Ezra Miller speaks out after 'egregious' protective order involving a minor is lifted
Ezra Miller believes they have been "unjustly and directly" targeted after a temporary protective order against them was lifted in Massachusetts.
A judge ruled Friday that the order, filed by a mom on behalf of her 12-year-old child, would be lifted a day early, according to court documents obtained by Deadline. The protection was originally set to expire on Saturday.
The order required "The Flash" star "not to abuse the plaintiff," "not to harass the plaintiff," have no contact and stay 100 yards away from the child and child's residence "even if the plaintiff seems to allow or request contact."
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Miller.
Miller, 30, was accused of acting in a manner that "made the child uncomfortable by hugging them and pressing their body closely against them," according to a report from The Daily Beast in 2022.
"They automatically were just weirdly drawn to me and kept talking about how they love my outfit and love my style, and kept going on and on about how it was great," the child told the outlet. "It was really uncomfortable. I was really nervous. I was scared to be around them after they’d yelled at my mother and she was crying."
Miller spoke out after Friday's ruling, writing on Instagram, "I’m encouraged by today’s outcome and very grateful at this moment to everyone who has stood beside me and sought to ensure that this egregious misuse of the protective order system was halted."
"The Flash" star claimed the protective order was "used as weapons by those seeking attention or fleeting tabloid fame or some sort of personal vengeance when there are people in true and dire need of these services."
"I have been unjustly and directly targeted by an individual who the facts have shown has a history of such manipulative and destructive actions," they added.
Miller concluded that they are "continuing to do my best to preserve my own wellness and what I can to reverse the collateral damage this ordeal has brought upon me and those close to me."
The actor's attorney, Marissa Elkins, told The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline in a statement that Miller was "never alone with the child and never interacted with the child outside of two brief encounters which occurred in the presence of several other adults."
"There was absolutely nothing inappropriate about Ezra’s very limited conversations with this young fan," Elkins added.
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The attorney also denied claims that Miller had a weapon with them during encounters with the minor.
"The original order, pursued by Shannon Guin, on behalf of her minor child, was based on untrue allegations. Frustratingly for Ezra, Guin lodged her false allegations at a time when Ezra was struggling with significant mental health issues, and was unable to come to court to defend themself against the spurious claims made by this individual," Elkins said. "Had Ezra been able to appear in court last year and share the truth about their very limited interactions with Ms. Guin, I am confident the original order would have never been issued."
The attorney added: "After one year of intensive, ongoing mental health therapy, Ezra is doing much better. They were present in court today to ensure that these false allegations would not go unchallenged, whether or not Guin returned to court asking that last year’s order be extended."
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Miller made a rare public appearance at "The Flash" premiere on June 30. Prior to their red carpet attendance, they did not participate in interviews to promote the film amid ongoing legal trouble.
The actor thanked Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav "and the dynamic duo – Peter Safran and James Gunn – for your grace and discernment and care in the context of my life and in bringing this moment actually to fruition," in a video shared by Deadline.
In a statement provided to USA TODAY last August, Miller said they were undergoing treatment for "complex mental health issues" following their recent string of scandals, including felony arrests, as well as assault and abuse allegations.
"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," they said. "I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life."
March 2022: Miller was arrested in Hawaii for disorderly conduct.
April 2022: They were arrested in Hawaii a second time on suspicion of assault.
June 2022: Miller was accused of grooming an 18-year-old activist, Tokata Iron Eyes, by the teen's parents.
August 2022: The actor was charged with felony burglary in Stamford, Vermont, for an alleged incident in May 2022. They pleaded not guilty in October.
January 2023: Miller accepted a plea deal for a misdemeanor of unlawful trespass to avoid jail time in the Vermont case. The felony burglary charge was dropped.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ezra Miller speaks out after protective order involving minor lifted
