With an exceptional track record, an international career in television and cinema, and an Oscar nomination at just 21, Elliot Page seemed to be living a dream life.
Photo provided by Editions Kero / Hachette
However, if we read his autobiography, which has just been published in French, we see that the Halifax actor, who has made twenty films, was mentally tormented because of his gender. Along with the extremely painful search for his identity, the young actor has been a lifelong victim of sexual assault, intimidation and homophobia.
Elliot Page’s autobiography is rich in anecdotes. In addition to being very well written, the young actor confides without filter, without embarrassment and with all honesty, so that we don’t let go of this book until we finish reading it.
Even as a child, Elliot Page (then Ellen Page) suffered from an indescribable malaise. She wanted to be a boy. At only nine years old, she expresses her desire to be a boy to her mother and asks if she will be able to be one one day. She cuts her hair short and tries to act like a boy. His parents assume that the idea will pass over time.
Ellen hails from the city of Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. Her mother is a teacher, according to Elliot the best in the province. She teaches French and English while her father is a graphic designer. Ellen is only a few months old when her parents divorce and share custody.
Nevertheless, Ellen is closer to her mother and confides in her more easily. The relationship with his father is difficult from the start: he is a strict and violent man.
At the age of 10 she got her first role in the television series Pit Pony without having to know anything about this field.
As a teenager, Ellen is more attracted to girls than boys. She landed multiple roles over the years, transitioning from independent cinema to blockbuster.
She rose to prominence with the psychological thriller Hard Candy in 2005, followed by 2006’s X-Men, but it wasn’t until 2007 that she found major success with the film Juno, which earned her an Oscar nomination in the 2008 category Best Actress, also nominated for Golden Globes and British Academy Film Awards. However, fame does not bring him happiness.
Difficult identity search
In his book, the actor tells in detail about his many complicated sexual relationships with men and girls.
He explicitly describes his first sexual encounter with a 16-year-old man and failed experiments with women. He is so miserable that he suffers from an eating disorder, compulsively counts his calories and drinks herbal tea to appease his hunger. He suffers from depression, severe anxiety and severe panic attacks. And as if that wasn’t enough, he hurts himself.
“I happened to take a small knife into my room and put the point on my upper arm, near my shoulder. I slowly lowered the blade by pressing on it until I saw this red web, which relieved me,” says the actor in his book.
violence and sexual assault
Everything changed when Elliot revealed his homosexuality to his parents.
His mother Martha, daughter of a pastor, told him that homosexuality did not exist. His father Dennis pushed him away and used force.
He experienced moral harassment from his mother-in-law and children. Rejection, insults and even threats of rape are commonplace. His paternal family universe is one of the most violent and they haven’t spoken to each other in five years.
Fortunately, after a few years, his mother finally accepted her son’s gender.
In addition to domestic violence, Elliot reports being a victim of homophobia and sexual assault. While settling in Hollywood, he was repeatedly the victim of homophobia, most notably from an unnamed celebrity.
There is also sexual assault and harassment by prominent Hollywood figures, including a director in his teens.
It was only in 2014, after living a lie until then, that he publicly admitted his homosexuality.
As of 2020, Page uses the pronouns “il/iel” and the given name Elliot. Stock photo, WENN.com
Then in 2020, while his career is on the rise, Elliot speaks publicly about the surgeries it takes to become a man. The trans operation thus confirms his gender change and he states that he now wants to be called Elliot. His wife, the Canadian dancer Emma Portner, whom he married in 2018, supports him in his approach, even though the two are now divorced. Today, the 36-year-old actor is fully embracing his gender, is comfortable in his body and says he’s at peace with himself.
He has become one of the most famous transgender personalities in the world while also being one of the biggest LGBTQ+ advocates of his generation.
He hopes his book will be a comfort to those living in situations similar to his.