The Impact of Intimacy on the Juno Set: Elliott Page’s Experience

Elliot Page rose to fame with his breakout role in the movie Juno in 2007. However, this newfound success nearly drove him to quit show business. Page, who is now a 36-year-old transgender man, recounts his experiences in his brutally honest memoir, Pageboy. In the memoir, he reflects on how he was made to feel inadequate and erroneous, constantly under the media’s gaze as a queer individual who needed to be hidden away. Coming at a time when anti-trans sentiment is on the rise, Page’s memoir sheds light on the challenges faced by transgender individuals in society.

• ‘Brutally honest’: According to Gina Chua from the New York Times, Page’s memoir is a brutally honest account that vividly portrays the visceral sense of gender dysphoria. He delves into the feeling of betrayal that comes with one’s body not aligning with their true gender identity.
• Societal pressures: Brandon Tensley from the Washington Post describes Page’s memoir as a narrative that shifts back and forth across different decades, capturing the honest disorientation experienced by Page. It showcases the emotional and psychological exertion required to counter the suffocating social biases surrounding gender and sexuality.
• On experiencing sexual predation: In an interview with NPR, Page reveals the consistent experience of sexual predation that he faced from a young age. He expresses bafflement over why anyone would want to treat someone, especially a vulnerable individual, in such a way. Page shares several incidents of rape in the memoir, as reported by Vox.

• Sex with Olivia Thirlby: Page discloses in his memoir that his Juno co-star, Olivia Thirlby, was the first woman he had a consensual sexual relationship with. He writes that they engaged in sexual activity throughout the filming process, which helped alleviate his shame. Page sought to see acceptance in Thirlby and eliminate his self-loathing.
• On coming out: It was not until 2014 that Page came out as gay. The weight of living a closeted life had become unbearable for him. With his coming out, he felt an immediate and immense relief, as he no longer had to hide his true identity.
• Falling for Kate Mara: After coming out as gay, Page entered into a relationship with actor Kate Mara. Despite Mara already having a partner at the time, Max Minghella, she also developed feelings for Page. The affair was marked by exploration and heartbreak, as shared by Page in an interview with People.

• A-lister’s rape threat: Aja Romano from Vox highlights the horrifying incidents documented by Page in his memoir. These incidents include instances of gay-bashing and threats of rape. Page recounts an incident where one of the most prominent figures in Hollywood threatened to rape him to prove that being gay was not real.
• On transitioning: Despite always realizing that something about him was different, Page hesitated to contemplate transitioning due to the enormity and fear surrounding the process. However, during the pandemic in 2020, he found the space and time to reflect on his identity, leading him to acknowledge and express his truth.
• Estrangement from his father: Page reveals that he has not spoken to his father for over five years. He explains that his father and stepmother support individuals who have attacked and ridiculed him on a global scale, most notably Jordan Peterson, a psychologist banned from Twitter for his disparaging comments about Page.
• A mother’s love: One of the most heartwarming aspects of Page’s memoir is his touching relationship with his mother. Throughout his journey of self-discovery, he has never doubted his mother’s love and support, even during difficult times and moments of distance.

(Read more Elliot Page stories.)