Bowie are playing on radio stations all over the world ......

 

...and a Star is born in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England to the proud parents of Joy Marie (nee Palm), a special education teacher and Wentworth Earl Miller II, a lawyer and teacher.  They've named him Wentworth Earl Miller III.  A name chosen by his grandmother.  The decision to name him Wentworth was inspired by the Jane Austen character Captain Wentworth.  The name Wentworth actually means "Village of the White people."

 

He's a beautiful glittering star and not surprising as his genes are a wonderful mixture of African-American, Jamaican, English, German, Jewish and Cherokee descent from his dad, and his mother is of Russian, French, Dutch, Syrian and Lebanese ancestry.

His starsign is Gemini - The Twins.

"I think therefore I am."

A brief description of the characteristics of a Gemini Male.

The Gemini man is an intelligent, versatile, knowledgeable man who enjoys communication.  (Absolutely true.)

A convincing talker, combined with his youthful nature and the Gemini man can present a character of considerable appeal to most women.  (You said it sister, right on!)

It is more than likely then, that this male will have many girlfriends before he gets married.  (So that's what's taking him so long.)

The Gemini man loves travel, parties and entertainment and possesses a fun-loving outlook on life so, with such an outlook it may be unwise that he refrains from settling down too early in life.  (I'm not so sure about the party scene ... huh?)

He will pursue a woman who interests him while a challenge exists, however, the relationship staying power of the Gemini man is generally not record breaking and he will often lose interest if he becomes bored and may move on in search of new conquests.  (I know from experience that Gemini males do get bored  .... not sure about the fickle part though.  "Are you fickle Went?"  She enquires, laughing.)


Yep! Here he is.  This young star who is about to take the world by storm and become a BIG BRIGHT SHINING STAR WITH HIS NAME IN LIGHTS! 

"Thank goodness he's arrived!"

Wentworth Miller, an Introduction.

I admire Wentworth for his grace, his ethics, his creativity, his work and his acting talent so after much deliberation I have decided to create a blog for Went.  I know that this isn't going to be an easy task as there are so many wonderful blogs on the Internet for him, but hopefully I will be able to provide something new and exciting for his fans.

I've often thought that there aren't enough words to describe how gracious and lovely Went is.  This has been a perplexing thought but with God's help, I'm sure that I will receive inspiration and find the correct words and material I need, to do him justice.

I'm going to include poetry and music in my blogs as a dedication to Went, because I know how much he enjoys poetry, literature and music as much as I do.  I enjoy humour too and I've always had a giggle at Went's wonderful sense of humour in some of his interviews,  so I'm going to do my best to keep my blogs light hearted, playful and down to earth.  As I have the utmost respect for Went, I will always write with integrity and never overstep the boundaries of his privacy.

Today, as I was driving to the shops, I was thinking about this blog and I realised how uncanny it was that I had selected a background with birds in it.  Trust me it wasn't intentionally done. I thought that it was appealing to the eye that's all.  (Now I know what some of you are thinking, "Doesn't she have more important things to think about, than her blog for Went."  Trust me its not easy being a fan of Went's, 'cause he's always on my mind.  I've been told by some of his fans that it's called the "Wentdom Curse", but to me it's more like a "Wentdom Blessing", 'cause he makes my heart smile.)

Anyway, getting back to what I was saying, I had to laugh to myself as Went has all the chicks after him.  Notice the bird in the banner singing to him, well that's me blogging away and speaking (singing) out to him, while the other bird below is vying for his attention.  When I looked at the two love birds on the left I noticed how the female was looking at the male (Went) with so much love and admiration.  I'm not sure if this rings true with any of you, if you're a female fan of Went's, but that's how I look at his pictures or watch his movies and interviews.    See the bird on the right carrying a love letter to him.  That represents Went's female fans sending love letters to him in the mail and hoping for a reply back, even if it takes a lifetime to receive one.  This is the story of Went's life.  Wherever he goes he has all the ladies' attention and all of their hearts a flutter.

I have a lot to do to catch up with Went's life and career here.  I'm also new to blogging but hopefully with time, I hope to master this craft and be able to entertain you and make you all feel right at home here.  You're invited to check out my other blog linked to this one too.

Here's looking at the start of my happy blogging for Went and his career. 

To those who follow these blogs, I hope you have a wonderful time here and enjoy what I have to offer.

Speak to you soon!  Goodbye for now!