Elliot Page, who first publicly came out as transgender in December of 2020, appeared on Late Night Night with Seth Meyers to discuss his own transition and the transition of his character, Viktor Hargreeves, on the show The Umbrella Academy. Page has been a lead cast member of The Umbrella Academy since the show’s premiere in 2019.
Meyers asks Page how much involvement he had in the development of Viktor’s storyline, and the actor shares that Steve Blackman, the showrunner, “seemed really excited about incorporating (Page’s transition) into the show.”
Page also speaks about getting writer Thomas Page McBee on the show as a consulting producer.
“His book and his work, in general, are so much about masculinity and what it means and exploring that,” Page says. “So Thomas came on board and helped out, and I feel proud of it and excited for people to see it.”
Given that the characters in the series are very loving and supportive of Viktor’s transition, Meyers wanted to know what coming out was like for the actor in real life.
“I think most people weren’t surprised, or it’s something I’ve been talking about with a lot of people in my life,” Page says.
When Meyers attempts to direct the conversation toward some of the negative reactions to Page’s coming out, Page insists on discussing the positives transitioning had brought to his life.
“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,” Page says. “I feel a way that I really never thought (was) possible for a long, long time.”
Page reiterated that transitioning has really improved his life and hopes that anyone who takes issue with him and his transition will consider that. Regardless of any backlash Page or The Umbrella Academy may face for the transition of both Page and Viktor, they are breaking boundaries and setting the standard for how to move forward when an actor comes out as trans.
Screenshot courtesy of Late Night With Seth Meyers
