The Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page comes out as transgender

Elliot Page — star of The Umbrella Academy, Juno, Inception, and more — may be the most prominent Hollywood celebrity to come out as transgender.

Elliot Page, formerly Ellen Page, has formerly announced that he is transgender. He made the announcement this morning, posting on social media:

"Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life.I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.I also ask for patience. My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared. I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the “jokes” and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture. The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences. In 2020 alone it has been reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of which where Black and Latinx trans women. To the political leaders who work to criminalize trans health care and deny our right to exist and to all those with a massive platform who continue to spew hostility towards the trans community: you have blood on your hands. You unleash a fury of vile and demeaning rage that lands on the shoulders of the trans community, a community in which 40% of trans adults report attempting suicide. Enough is enough. You aren’t being “cancelled,” you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we won’t be silent in the face of your attacks.I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better."

Elliot Page has some pretty big roles under his belt, from playing Kitty Pryde in the X-Men movies to appearing in Christopher Nolan’s Inception to starring more recently as Vanya Hargreeves in Netflix’s superhero show The Umbrella Academy. He was also nominated for an Oscar for playing the title role in Juno. Before, Page was one of the most visible gay actors in Hollywood, coming out in 2014. Now, he may be the best-known trans entertainer, joining a group that includes Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox and the Wachowski sisters, who directed The Matrix movies.

Page has already gotten praise for his announcement from several quarters, including by Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Media. “Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people,” Adams said. “He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are. We celebrate the remarkable Elliot Page today.”

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, who worked with Page on the 2010 film Super, also weighed in:

We wish Page the best in his transition. As for The Umbrella Academy, the third season is officially on the way.

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