Elliot Page - Early Life, Movies & LGBTQ Activism

Canadian actor Elliot Page first gained attention with the film 'Hard Candy,' then garnered accolades as the title character in 'Juno.'

Who Is Elliot Page?

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1987, Elliot Page got his start in Canadian television before generating buzz for his powerful performance in the 2005 indie thriller Hard Candy. From there, Page went on to star in X-Men: The Last Stand, and his much-heralded role as the teenage star of Juno. Although Juno became one of his best-known roles, he also appeared in several popular films, including Smart People, Inception, Super and X-Men: Days of Future Past, later starring in the domestic drama Freeheld.

Early Life and Career

Actor Elliot Page was born on February 21, 1987, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Page took an interest in theater from a young age. He performed in his first local production in the fifth grade and won Canada's prestigious Gemini nomination for his role in the made-for-television movie Pit Pony in 1997.

The busy actor went on to appear in several Canadian television series, including the Pit Pony spin-off, Trailer Park Boys (2001-02) and ReGenesis (2004), as well as the award-winning film Marion Bridge (2002).

Big Break

Though Page was first introduced to American audiences in the Lifetime movie Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003), his role in the provocative 2005 indie thriller Hard Candy launched him into the spotlight. His haunting performance as a 14-year-old victim-turned-attacker caught the attention of director Brett Ratner, who cast him as Kitty Pryde in Page's first big-budget feature, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). 

'Juno'

Even after having filmed the big-budget X-Men film, Page didn't gain international critical acclaim for his acting until he played a pregnant teen in the heralded indie dramedy Juno (2007). His quick wit and hidden vulnerability as the wise yet innocent Juno McGuff earned the young star an Academy Award nomination for his performance. 

Later Work

After appearing in Juno, Page continued his success on film as the star of films like Smart People (2008) and Whip It (2009)—the former film showcased Page as Dennis Quaid's secluded and emotional daughter, while the latter film, directed by Drew Barrymore, put Page in a helmet and knee pads as part of a roller derby league. Sidestepping his usual quirky, comedic roles for something more serious, he starred in Inception alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 2010.

Not long after Inception, Page began participating in a string of voiceover work. He lent his voice to the television series Glenn Martin DDS in 2011 and to the popular cartoons Family Guy and Out There in 2012 and 2013, respectively. He also brought the main character in the video game Beyond: Two Souls to life as the voice actor for protagonist Jodie Holmes. Following his stint as a voiceover actor, Page reprised his role in the film X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).

In 2015, Page co-starred with Julianne Moore in Freeheld. The following year he began hosting Gaycation, a travel series exploring LGBTQ cultures around the world, and in 2017 he starred in a remake of the 1990 horror flick Flatliners.

Personal Life

Page publicly came out as gay during a conference in Las Vegas in February 2014. The conference, named Time to THRIVE, was focused on addressing issues within the LGBTQ community.

In January 2018, Page announced his marriage to girlfriend Emma Portner, a dance instructor and choreographer. Posting a photo of their wedding bands on Instagram, the actor wrote, "Can't believe I get to call this extraordinary woman my wife. @emmaportner." They divorced in 2021.

On December 1, 2020, Page came out as transgender, revealing his name change from Ellen to Elliot. Page became the first openly transgender man to appear on the cover of Time magazine in March 2021. 

In March 2022, Netflix announced Page's character on 'The Umbrella Academy' would also come out as transgender, mirroring real life. 

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