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Elliot Page’s journey: 6 things to know about The Umbrella Academy and Juno actor and LGBT activist

Juno and The Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page recently came out as transgender on social media. Photo: AFP
Juno and The Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page recently came out as transgender on social media. Photo: AFP
LGBTQ

Page’s wife Emma Portner, the dancer who’s choreographed for the likes of Justin Bieber, posted a message on Instagram supporting the star, who’s known for roles in the X-Men movies, Inception and Whip It

Known and loved for his roles as the titular lead in cult indie cinema staple Juno, and as Vanya Hargreeves in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, Elliot Page came out as transgender in a post published on various social channels on Wednesday (December 2).

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.”

 
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The Hollywood star has spent much of his adult life as an activist and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Since his breakthrough role in the coming-of-age comedy-drama Juno at age 20, to his directorial debut with environmental documentary There’s Something in the Water, the 33-year-old has consistently used his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.

To celebrate Page, we look back on his career milestones and activism that have inspired and uplifted people from all walks of life.

He came out as gay at age 27

A few years after his breakthrough role in Juno, Page publicly announced he was gay at the Las Vegas Human Rights Campaign’s Time to Thrive conference benefiting LGBTQ+ youth. Coming out can be stressful – and oftentimes unsafe – but it can also be critical to living authentically and decreasing the stigma around LGBTQ+ issues.

In his speech, Page remarked that his “spirit suffered, mental health suffered, and relationships suffered” for years because of his fear of coming out. “I’m here today because I am gay, and because maybe I can make a difference, to help others have an easier and more hopeful time,” he went on to say. “Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility.”

He made his directorial debut with a documentary on climate change

A still from Netflix documentary There's Something in the Water. Photo: Netflix
A still from Netflix documentary There's Something in the Water. Photo: Netflix

Page directed the 2019 documentary film There‘s Something in the Water with Ian Daniel, who was also Page’s collaborator and co-host in the Vice documentary, Gaycation. The documentary looks at environmental racism in black and indigenous communities in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Irene Pyne
Irene Pyne is a professional copywriter, storywriter and all-round content guru. Her interests include East Asian culture and politics, modern art, food, television and film. When she’s not writing for us, she’s spending time at idNerd’s animation studio, debating over the projectile speed of snot - for a cartoon, of course.