“We’re all probably mentally ill"- When Ezra Miller made their feelings clear about stardom

In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ezra Miller made a statement about fame that captured the tone of the entire feature.

“So, you’re a politician or you’re whoever, you’re just a celebrity with a fan club, like me. You know? And we’re all probably mentally ill,” they said.

The quote was given during a cover story for the outlet’s 25th Next Gen issue, which profiled emerging onscreen talents.

The interview was conducted at Miller’s 95-acre farm in Vermont. At the time, Miller was part of two major franchises—playing Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts and the Flash in Warner Bros.’ The Flash. They were also known for working in independent films and ensemble dramas.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the setting included friends, spiritual advisers, and marijuana smoke. Miller wore a unicorn costume and was barefoot with chipped nail polish. They declined to discuss details of how they got the superhero role, saying only,

“I auditioned.”

The interview covered a wide range of subjects, including their career, personal history, identity, and views on celebrity, Hollywood, and climate change.

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Ezra Miller’s career path before franchises

Ezra Miller began acting as a teenager. They lived in Hoboken with their parents and traveled by PATH train into Manhattan for auditions. He was cast in a revival of Runaways by the late director Elizabeth Swados. According to Miller, a man came backstage and handed him a business card, asking if they wanted to work in films.

Miller at Filming Italy 2025 - Day 2 - Red Carpet - Source: Getty

Miller said that connection led him to director Antonio Campos, who cast him in Afterschool. The film featured Miller as a prep school student who captures the fatal drug overdose of two girls on video. Miller described the experience as,

“a great film experience because of how f*cked up it was and like a psychotic filmmaking process with young kids.”

Following Afterschool, Miller appeared in Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin. In the interview, Miller referred to Ramsay as,

“the greatest director alive,” and said he still owns the crossbow used in the film.

The 32-year-old star later acted alongside Emma Watson in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Speaking about their participation in Fantastic Beasts and The Flash, Miller said the characters,

“resonate with my soul.”

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Allegations and Hollywood power structures

During the interview, Ezra Miller recalled an incident involving a director and producer. They said,

“They gave me wine and I was underaged. They were like, ‘Hey, want to be in our movie about gay revolution?’ And I was like, ‘No, you guys are monsters.’”

Miller at Filming Italy 2025 - Press Conference - Source: Getty

Miller connected this experience to broader behavior in the industry. They said,

“It’s a great f*ckin’ age of being like, ‘You know what? That sh*t’s unacceptable.’ And it’s amazing for a lot of us to watch. ‘Cause, like, we all knew it was unacceptable when we f*cking survived it. That’s what Hollywood is. I thought we all knew we were s*x workers.”

Ezra Miller also commented on power structures and gender in the industry, referencing the firing of director Lynne Ramsay from Jane Got a Gun. They said,

“Powerful men, they don’t know how bad they want to submit to a woman, a feminine power, but they should. I advise they do it immediately because they’re f*ckin’ up the world.”

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Identity, fame, and climate change

Ezra Miller addressed several aspects of identity in the same interview. Miller said,

“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.”

The actor discussed their life on the farm, which he bought in 2017 in a location they remembered from childhood.

Los Angeles Premiere Of Warner Bros. "The Flash" - Arrivals - Source: Getty

They described their community there as,

“polyamorous.”

Ezra Miller also expressed views about environmental issues. They said,

“Gaia, we don’t understand her. We don’t understand how powerful she is. We don’t respect her rights.”

The interview notes that they were shaking and crying while making this statement. They also commented on fossil fuel use, calling it,

“f*cking dinosaur juice that we keep burning into the heavens.”

Throughout the day, Miller avoided discussing their career in conventional terms. They had no personal social media presence at the time and stated that they never considered moving to Los Angeles, preferring to stay in Vermont.