Michael Scofield
Prison Break character
Michael J. Scofield, portrayed by Wentworth Miller, is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists of the American television series Prison Break. The character first appeared in the series pilot, in which he deliberately sends himself to prison so as to break his elder brother, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell), out before his execution for a crime he did not commit. The storyline of the first season revolves around the two brothers and Michael's plan to help Lincoln escape his death sentence. Later seasons detail their life on the run and their quest for the truth behind Lincoln's imprisonment. As the principal character, Michael has been featured in every episode of the series. Although both Lincoln and Michael are the main protagonists of the series, Michael has been featured more extensively than Lincoln, especially in the first season and the third.
Various flashbacks from subsequent episodes provide further insight into the relationship between Michael and his brother, and the reasons behind Michael's determination in helping Lincoln to escape his death sentence. In the episode flashbacks, the younger Michael is played by Dylan Minnette.
It is later revealed that Michael has low latent inhibition, a psychological condition in which one sees the world as pieces, rather than mere objects.
Character creation
The character was conceived after Paul Scheuring, Prison Break's creator, developed an idea by 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. The name was originally used in Roald Dahl's collection of short stories, Someone like you, as Michael Scofield.
Portrayal
Michael J Scofield is portrayed by Wentworth Miller. For most of the first season of the show, Miller utilized a limited range of facial expressions which generated both positive and negative criticisms. It was for this performance in the first season that Miller was nominated for a Golden Globe. The Washington Post criticized Miller's 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 numerous scenes the actor was present in 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." On the other hand, 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..." Regarding his character, Miller says, "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 show's second season, the character of Michael Scofield shows a wider range of emotions as Miller explains, "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, there's a lot more that I can explore."
Tattoo
The tattoo, which covers the entire upper body of Michael Scofield, is featured extensively in the first season of the show and to a lesser extent in the second season. It contributes a major part to the plot of the series, containing various details of the protagonist's plan to escape from prison and from the country. Incorporated within the tattoo are the blueprints of the prison in which the protagonists are incarcerated during the first season.
Wentworth Miller, who plays Michael Scofield, has commented that questions about the tattoo are amongst the most frequently asked questions when he is interviewed about the show. In the first episode of season four, Michael refused to take any painkillers during a night-long session in which the tattoos were removed by laser.
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.
Other
In the series pilot, Michael's jail entrance form held by Bellick shows that the character was born on September 8, 1978 in Toledo, Ohio (and the date in the Prison Break: The Conspiracy game states July 2, 1972. The birthdate is inconsistent with the characters' dialogue in later episodes. In "By the Skin and the Teeth", Michael remarks to Lincoln that their fathers left them thirty years ago. Since the series is set in the year 2005, the birth date shown on the prop cannot be considered as canon. Thus Michael is 27 years old since last episode in Season 3, "Vamonos", took place on June 24, 2005. This is according to the expired one week ultimatum given by The Company to Michael for breaking out James Whistler. His age is stated by Lincoln for the first time in "Five the Hard Way" as 31, meaning all the facts above cannot be canon. It's also stated Michael is born in 1976 in the episode "The Mother Lode", but in "Killing Your Number" it's retconned to October 8, 1974.
Before imprisonment into Fox River State Penitentiary Michael lived at 440 West Ardmore Avenue, Apartment 11 Chicago, Illinois 60660.
If you have time, you should read more about this character on his Wikipedia entry.
Michael J. Scofield, portrayed by Wentworth Miller, is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists of the American television series Prison Break. The character first appeared in the series pilot, in which he deliberately sends himself to prison so as to break his elder brother, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell), out before his execution for a crime he did not commit. The storyline of the first season revolves around the two brothers and Michael's plan to help Lincoln escape his death sentence. Later seasons detail their life on the run and their quest for the truth behind Lincoln's imprisonment. As the principal character, Michael has been featured in every episode of the series. Although both Lincoln and Michael are the main protagonists of the series, Michael has been featured more extensively than Lincoln, especially in the first season and the third.
Various flashbacks from subsequent episodes provide further insight into the relationship between Michael and his brother, and the reasons behind Michael's determination in helping Lincoln to escape his death sentence. In the episode flashbacks, the younger Michael is played by Dylan Minnette.
It is later revealed that Michael has low latent inhibition, a psychological condition in which one sees the world as pieces, rather than mere objects.
Character creation
The character was conceived after Paul Scheuring, Prison Break's creator, developed an idea by 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. The name was originally used in Roald Dahl's collection of short stories, Someone like you, as Michael Scofield.
Portrayal
Michael J Scofield is portrayed by Wentworth Miller. For most of the first season of the show, Miller utilized a limited range of facial expressions which generated both positive and negative criticisms. It was for this performance in the first season that Miller was nominated for a Golden Globe. The Washington Post criticized Miller's 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 numerous scenes the actor was present in 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." On the other hand, 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..." Regarding his character, Miller says, "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 show's second season, the character of Michael Scofield shows a wider range of emotions as Miller explains, "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, there's a lot more that I can explore."
Tattoo
The tattoo, which covers the entire upper body of Michael Scofield, is featured extensively in the first season of the show and to a lesser extent in the second season. It contributes a major part to the plot of the series, containing various details of the protagonist's plan to escape from prison and from the country. Incorporated within the tattoo are the blueprints of the prison in which the protagonists are incarcerated during the first season.
Wentworth Miller, who plays Michael Scofield, has commented that questions about the tattoo are amongst the most frequently asked questions when he is interviewed about the show. In the first episode of season four, Michael refused to take any painkillers during a night-long session in which the tattoos were removed by laser.
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.
Other
In the series pilot, Michael's jail entrance form held by Bellick shows that the character was born on September 8, 1978 in Toledo, Ohio (and the date in the Prison Break: The Conspiracy game states July 2, 1972. The birthdate is inconsistent with the characters' dialogue in later episodes. In "By the Skin and the Teeth", Michael remarks to Lincoln that their fathers left them thirty years ago. Since the series is set in the year 2005, the birth date shown on the prop cannot be considered as canon. Thus Michael is 27 years old since last episode in Season 3, "Vamonos", took place on June 24, 2005. This is according to the expired one week ultimatum given by The Company to Michael for breaking out James Whistler. His age is stated by Lincoln for the first time in "Five the Hard Way" as 31, meaning all the facts above cannot be canon. It's also stated Michael is born in 1976 in the episode "The Mother Lode", but in "Killing Your Number" it's retconned to October 8, 1974.
Before imprisonment into Fox River State Penitentiary Michael lived at 440 West Ardmore Avenue, Apartment 11 Chicago, Illinois 60660.