Elliot Page opened up about working his transition into his character’s arc in Netflix’s Umbrella Academy.
Page, who has played Viktor Hargreeves on Umbrella Academy since its premiere in 2019, came out as transgender in December 2020. Page has been vocal that Viktor, like him, will undergo a transition.
On Late Night, Seth Meyers asked Page about how much of a role he got to play in crafting the story behind his character. Page shared that showrunner Steve Blackman
seemed really excited about incorporating [Page’s transition] into the show.”
Page also brought the writer Thomas Page McBee– the first trans man to box in Madison Square Garden– on as a consulting producer. Page said,
His book and his work in general are so much about masculinity and what it means and exploring that. So Thomas came on board and helped out and I feel proud of it and excited for people to see it.”
Meyers also asked how the people closest to Page in real life received the news of his transition,
I think most people weren’t surprised, or it’s something I’ve been talking about with a lot of people in my life.”
Meyers tried to ask about the more negative reactions that Page has received but Page instead highlighted the positives of transitioning.
What I want to focus on right now — and it’s been so extraordinary — is the degree of joy that I feel, the degree of presence that I feel.
I feel a way that I really never thought possible for a long, long time.”
When I reflect on certain very difficult times in my life, I think ultimately getting through that really deepens your empathy. The times in my life where I was the most uncomfortable, where I was the most unwell — those were the times when I was the most angry and I was the most unkind to myself.”
Page emphasized that transition has improved life
drastically.”
The Umbrella Academy season 3 is streaming on Netflix now.
(Photos, screen grabs; via them)
