Elliot Page stars as ‘leading man’ at Toronto International Film Festival.
Elliot Page Celebrates Leading Role at Toronto International Film Festival
Elliot Page, the talented Canadian actor formerly known as Ellen Page, made a stunning appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival to mark the release of Close to You, his first role as a “leading man.”
The film tells the captivating story of Sam, a transgender man, who returns home after battling depression and faces a family struggling to accept his transition.
Dominic Savage, the brilliant director behind the film, revealed that the project was deeply rooted in Page’s own life experiences.
“Made with Elliot, for Elliot, and because of Elliot”
“This film was made with Elliot, for Elliot, and because of Elliot,” Savage passionately declared before the film’s premiere on Sunday.
Despite the ongoing strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Page, a biological female who identifies as male, fearlessly attended TIFF, making him one of the few Hollywood figures to do so.
Close to You, being an independent film, allowed Page to attend TIFF through an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA, even amidst the union’s strike.
As Page took the stage, the audience erupted in cheers and applause, creating “one of the most incredible experiences“ of his career, as he described it.
In the film, Sam confronts misgendering, isolation, and bigotry from his family, but a heartwarming reconnection with his high school crush, Katherine, brings joy and love into his life.
Page was drawn to the project by the profound relationship between Sam and Katherine, as he explained:
“When [Savage] first talked about this idea, it was mostly about meeting someone from your past — that was the initial spark that interested us. And then, it turned into going home to the family. That journey and the complexities and the nuanced elements of those relationships with family were all things that ended up being a big part of the story.”
Interestingly, Page also shared personal experiences similar to those faced by Sam in the film.
“If someone misgenders me, I don’t take it personally,” Page revealed. “When someone does go to apologize, it’s great. But let’s move on to the next moment in our interaction. Let’s move on before it turns into a bigger thing and becomes about the person who did the misgendering and turns into this whole other energy. These things take a second. It’s all good.”
Furthermore, Close to You showcases Page’s first “love-making” scene since transitioning, which held significant meaning for the actor.
“Shooting on the day, I was getting out of bed and getting dressed, it was sort of clumsy, like, ‘Oh, it would be great, he sleeps shirtless,'” Page shared. “It just felt natural. Showing this dude who’s comfortable and present and waking up in his body, that means a lot to me. I never thought I’d feel that way, so it’s nice to get to act it.”
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