Elliot Page has opened up about the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in TV and film and even credited it with saving lives.
We still live in a world where representation - and more importantly, good representation - of marginalized groups is hard to come by. Despite this, Elliot recalls watching certain movies and TV shows that helped him come to terms with his own identity.
During the Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival on Sunday, August 22, Elliot said while accepting the Annual Achievement Award, per BuzzFeed: "I, for one, know that without the various representation that I was able to stumble upon as a kid and a teenager - there was very little - I just don't know if I would have made it."
The Umbrella Academy actor briefly touched on some of the lowest points he encountered as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, explaining that the little representation he did have as a youngster helped him greatly.
He continued: "I don't know if I would have made it through the moments of isolation and loneliness and shame and self-hatred that was so extreme and powerful and all-encompassing that you could hardly see out of it."
As an example, Elliot cited the 1999 movie But I'm A Cheerleader starring Natasha Lyonne.
The movie centers on a teenage girl who is sent to conversion therapy by her parents who suspect she may be gay. Of course, conversion therapy does nothing to change her sexual orientation and she ends up falling in love with a girl.
Elliot said: "And then, you know, at 15, when you are flipping through the channels and you stumble on But I'm A Cheerleader and the dialogue in that film, and scenes in that film just transform your life.
"I almost think we don't talk enough about how important representation is and enough about how many lives it saves and how many futures it allows for."
Elliot also thanked Outfest for helping tell LGBTQ+ stories.
He said: "It's [Outfest] and organizations like yourself that are completely changing that. And helping get stories out in the world that I know are reaching people in moments where they feel desperately alone and afraid and like they have no sense of community."
The Inception star added: "It offers somebody a lifeline. And I know that representation has done that for me."
Elliot Page has been spilling a lot of secrets in his upcoming memoir, Pageboy – and one of the most shocking revelations featured in the book happened after he came out as gay.
Back in 2014, several years before Page revealed he was transgender and goes by he/they pronouns, the actor came out as a lesbian.
"I’m here today because I am gay," the Umbrella Academy star told the audience at Time to THRIVE, a conference to highlight the importance of supporting the welfare of young LGBTQ+ people, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "And because maybe I can make a difference. To help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility."
Then in 2020, he took to social media as he revealed he was in the process of transitioning.
The post begins: "Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life."
It continues: "I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.
"I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society."
It's been nearly a decade since Page initially came out as gay and he has shared some of the disturbing reactions he received from other prominent figures in Hollywood.
According to an excerpt shared by People, the Oscar nominee said that an "a**hole actor at a party" told him homosexuality "doesn't exist" a few months after he came out as gay.
The actor also allegedly told Page that he'd have sex with him to make him realize he wasn't attracted to women.
The encounter took place at a Los Angeles birthday party attended by both Page and the unnamed male actor at the center of his allegation.
The actor allegedly told Page: "You aren't gay. That doesn't exist. You are just afraid of men."
He went on to say: "I'm going to f*** you to make you realize you aren’t gay."
Page added that he saw the actor some days later, recalling how the man told him: "I don't have a problem with gay people I swear." Page said he responded: "I think you might."
Speaking to People, the Inception star said he's "purposely not sharing his name. But he will hear about this and know it's him." He also said a number of people at the party witnessed the inappropriate exchange.
"I've had some version of that happen many times throughout my life," he told People. "A lot of queer and trans people deal with it incessantly. These moments that we often like don't talk about or we're supposed to just brush off, when actually it's very awful."
Page added: "I put that story in the book because it’s about highlighting the reality, the s*** we deal with and what gets sent to us constantly, particularly in environments that are predominantly cis and heterosexual.
"How we navigate that world where you either have more extreme, overt moments like that. Or you have the more, like, subtle jokes. [In Hollywood] these are very powerful people. They're the ones choosing what stories are being told and creating content for people to see all around the world."
Elliot Page has opened up about the heartfelt advice he wishes he could give his younger self.
The Umbrella Academy star, who came out as transgender in 2020, shared his emotional reflection while joining the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) outside the Supreme Court to champion the rights of trans young people.
In a powerful video posted by the ACLU, the 37-year-old offered a moving message aimed at his younger self: “You know who you are, and please embrace that. I understood my truth."
"I felt it very strongly, and it was all of these external forces and noises that pushed and pulled, and made me sort of lose track of who I was."
He continued: “I guess to my younger self I’d say that the discomfort and pain you’re feeling - that is not yours. That is theirs. And to just keep going on the journey of embracing who you truly are. That’s what’s going to lead you to happiness.”
Elliot Page came out as transgender in 2020. Credit: Santiago Felipe/Getty
Page's Letter Announcing His Transition
The Oscar-nominated actor has been a powerful voice in the LGBTQ+ community for many years.
In December 2020, the Canadian-born star shared a letter to fans revealing that he was transgender, and introduced himself as Elliot Page.
“Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life," he wrote.
The Juno actor said he could not "begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self," adding: "I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer."
He also used the post to address discrimination towards trans people: "The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared. I'm scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the 'jokes', and of violence."
"To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture. The statistics are staggering."
Addressing the trans community, Page said he would "do everything I can to change this world for the better".
Reuniting with Christopher Nolan
Alongside his advocacy work, Page is making a return to the big screen in a high-profile project: The Odyssey, director Christopher Nolan’s ambitious upcoming adaptation of Homer’s epic poem.
Page will appear in an undisclosed role, joining an all-star cast that includes Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron.
Speaking at New York Comic Con, the actor reflected on working with Nolan again after their collaboration on Inception in 2010: “I was so excited to be thought of for [The Odyssey] and to be asked to come back to work with him," per Variety.
"I loved working with him on Inception and loved being a part of that movie. I was just completely jazzed and excited… It was such a joy to come back," he added.
Page noted that this time around felt particularly special: “To come back now, as you can imagine, being more comfortable in yourself makes these sorts of projects more enjoyable.
"To get to have a Chris Nolan experience again now meant so much to me selfishly.”
Elliot Page. Credit: Craig Barritt/Getty
According to IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond, Nolan’s The Odyssey will make history as the first film ever to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras - a technical milestone the director pushed for personally.
“Chris called me up and said if you can figure out how to solve the problems, I will make it 100 per cent in IMAX,” Gelfond explained, per The Independent.
“And that’s what we’re doing. He forced us to rethink that side of our business, our film recorders, our film cameras. So, this will be the first film ever, at least filmed 100 per cent, with IMAX cameras,” he added.
Elliot Page has revealed the reason it was "crucial" for him to come out as transgender.
In December 2020, the Juno actor took to Instagram to share a lengthy heartfelt post, in which he shared with his 4.7 million followers that he is trans and his pronouns are he/they.
The actor explained this week that he felt it was "important" for him to share his story and live his truth after living over three decades in the wrong body.
Talking to Oprah Winfrey as part of her 'Oprah Conversations' series, Elliot discussed the process of coming out in his first televised interview with Vanity Fair.
He told Oprah:
"I was expressing this to people in my life much before posting that letter and telling people for the first time and knowing I wanted a moment to become comfortable in myself and to be able to get to that point.
"For me, in this time we're in right now and especially with this horrible backlash we're seeing towards trans people, particularly trans youth, it really felt imperative to do so."
The 'Umbrella Academy' star told Vanity Fair he was feeling "closeted for so long".
He added: "I came out as gay right before my 27th birthday and up until then I had pretty much never even touched someone outside who I was in love with.
"I think any sensation of feeling that again, there was just no way I could do it," he went on, adding that it had "felt important and selfish for myself and my own well-being and my mental health."
Elliot came out as trans in December last year, telling fans he "loves" that he is trans, but is "scared" of the "invasiveness, the hate, the 'jokes' and of violence" that he now faces.
In a poignant post on social media, the actor wrote:
"Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life.
"I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community.
"Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.
"My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared.
"I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture.
"I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive.
"To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better."
Stars of The Umbrella Academy have rallied together to show their support for co-star Elliot Page after the actor announced he is transgender.
Yesterday (December 1), the 33-year-old X-Men and Juno star took to Instagram to announce to his 3.8 million followers that he is transgender, opting to use the pronouns he/they, along with the name Elliot.
Page's heartwarming post not only highlighted his pride in being a trans individual, but the Oscar-nominee also stated that he is "scared" of the "invasiveness, the hate, the 'jokes' and violence" that he now faces, with Page asking for privacy at this time.
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Now, Page's co-stars of the hit show The Umbrella Academy have spoken out to support Elliot following his announcement.
Tom Hopper, who plays Page's adoptive brother Luther Hargreeves on the show, commented on Elliot's Instagram post, writing: "Elliot, I’m so proud of you, and even prouder to call you family. All the love".
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Justin H. Min, who plays Page's adoptive brother Ben Hargreeves, also commented on Elliot's Instagram post, writing: "Love you so much".
The actor also retweeted Page's original statement, writing alongside it: "welcome to the fam, elliot."
Jordan Claire Robbins, who plays Grace on the show, also replied to Elliot's post, writing: "So much love for you Elliot. You are amazing."
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Showrunner Steve Blackman also commented on Page's post, saying: "Proud of you, Elliot. Love you!!!"
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Emmy Raver-Lampman, who plays Allison Hargreeves on the Netflix show, also shared her best wishes with her co-star, writing on Page's post: "I love you. So. Much."
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And Marin Ireland, who plays Sissy on the show, replied: "I love you Elliot!!!!"
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Both the official Umbrella Academy and Netflix Twitter accounts also tweeted out their support for the Page:
Per Variety, sources have stated that Page will continue to play the role of Vanya Hargreeves - a cisgender woman who has the superpower to unleash a powerful force through the use of sound.
The publication adds that Netflix is now working to updated Page's name in the metadata across all titles he is involved with currently available to stream on the platform.
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In his original coming out post, Page started by writing: "Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot.
"I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life."
The heartwarming post continued: "I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.
"I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society."
Asking his fanbase for "patience", Elliot then stated: "My joy is real, but it is also fragile."
Addressing the adversity and violence trans people face, Page wrote: "The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared.
"I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture."
Page then detailed how 40 trans people have been murdered this year in the US alone, calling out those "political leaders who work to criminalize trans health care and deny our right to exist," along with "those with a massive platform who continue to spew hostility towards the trans community".
Page added: "You have blood on your hands.
[[imagecaption|| Page and his wife, Emma Portner. Credit: PA Images]]
Continuing, Page wrote:
"You unleash a fury of vile and demeaning rage that lands on the shoulders of the trans community, a community in which 40% of trans adults report attempting suicide.
"Enough is enough.
"You aren’t being canceled, you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we don’t be silent in the face of your attacks."
Concluding his emotional post, Page stated: "I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive.
"To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better."
Elliot Page has revealed that his life has "improved drastically" since coming out as transgender on the Late Night With Seth Meyers show.
More than a year since the 35-year-old Umbrella Academy star came out as transgender, the actor has reflected on his journey on Tuesday's (June 21) episode of Seth Meyers' show.
"It’s improved my life drastically," Page said about transitioning. "I hope, you know, I hope maybe people who do have an issue with me can maybe try and hear that, or embrace that on some level."
"What I want to focus on right now and has been so extraordinary is the degree of joy that I feel, the degree of presence that I feel," he told the late-night host. "I feel a way that I really never thought possible for a long, long time."
Watch Page's interview below:
While Page has been surrounded by a supportive system, the actor has previously spoken about the "hatred and cruelty" he’s received since publicly announcing that he is a transgender man in December 2020, including being verbally abused by a stranger on the street.
The Juno actor said: "I feel like it’s one of those things where it’s so unfortunate because it’s like, we’re all on the same team here, you know?"
Page added that everybody encounters "limits and constraints because of people’s obsession with the binary" regardless of their gender identity, therefore we should "connect" and talk about how our "similar" journeys are.
Credit: REUTERS / Alamy.
Page can be seen in season three of The Umbrella Academy, which premiered on Netflix on Wednesday (June 22). His coming-out story has been incorporated into his character, who now goes by the name Viktor Hargreeves.
The Inception actor explained how he was involved in the process of Viktor's story and how the TV show's creator Steve Blackman fully embraced it.
"When we first talked about it, he seemed really excited about incorporating it into the show," Page said, adding that they worked with transgender author and journalist Thomas Page McBee to find the best way to introduce Viktor on our screens.
Ultimately, Page expressed that transitioning "made [him] better" both as a person and as an actor: "It’s a beautiful thing to experience now."
"Because a lot of the time my life was just trying to move forward, so getting to embrace the experience as much as I get to now, I think it’s made me better in so many facets. As a person, as a friend, relationships," Page added.
The new season of Umbrella Academy is now available to stream on Netflix.
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