The Umbrella Academy season three – due out in June – will begin with the Hargreeves staring at Sparrow Academy, alternate versions of themselves and possibly their scariest matchup yet. But on Tuesday, Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page announced a timeline change that’s much happier: His character has a new name, Viktor.
Posting on Twitter and Instagram, Page shared a new still of himself from the upcoming season with the caption, “Meet Viktor Hargreeves.” Netflix confirmed that the announcement meant Viktor would be coming out in Season 3 of Umbrella Academy. The change comes after Page came out as a trans man in December 2020. (Page uses he/she pronouns.)
The announcement was celebrated by the brand accounts for the show and Netflix, as well as Umbrella Academy writer Gerard Way, who also uses the pronouns “he/they.”
While it’s becoming more common, it’s still rare for trans actors to not only have an established (let alone celebrity) role on a TV show, but be able to transition as their role alongside themselves.
“I love that I’m trans. And I love that I’m queer,” Page wrote in her first coming out post. “And the more I hold myself tightly and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive.”
Page will once again star in Umbrella Academy season 3, along with Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Ritu Arya and Adam Godley, as well as Colm Feore (as her Sparrow father Reginald) and Justin H. Min as Ben (although he is also part of the Sparrows).
Joining the cast are Sparrow Academy students, played by Justin Cornwell (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey), Britne Oldford (Hunters), Jake Epstein (Suits), Genesis Rodriguez (Big Hero 6) and Cazzie David.
The full third season of Umbrella Academy arrives on Netflix on June 22nd.