We Need to Talk About Ezra

Ezra Miller rocketed from starring turns in indie hits to a budding superhero franchise with The Flash. But a recent spiral of guns, drugs, delusions of grandeur, and allegations of assault and grooming have thrown the promising actor's career into question. Inside the alarming story of Hollywood's most troubled young star

- By Julie Miller

Ezra Miller did not, to put it mildly, invoke their right to remain silent. In March, the actor was arrested in a tiki bar called Margarita Village in Hilo, Hawaii, after shouting profanities, spitting in a patron’s face, and grabbing a microphone from a woman singing karaoke to Shallow” from A Star Is Born. Miller claimed to have been accosted by a Nazi and to have evidence. In fact, one of the first things you hear the actor say in the three-minute police body cam video that circulated after the arrest is something the officers had likely never heard from a disorderly dive bar patron before: I film myself when I get assaulted for NFT crypto art.”

Once outside, Miller—sweaty and disheveled in a black suit jacket, burgundy pants, and a red tie—barks at the cops to state their fullnames and badge numbers. When one attempts to search Miller’s pockets, the actor says twice, rapid-fire, I’m transgender nonbinary. I don’t want to be searched by a man.” After being called sir,” the actor responds, That is an act of intentional bigotry and a technical hate crime.” Miller, whose pronouns are they/ them, registers their objection to being unlawfully persecuted for a crime of no designation,” says they have preexisting nerve damage from police handcuffs, and expands on the Nazi’s assault. You should have told us that instead of running away,” an officer replies placidly. We could have took care of everything real quick. But you wanted to play the game.”