Elliot Page has addressed his decision to announce he’s transgender, saying that he had to be “selfish” and prioritise his wellbeing in making it public.
The 34-year-old actor, who came out publicly by sharing a written note in December, said in a new interview that there was “no way” he could hide his gender any longer, especially with anti-trans discourse running rife.
He told Oprah Winfrey: “I was expressing [my identity] 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,” he said.
The Umbrella Academy and Juno star added: “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.”
Page, who described being “closeted [for] so long”, also told Winfrey: “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.
See an exclusive clip from Elliot Page’s upcoming interview with Oprah Winfrey:
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— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) April 28, 2021
“I think any sensation of feeling that again, there was just no way I could do it,” he said, adding that it had “felt important and selfish for myself and my own wellbeing and my mental health”.
The full interview with Winfrey, as part of the Oprah Conversations series, lands tomorrow (April 30) on Apple TV+.
In a Vanity Fair article that accompanies the video interview, Page said that coming out had enabled him to focus on his creative work better again.
“I think of all the energy and time that was going towards feeling uncomfortable, constantly checking my body, just feeling unwell. And I’ve got a new ability to explore creatively and write, and just how much I’m reading – that’s been really amazing,” he said.
Page goes by the pronouns he/they. The day after the actor posted his statement, Netflix – which produces The Umbrella Academy – began updating his name on cast lists and in credits.
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