Elliot Page is a Canadian actor and producer who is known for his performances in the American films Hard Candy (2005), Juno (2007), Inception (2010), and Tallulah (2016), and Netflix series The Umbrella Academy (2019).
Wiki/Biography
Elliot Page was born as Ellen Page [1]Geo TV on Saturday, February 21, 1987 (age 34 years; as of 2021), in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was assigned female at birth.
He went to Halifax Grammar School till grade ten and switched to Queen Elizabeth High School in Halifax. After studying for a white at Queen Elizabeth, he attended Shambhala School in Halifax, Nova Scotia; he studied meditation and yoga there and graduated in 2005. [2]The Chronicle Herald Shambala is a non-denominational private school based on Shambhala principles of Buddhism. He lived in Toronto, Ontario, for the next two years, studying at Vaughan Road Academy’s Interact Program with his close friend and actor Mark Rendall. [3]News Break
On February 14, 2014, during his speech at Human Rights Campaign’s ‘Time to Thrive’ conference in Las Vegas, Elliot (who was then a female) declared himself gay. [4]The Guardian
December 1, 2020, saw Elliot coming out as a transgender, a declaration that he made through a post on his social media accounts coming out as transgender; he specified his pronouns he/him or they/them. He also notified that his new name was Elliot. [5]The New York Times
After his announcement, the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, James Gunn, and Kumail Nanjiani, congratulated Elliot and extended their support to him.
Physical Appearance
Height [6]The Guardian: 5’ 1”
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Family & Ethnicity
Parents & Siblings
His mother, Martha Philpotts, is a teacher, and his father, Dennis Page, is a graphic designer. Soon after he was born, his parents got divorced due to which he had to grow up switching his houses between his mother and father every two weeks.
Relationships & Wife
He was rumored in a relationship with men like Ben Foster (2006; actor), Sam Riley (2008; actor and singer), Emile Hirsch (2010; actor), and Alexander Skarsgård (actor), and women like Clea DuVall (2011; actress and filmmaker), and Shailene Woodley (2014; actress and filmmaker).
He has been in a relationship with Samantha Thomas (2015-17; American artist) and Drew Barrymore (American actress, producer, director, talk show host, and entrepreneur).
In 2017, Elliot began dating the dancer and choreographer Emma Portner; Elliot had met Emma on Instagram. Elliot made a big announcement that he was married to Emma in January 2018.
Elliot and Emma announced their separation in the summer of 2020, and in January 2021, Elliot filed for a divorce.
Career
Television
In 1997, he made his television debut as ‘Maggie Maclean ‘ in the TV movie ‘Pit Pony.’ From 1999 to 2000, he continued to play Maggie in the spinoff series of the movie.
He then acted in the Canadian television series Trailer Park Boys (2002), Rideau Hall (2002), ReGenesis (2004), and Going for Broke (2002), and Ghost Cat (2003). In 2003, he made his American television debut as ‘Young Lisa’ in the TV film ‘Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.’
Later, he acted in the American TV series Gaycation (2016) and The Umbrella Academy (2019), and also did voice roles in American animated series The Simpsons (2009), Glenn Martin, DDS (2011), Family Guy (2012), Out There (2013), Tales of the City (2019), and Ark: The Animated Series (2022).
Films
He made his film debut with the Canadian film ‘The Wet Season’ (2002) in the role of ‘Jocelyn.’
He then appeared in the Canadian films Marion Bridge (2002), Touch & Go (2003), Love That Boy (2003), and Wilby Wonderful (2004). In 2004, he got his big break with the Canadian film ‘Hard Candy’ in which he portrayed ‘Hayley Stark,’ a young girl who takes a pedophile hostage.
He also acted in Canadian films like The Tracey Fragments (2007), The Stone Angel (2007), Vanishing of the Bees (2009), Into the Forest (2015), Window Horses (2016), and There’s Something in the Water (2019). In 2005, he made his British film debut with ‘Mouth to Mouth’ in which he portrayed ‘Sherry.’
In 2006, he made his American debut with the main role of Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat in ‘X-Men: The Last Stand.’
In 2007, he starred as ‘Juno MacGuff’ in the biggest breakthrough of his life ‘Juno.’
He went on to appear in some of the biggest Hollywood hits like Smart People (2008), Inception (2010), To Rome With Love (2012), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), and Tallulah (2016). He made his Irish debut as Abbie in the film ‘The Cured (2017).’
Other Works
In 2013, he voiced the character ‘Jodie Holmes’ from the video game Beyond: Two Souls.
In 2015, he forayed into production with the film ‘Into the Forest.’
He went on to produce the films Freeheld (2015), Tallulah (2016), My Days of Mercy (2017), The Cured (2017), and There’s Something in the Water (2019). He made his television debut as a producer with the series ‘Gaycation’ (2016).
In 2019, he released the Canadian documentary film There’s Something in the Water (2019), which was his debut as a director and cinematographer.
Awards & Achievements
For the Film ‘Juno’
- Chicago Film Critics Association Awards for Best Actress in 2007
- Austin Film Critics Association Awards Best Actress for in 2007
- Detroit Film Critics Society Awards for Best Actress in 2007
- Gotham Awards for Breakthrough Actor in 2007
- National Board of Review Awards for Best Breakthrough Performance – Female in 2007
- New York Film Critics Online Awards for Best Breakthrough Performance in 2007
- Satellite Awards for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in 2007
- Independent Spirit Awards for Best Female Lead in 2007
- St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards for Best Actress in 2007
- Toronto Film Critics Association Awards for Best Actress in 2007
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards for Best Breakthrough Performance in 2007
- Placed 10th for Best Female Performance in IndieWire Critics Poll in 2007
- Canadian Comedy Awards for Best Performance by a Female – Film in 2008
- MTV Movie Awards for Best Female Performace in 2008
- Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy in 2008
-
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
- Best Actress in 2007
- Pauline Kael Breakout Award in 2007
-
Teen Choice Awards
- Choice Movie Actress: Comedy in 2008
- Choice Movie: Breakout Female in 2008
- Choice Movie: Liplock in 2008
Gemini Awards
- Best Performance in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series for Ghost Cat in 2003
- Best Supporting Actress for the series ReGenesis in 2004
Atlantic Film Festival
- Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female for ‘Wilby Wonderful’ in 2004
- Award for Best Actress for ‘The Tracey Fragments’ in 2007
For the Film ‘Hard Candy’
- Austin Film Critics Association Awards for Best Actress for Hard Candy in 2006
- Women Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Equality of the Sexes in 2006
Other Awards
- ACTRA Maritimes Awards for Outstanding Female Performance for the film ‘Marion Bridge’ in 2003
- Hollywood Film Awards for Breakthrough Actress of the Year in 2007
- Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress in a Canadian Film for ‘The Tracey Fragments’ in 2007
- MTV Movie Awards for Best Scared-As-Shit Performance for the film ‘Inception’ in 2010
- Premio Maguey for Best Performance Award for the film ‘My Days of Mercy’ in 2018
Rankings
- Ranked 10th on Moviefone’s The 25 Hottest Actors Under 25 list in 2008
- Ranked 8th on Entertainment Weekly’s 30 Under 30 actress list in 2008
- 40 Under 40 list of The Advocate magazine in 2014
- Forbes 30 Under List Hollywood & Entertainment in 2015
Controversies
- In 2019, Elliot criticized the American actor Chris Pratt for attending a Los Angeles branch of Australian megachurch Hillsong Church, whose pastors had earlier reprehended LGBTQ people. In response to the attack, Chris, on his accounts, wrote,
It has recently been suggested that I belong to a church which ‘hates a certain group of people’ and is ‘infamously anti-LGBTQ.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone.”
According to Chris, no matter what Bible says about divorce, his church community supported him throughout his divorce from his wife. [7]Independent
- In 2019, the American actor and singer Jussie Smollett alleged that he was attacked by two men outside his apartment, calling him racial and homophobic slurs; an incident that came as a hoax upon investigation. In support of Jussie, Elliot called out the former US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for their anti-LGBTQ policies in the Late Night Show. [8]Variety Elliot said,
Connect the dots, this is what happens. If you are in a position of power and you hate people and you want to cause suffering to them, you go through the trouble, you spend your career trying to cause suffering — what do you think is going to happen? Kids are going to be abused, and they’re going to kill themselves and people are going to be beaten on the street. It feels impossible not to feel this way right now with the president and the vice president Mike Pence, who wishes I could not be married, let’s just be clear.”
Signature
Favorite Things
- Alcoholic Beverage: Tequila
- Actress: Parker Posey, Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep
- Film(s): Waiting for Guffman (1996), 28 Days Later (2002), The Babadook (2014), The 400 Blows (1959)
- Singer(s): Patti Smith, Ron Sexsmith, Will Oldham
- Band: CocoRosie
- Album(s): ‘Impeach My Bush’ by Peaches, ‘Horses’ by Patti Smith, ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ by Bon Iver
- Song(s): ‘Wild is the Wind’ by Cat Power, ‘Fire’ by Joe Budden
- Architecture: Parthenon in Athens, Greece
Net Worth
Elliot’s net worth is estimated to be $12 million. [9]International Business Times
Facts/Trivia
- Elliot does not have any religious belief and is an atheist and according to him, [11]Time
Religion has always been used for beautiful things, and also as a way to justify discrimination—whether it’s gender, or race, or the LGBT community, or what have you. Personally, I’m an atheist, so I just have no time for it. So that will be the next challenge.”
- In an interview with the Washington Post, Elliot named himself a pro-choice feminist and said,
I call myself a feminist when people ask me if I am, and of course I am ’cause it’s about equality, so I hope everyone is. You know you’re working in a patriarchal society when the word feminist has a weird connotation. “Hippie” has a weird connotation. “Liberal” has a weird connotation.”
- Elliot follows a vegan diet and was also named Peta’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2014. [12]PETA
- While growing up as a girl, he was tomboyish and loved sports like street hockey, snowboarding, and wrestling, and video games like Sega Genesis. His hair was very short and rather than calling him Ellen, people called him Allen. At McDonald’s, while ordering a Happy Meal, he used to ask for a boy toy, and when cashiers ignored and gave him a doll, he would chop off the doll’s hair as he hated them.
- He was discovered by John Dunsworth, a local actor who was scouting talent in elementary schools in Halifax. When John approached Halifax Grammar School, the drama coach there told him of a talented girl (Elliot) who played the lead in the school’s production of the musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In an interview, John Dunsworth recalled the story,
All the other kids brought their script to the first day of rehearsals, but this little girl (Elliot) left hers behind — she had memorized it. So she was a committed little thing.”
- In his teens, he dated plenty of boys but never felt anything towards them even after sharing a kiss with them. It was not until she finally kissed a girl at the end of his high school that she realized her sexual preferences. Since then, he began dating girls but never made his identity as a gay public.
- She starting acting since she was ten but never thought of it as her lifelong goal. Instead, she was infatuated with soccer and wanted to make her career in the sport. In his teens, he began taking acting seriously and devoted himself completely towards it. He quit soccer and moved to Toronto to attend a special program for kids with all-consuming careers.
- She garnered worldwide fame after the release of Juno in 2007. Elliot, who found himself cope up with the newfound fame, decided to travel. He journeyed to rural Oregon to study permaculture at intentional community and ecovillage Lost Valley Educational Center, located in mostly forested land of Dexter. In the valley, she lived like every other resident who slept in rustic dorms with sheets hanging down as walls, shoveled goat feces, and trudged through muds.
- In the valley, Elliot met Ian Danial, filmmaker and writer, seemingly the only person in America who did not know Elliot. Elliot became close friends with Ian sooner, and together they went out on a journey that was documented to become the Emmy-nominated show Gaycation. Ian, in an interview, talked about Elliot and said,
I know Hollywood can be an overwhelming and toxic system at times. She pushed back to be herself in a place that wanted her to be a more conventional feminine ideal. She wasn’t interested in that. I think she sees that the world needs to see more mainstream representations of the multitude of ways we really are. She risked a lot by coming out when she did, but she had the insight to know she could help make it easier for others in the future – and that she would be happier, too. She’s helped create a new path for LGBTQ people in Hollywood. For someone so small”
- In 2008, he made an appearance in an online advertisement series for the US Campaign for Burma to call out the military dictatorship and to push the cause of human rights in Burma (now Myanmar); he was one of the 30 celebrities to appear in the series.
- In 2013, Elliot declared that his directorial debut would happen with the American comedy film Miss Stevens, released in 2016. The film would be produced by Gary Gilbert, Jordan Horowitz, and Doug Wald and star Anna Faris. Over the course of time, the project went ahead without Elliot, and the director’s chair was given to the American actress and filmmaker Julia Hart.
- On March 1, 2018, he marked his debut as a host with Saturday Night Live, an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show.
- In 2017, he called out Brett Ratner (who was already accused of sexual harassment and assault at that time) for outing him gay during the filming of X Men: The Last Stand, even before Elliot had made his sexual identity public. Talking further about the incident, Elliot uploaded a Facebook post in which he talked about his experience as a Hollywood celebrity. He wrote,
I have been a professional actor since the age of ten. I’ve had the good fortune to work with many honorable and respectful collaborators both behind and in front of the camera. But the behavior I’m describing is ubiquitous. They (abusers), want you to feel small, to make you insecure, to make you feel like you are indebted to them, or that your actions are to blame for their unwelcome advances. When I was sixteen a director took me to dinner (a professional obligation and a very common one). He fondled my leg under the table and said, “You have to make the move, I can’t.” I did not make the move and I was fortunate to get away from that situation. It was a painful realization: my safety was not guaranteed at work. An adult authority figure for whom I worked intended to exploit me, physically. I was sexually assaulted by a grip months later. I was asked by a director to sleep with a man in his late twenties and to tell them about it. I did not. This is just what happened during my sixteenth year, a teenager in the entertainment industry.”
- Elliot is also involved in LGBTQ+ rights activism. Through the international charitable foundation ‘Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice,’ which is working on issues related to LGBT and Intersex rights, he helps in raising funds for LGBTQI grassroots activists. Apart from that, he is also on the Board of Directors at the Tegan and Sara Foundation, an organization working to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ women and girls.
- Elliot has eight homemade tattoos on his body that are made by two of his friends; turtle tattooed on his right forearm; WIIG (denoting the name of his best friend and American actress Kristen Wiig) tattooed on his left bicep; C KEENS and EP PHONE HOME (C KEENS denoting his friend and American actress Catherine Keener and EP denoting his ex-wife Emma Portner) tattooed on his right arm; BB (denoting the name of her friend Beatrice Brown) on her hands.
- He loves dogs and has two dogs named Mo and Patters.
- Elliot once owned a mid-century modern pavilion in the Nichols Canyon area of Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. In 2019, he sold the pavilion for $2.1 million. [13]LA Times
References