As Time reports: “The endless primping, red carpets and magazine spreads were all agonizing reminders of the disconnect between how the world saw Page and who he knew himself to be. ‘I just never recognized myself,’ Page says. ‘For a long time I could not even look at a photo of myself.’ It was difficult to watch the movies too, especially ones in which he played more feminine roles.”
“[I didn’t know] how to explain to people that even though [I was] an actor, just putting on a T-shirt cut for a woman would make me so unwell,” the actor told the magazine. Time also spoke to Page’s friend and “Whip It” co-star Alia Shawkat, who remembered how scarring it was for Page to endure all the attention that came his way because of his Oscar-nominated performance in “Juno.” Shawkat said, “He had a really hard time with the press and expectations. ‘Put this on! And look this way! And this is sexy!’” Shawkat said clothing was a continual struggle for Page, adding, “I’d be like, ‘Hey, look at all these nice outfits you’re getting,’ and he would say, ‘It’s not me. It feels like a costume.’” Time magazine adds: “Page tried to convince himself that he was fine, that someone who was fortunate enough to have made it shouldn’t have complaints. But he felt exhausted by the work required to ‘just exist,’ and thought more than once about quitting acting.” Page’s team told Time that since coming out as transgender, the actor’s career is “seeing more activity than [it has] in years.” Page has received many producing, directing, and acting offers, some of which are “trans-related” and some of which are “dude roles.” Page is currently in Canada filming the third season of his blockbuster Netflix comic book series “The Umbrella Academy.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
