PAGE REVEALS TRUE IDENTITY
OSCAR NOMINEE COMES OUT AS TRANSGENDER
Elliot Page, the film and TV star who got an Oscar nomination for “Juno,” announced Tuesday he is transgender, calling it “remarkable... to pursue my authentic self.”
“I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/ they, and my name is Elliot,” the actor, who was formerly known as Ellen Page, tweeted. “I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived in this place in my life.”
Page, 33, shared “overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have have supported me along this journey.”
“I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.”
The Canadian-born Page earned widespread acclaim for the 2007 comedy-drama “Juno,” which chronicles a teenager’s unplanned pregnancy. The performance earned Page nominations at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and the BAFTA Awards.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Page said he has 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,” Page wrote. “I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.”
His other prominent film credits include roles in Christopher Nolan’s “Inception,” multiple X-Men movies and the 2017 remake of “Flatliners.” He currently stars on the popular Netflix series “The Umbrella Academy.”
“I love that I am trans,” Page wrote Tuesday. “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.”
Page, who has long been a prominent supporter of LGBTQ rights, married professional dancer and choreographer Emma Portner in 2018.
“I am so proud of @elliotpage,” Portner, 28, wrote on Instagram. “Trans, queer and non-binary people are a gift to this world. I also ask for patience & privacy but that you join me in the fervent support of trans life every single day.”
Page asked for people to show patience in Tuesday’s announcement.
“My joy is real, but it is also fragile,” 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 continued. “The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences.”
In a tweet Tuesday, the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD wrote Page “has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people. Elliot will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. We celebrate him. All trans people deserve to be accepted.”