Freddie Sayers meets Lionel Shriver. Read the accompanying article: https://unherd.com/thepost/lionel-shriver-we-need-to-talk-about-ezra-miller/ Listen to the podcast: https://shows.acast.com/lockdowntv-with-freddie-sayers/lionel-shriver-we-need-to-talk-about-ezra-miller When Lionel Shriver’s story of a troubled teenager, We Need to Talk About Kevin, was adapted for screen in 2011 it launched the career of young actor Ezra Miller. In 2012 Miller came out as queer, saying “I don’t identify as a man, I don’t identify as a woman, I barely identify as a human.” And in the ensuing years, outlandish and expressive clothing came to typify the actor, who became somewhat of a standard bearer for queer identity. But recently, Miller’s life has taken a strange turn. Throughout 2022 a string of bizarre allegations have hit the headlines, and last month the actor was arrested twice for assault and then only a few weeks ago for felony burglary. What went wrong for the promising young actor? Miller’s troubles may just be another predictable story about the price of early fame, but it could also speak to something more troubling about contemporary culture. Shriver’s award winning novel asks how society and parenting shapes the minds of young people. It seems prescient now. Have our permissive mores and hyper-liberal culture driven young people to distraction? Shriver joined Freddie Sayers to discuss these questions. Follow UnHerd on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/unherd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unherd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unherd/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unherdtv // TIMECODES // 00:00 - 01:12 - Introduction 01:12 - 05:03 - Freddie Sayers recaps the bizarre story of Ezra Miller 05:03 - 10:36 - Lionel Shriver discusses the similarities and differences between Ezra Miller and his character in We Need To Talk about Kevin 10:36 - 17:31 - Is the current obsession with sex and gender a way to express angst? 17:31 - 23:07 - Is Ezra Miller a warning against society indulging children and young adults? 23:07 - 29:14 - Is mental health being used as an excuse from taking responsibility for your actions? 29:14 - 37:04 - Are we trapped in a culture that worships youth but is run by old people? 37:04 - 41:15 - Are we in danger of creating a generation of Ezra Millers? 41:15 - 42:15 - Concluding thoughts #UnHerd #LionelShriver #EzraMiller