The third season of The Umbrella Academy just premiered on Netflix, so Elliot Page, arguably the show’s biggest star, dropped by Late Night with Seth Myers to do some promo. Elliot came out as non-binary transgender in late 2020. This was after the first two seasons of the show had aired with Elliot playing a female character, Vanya Hargreeves. After Elliot came out, Netflix announced they’d incorporate his transition into the show, and his character is now named Viktor.
In Elliot’s talk with Seth Meyers, he discussed some of the negative public reaction he’s experienced since coming out as transgender, and some of the positive feelings he’s experienced since.
Elliot Page joined Late Night With Seth Meyers on Tuesday and addressed some of the negative reaction he has received since transitioning. The Umbrella Academy star has spoken about being verbally accosted in public after coming out as transgender and says he’s saddened such outbusts.
“I feel like it’s one of those things where it’s so unfortunate, because it’s like, we’re all on the same team here, you know? Whether you’re trans, gender-nonconforming, cis,” Page said. “We all have these expectations, and these, sort of, limits and constraints because of people’s obsession with the binary, and how we’re all supposed to live our lives.”
Page said he’s focused on how his life has improved since making the transition, not the negativity.
“What I want to focus on right now, and has been so extraordinary, is the degree of joy that I feel, the degree of presence that I feel,” Page said. “I feel a way that I really never thought possible.”
But he is holding out hope that the haters will come around.
“It’s improved my life drastically,” Page said, “and I hope, you know, I hope maybe people who do have an issue with me can maybe try and hear that, or embrace that on some level.”
The fact that people have gone out of their way to publicly, verbally accost Elliot is disgusting. People really need to mind their own business and stop getting angry about other people just living their truths. It will never cease to amaze me that people go out of their way to be hateful to others both online and in person, and like, the weird little conspiracies they come up with. Slightly off-topic, but related: the other day I was looking at a thread about celebrity plastic surgery and came across the most insane transphobic conspiracy theory on the topic of buccal fat removal. So if I, a cis woman, am seeing random transphobias out there, I can’t even imagine what transgender folks are seeing and experiencing. It’s good that Elliot is able to feel all the positive ways in which his life has improved since transitioning. I imagine that one feels so much more when they are able to live freely and authentically instead of using energy to suppress their truth. Focusing on the joy felt in finally being able to live his truth must go a long way in drowning out the bigots who are so clearly unhappy with their own lives that they feel the need to lash out at others.
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- Elliot Page attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673587611, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Elliot Page, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- The Umbrella Academy. (L to R) Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Elliot Page, Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves, Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, David Castañeda as Diego Hargreeves, Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves in episode 301 of The Umbrella Academy. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
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- The Umbrella Academy. (L to R) Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves in episode 302 of The Umbrella Academy. Cr. Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix © 2022
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- The Umbrella Academy. Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves in episode 305 of The Umbrella Academy. Cr. Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix © 2022
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- The Umbrella Academy. (L to R) Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves in episode 308 of The Umbrella Academy. Cr. Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix © 2022
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- New York, NY – Elliot Page makes time for his fans as he is seen arriving at Good Morning America. Pictured: Elliot Page BACKGRID USA 22 JUNE 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Fernando Ramales / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Photos credit: Avalon.red, Netflix and via Instagram
People need to leave other people alone and worry about actual issues that impact their daily lives.
Whether someone lives as a man, woman, both, or neither, which pronoun or name they use, who they date, how they dress, or ffs what they have under their clothes has literally zero impact on a stranger’s life. Even if you are a garden variety bigot, how does harassing a trans person improve your life? Go worry about healthcare, guns, the economy, climate change, poverty in your community…. Literally anything that impacts you. And let people live how they want.
I’m happy to see how happy Elliott looks now. Compare these photos and this smile with old photos of him pre-transition where he literally looks haunted. How can you not support someone’s search for a little joy?
I was going to comment along the same lines – I’d always thought he was beautiful but so sad pre-transition and it’s been so amazing to see him smiling so wide in photo after photo. I’m so happy for him now.
Anytime someone can be their true selves it’s always a good thing. Elliot is a wonderful role model for people struggling with their identity.
Since Juno is still on my top 20 movies of all time, I have been a die-hard Page fan. I’m just struck by just how hot and happy he looks, that happiness is sexy. He can get it!! He may not want it, but he can def get it lol
So happy for Elliot living his truth. Eff the haters.
And also came to say he’s looking hot! Go Elliot! Live your best life!
He definitely has a confidence about him now that’s very hot. You can tell he feels so much more comfortable in his own skin now and that’s wonderful to see.
So true! He is such a babe! Happiness & confidence is hot but also what a face!
I could not agree more, but um, you are gonna have to share because my crush goes way back to Juno as well! That confidence radiates and yes, it is definitely sexy 😍
Aw, that’s my pal Amanda in one of the IG posts up there. Such a gorgeous publicist, and so amazing with her LGBTQIA+ clients. Happy for Elliot. There are so many actors in this industry running away from, and struggling with, an element of their identity in some way. I’ve seen it a lot, not just in regards to gender or sexuality, but other elements of their lives too. I’m glad he’s finding who he is and getting joy from that.
I love how Netflix umbrella academy is incorporating this. They really hired the right people and involved all the right people in this process including Elliot. It is good to make transitioning as normalized as possible. I am excited to see the result.
Unfortunately it feels like things are going to get worse, especially with the likes of Marge neanderthal Greene out their spreading hate everywhere she goes.
I’m so happy and excited for Elliott :))))
Hope is such a wonderful and helpful emotion and reading this has inspired some in me this morning. This is my hope for my daughter, that she’s able to find joy in living her truth and being herself. We love you Elliot
Kind of makes me want to cry with joy – that he is experiencing joy that he never thought possible.
The people passing anti-trans legislation now, i know it is fear based- but what are they afraid of- why would they rather a child be forever unhappy, and sometimes suicidal- over becoming who they were meant to be.
If it wasn’t in “god’s plan”- their god wouldn’t have made people transgender…. if you believe in that sort of thing.
It was nice to hear those comments, because if trans issues are even raised at all in the media, it’s always about trauma. It’s good to hear about joy, too. I used to see Elliot around West Hollywood, pre-transition, and he was always low-key quiet and friendly and normal.
It’s lovely to see how happy he is.
Please excuse my ignorance, but can someone explain the difference between non-binary transgender and non-binary on its own? Are they different? Before reading this article I thought Elliot was a trans man. I also thought most non-binary people use “they” pronouns?
There are a number of terms that a person can use to describe their identity. A person who is trans non binary may still use binary pronouns like he/him. A person can be non binary and not consider themselves trans. There is a huge spectrum of gender. Check out this resource: https://genderspectrum.org/articles/language-of-gender
Elliots openness has literally changed my life. I’m a trans masc actor but I have to say…people really are ignorant to how the world really is towards us. While it is so cool Elliot has had his gender written into his show, as a film/tv actor still only booking principal roles in larger scale projects, it has literally been hell. I have still had to play my assigned gender at birth because the alternative is to never work. Discrimination has been rampant and in our industry there is nothing we can do. I’ve also had to push back my top surgery- twice – to accommodate schedules because I have no power. And yesterday while I was doing a public reading in drag at the library for kids, we were accosted by fascist protesters who have accused us of being “pedophiles” who are “grooming” children, that we are mentally ill, and that we should die. They made open threats on our lives and the cops did nothing. A year ago during pride month, a man harassed me and my child calling my a pedophile while taking my photo. It was in a crowded street and people walked by, fully seeing what was going on holding their rainbow coffee cups and did nothing. We really need people to wake up and act because shit is getting and has been really bad for a long time.
I’m an agent, and I hear you. I was just discussing this with a colleague yesterday in regards to a new NB signing. The reality is, this actor will only be seen for NB and female-presenting roles. Producers are not ready to be as flexible outside of projects that are specifically about the Queer experience. I would love for us to get to a place where I can have a Trans or NB client go in for whatever the F they want, and not have this narrow-mindedness. But the industry hasn’t solved misogyny yet or racism, so there is WORK to be done. Keep on keeping on. There is so much that is soul-destroying about being an actor, especially if you are from a community that needs to fight to be seen and respected. Your place in this industry is vital and important.
You are a brave strong person. with racism, sexism, and gender discrimination, we fight this fight so our children don’t have to. I agree it has been bad for a long time, and the 2016 election threw it into overdrive when the ultra right had their taste. They have gotten more willing to show us how unhinged they are.
So happy for him. My heart bursts with joy. This is the news we can use. Please find some more good stories bc life in American and this world has become a nightmare.
He looks fantastic. Just lit from within. F*** the haters