Eric Millegan interview: Bones star on sharing his personal story

Eric Millegan is known to TV fans as Zack Addy on FOX’s Bones, but he told FanSided how he’s sharing his own personal story to help others and what’s next.

Television fans know Eric Millegan from his role as Dr. Zack Addy on the FOX crime drama Bones, but the actor’s now telling a story of his own.

Milligan revealed that he has bipolar disorder seven years ago, and recently spoke to the United Nations to discuss his condition and help bring further awareness.

He talked to FanSided about sharing his personal journey with a wider audience, what’s next for him on the acting front, and his love of the NBA‘s Portland Trail Blazers.

FanSided: You announced that you have bipolar disorder in 2010. Have you noticed any change in how people have regarded you since you made your condition public?

Eric Millegan (EM): I’m pretty much an open book about the way I am. I hear so many people say you’re so brave. It didn’t feel brave to do it. I just wanted to share my experience and help other people who were going through it.

I was diagnosed 12 years ago and it was very hard and very painful, but after a couple years we found the right combination of medicine and the right kind of therapy with the medicine and I’ve been pretty much okay since then.

FanSided: What was the experience of speaking at the United Nations like?

EM: I had written a screenplay about my experience with bipolar disorder, and I had a reading the week before the UN speech, so I kind of went off that screenplay for my speech.

I was nervous the few days leading up to it, [but] when I got up there I wasn’t nervous at all and felt great, and the audience seemed to respond really well to it. I got some laughs when I wanted laughs. I think I connected with the audience. It was a really good experience.

FanSided: We haven’t seen you on television since Bones ended earlier this year. Do you have any idea yet of what’s coming next, or what you’d like to do next?

EM: I’d love to do another series. It’s about finding the right series and the right role. I would love to do theater again. My goal when I came out of college was to be on Broadway, and I got that opportunity in the 2000 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, and I’d love to do work like that again.

Another fun thing I’ve been doing is, I’m friends with a lot of magicians and I’ve always liked magic, so they started teaching me some tricks. My sister asked me to do some magic for my nephew’s sixth birthday party back in June and it went so well … so I’ve been doing some magic shows for birthday parties and that’s been really fun. I’m not giving up acting or anything, but the magic stuff is fun too.

FanSided: You mentioned your screenwriting, but you’ve also done some sportswriting about your beloved Portland Trail Blazers. How did Eric Millegan get into sportswriting?

EM: I was asked to write a column for OregonLive.com. I wrote a column for them for five years, which was a blast. When I got to Bones, I was asked to write for NBA.com; that was fun as well. I haven’t written any sports stuff since like 2007. That’s always been my second dream. If I wasn’t acting, it’d be great to [be a sportswriter].

FanSided: With all these different sides to Eric Millegan beyond acting that we’re now seeing, is there any message that you’re particularly hoping to convey?

EM: What I’ve been able to do being a speaker about bipolar disorder is very important to me. It’s definitely a struggle that I’ve had, but I tell people who are bipolar that it’s okay to come out about it.

I’ve come out about three things in my life. One which is the bipolar disorder, but also coming out as gay, and also coming out about my age. I’m almost 43. When I was 27 I looked like I was 15 or 16, and my agents would tell me don’t tell people how old you are. Eventually I had to come out and go no, this is how old I am and judge me for roles based on how I look.

There’s still gay people in the world that are trying to make it in the [entertainment] business, and I would tell people to come out and live your true self. Know that there’s tons of straight actors who aren’t getting work, so it’s hard for everybody to get work, whether you’re gay or straight.

I’d say don’t be afraid, because I was able to move to Los Angeles and book a television show as an out gay actor [playing] a straight character. So I would tell people who are in college and getting ready to move to LA or New York that are gay and closeted, it’s okay. We can be out and we can get acting roles. Don’t be afraid.

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