"My name is Elliot" – star formerly known as Ellen Page comes out as transgender
New York, New York - The actor formerly known as Ellen Page announced he is transgender and now goes by Elliot Page.
"I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they, and my name is Elliot," the "Juno" star shared in a tweet Tuesday. "I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived in this place in my life."
Page (33) shared "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."
The Canadian-born Page earned widespread acclaim for the 2007 comedy-drama Juno, which chronicles a teenager's unplanned pregnancy. The performance earned Page nominations at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTA Awards.
In Tuesday's announcement, Page said he has 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," Page wrote. "I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society."
Page draws attention to "rife, insidious, and cruel" discrimination
His other prominent film credits include roles in Christopher Nolan's Inception, multiple X-Men movies and the 2017 remake of Flatliners. He currently stars on the popular Netflix series The Umbrella Academy.
"I love that I am trans," Page wrote on Tuesday. "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."
Page, who has long been a prominent supporter of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) rights, married professional dancer and choreographer Emma Portner in 2018.
He asked for people to show patience in Tuesday's announcement.
"My joy is real, but it is also fragile," Page wrote. "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," Page continued. "The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences."
In a Tuesday tweet, the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD wrote Page "has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people. Elliot will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. We celebrate him. All trans people deserve to be accepted."
Cover photo: imago images / Future Image