Michael Scofield

Lore & Background

Michael was conceived after *Prison Break* creator Paul Scheuring developed an idea from another producer, about a man who deliberately imprisons himself to break somebody out. Scheuring justified the character by making him a structural engineer who worked at the architecture firm that had access to the prison's blueprints. Miller said of the first season, 'I think part of my challenge was to create, hopefully, a compelling character. But at the same time, there were so many things I could never show, because standing next to Abruzzi or T-Bag or Bellick, I could not afford to be vulnerable. I could not afford to crack a smile.' In the second season, Miller explained, 'He's going to have some lighter, more colorful shades... now that he's off with his brother, around whom I think Michael is willing to show a side of himself that he's not with others.'

In Their Own Story

Michael has been clinically diagnosed with low latent inhibition, a condition in which his brain is more open than most people's to incoming stimuli. He is unable to block out peripheral information and instead processes every aspect and detail of any given stimulus. This, combined with a high IQ, theoretically makes him a creative genius. In flashbacks, the child version of Michael is played by Dylan Minnette. The tattoo covering his entire upper body is featured extensively in the first season. Designed by Tom Berg and created by Tinsley Transfers, it took around five hours to be applied onto Miller. When the entire tattoo does not need to be shown, only the forearm pieces are applied. Wentworth Miller has commented that interviews frequently include questions about the tattoo.

Reader's Guide

Michael Scofield is a structural engineer who deliberately imprisons himself to break out his older brother, Lincoln Burrows, before his execution for a crime he did not commit. His defining trait is low latent inhibition, which makes him process every detail of his surroundings, combined with a high IQ that makes him a creative genius. Key moments include the first season's escape plan and the later seasons' quest for the truth behind Lincoln's imprisonment. For most of the first season, Miller's limited range of facial expressions generated mixed reception. The *Washington Post* criticized this performance as 'the most oppressive' and how 'the actor apparently thinks it looks cool for him always to be scanning the surroundings.' *Entertainment Weekly* recognized that 'it's Miller's show' and stated his 'Michael Scofield has the silky voice of a sociopath, the resigned stance of a long-distance runner, and the deadpan delivery of Macaulay Culkin at his Uncle Buck best.' The *New York Times* commented that 'he projects an unflappable determination that confounds his fellow prisoners.' Miller was nominated for a Golden Globe for the first season.

Did You Know?

• Michael Scofield is a fictional character portrayed by Wentworth Miller.
• The character was conceived after creator Paul Scheuring developed an idea about a man who deliberately imprisons himself to break somebody out.
• Michael has been clinically diagnosed with low latent inhibition, a condition that makes him process every detail of his surroundings.
• The tattoo covering his upper body took around five hours to apply onto Miller and was designed by Tom Berg.
• Miller was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance in the first season.

Origins and Creative Conception

Michael was conceived after *Prison Break* creator Paul Scheuring developed an idea from another producer, about a man who deliberately imprisons himself to break somebody out. From the initial proposal, Scheuring then justified the character and story by making him a structural engineer who worked at the architecture firm that had access to the prison's blueprints.

Psychological Profile and Genius

Michael has been clinically diagnosed with low latent inhibition, a condition in which his brain is more open than most people's to incoming stimuli in the surrounding environment. He is unable to block out peripheral information and instead processes every aspect and detail of any given stimulus. This, combined with a high IQ, theoretically makes him a creative genius. In flashbacks, the child version of Michael is played by Dylan Minnette.

The Blueprint Tattoo

The tattoo, which covers the entire upper body of Michael, is featured extensively in the first season. It is focal to the plot, with the prison blueprints, and various details of the plan for escape from prison and from the country. Designed by Tom Berg and created by Tinsley Transfers, the tattoo took around five hours to be applied onto Miller. When the entire tattoo does not need to be shown, for example, in scenes where the actor is wearing a T-shirt, only the forearm pieces of the tattoo are applied. Wentworth Miller has commented that interviews frequently include questions about the tattoo.

Critical Reception and Performance

For most of the first season of the show, Miller's limited range of facial expressions generated mixed reception. For the first season, Miller was nominated for a Golden Globe. The *Washington Post* criticized this performance as being 'the most oppressive' and how 'the actor apparently thinks it looks cool for him always to be scanning the surroundings'. *Entertainment Weekly* recognized the actor's domination of screen time by saying that 'it's Miller's show' and on his performance, they stated that his 'Michael Scofield has the silky voice of a sociopath, the resigned stance of a long-distance runner, and the deadpan delivery of Macaulay Culkin at his Uncle Buck best.' The *New York Times* commented that although Miller does not show a wide range of emotion, 'he projects an unflappable determination that confounds his fellow prisoners'.