BBC article on Elliot Page

[Sittinonthesand]

I don’t know anything about Page - I’ve only seen the name in the context of being trans, but this article contains several worrying/misleading half truths:

• talks about ‘top surgery’ without explaining that it = mastectomy (refers to ‘removal of breast tissue instead).
  
• talks about surgery as being ‘life saving’ without explaining why.
  
• says that trans children aren’t being allowed to play sport and this will lead some to die - doesn’t explain why they might die, doesn’t say that they can play sport but maybe not with the sex they’d like.

[macj1]

A worry for the future - this is a quote from a great feature by a MTF, a few years down the line: "But the most important thing you should know is that there are very few men and women in society who will commit themselves to a life with a transsexual person. I know this from experience. And then there is societal prejudice – you simply can’t force people to love you no matter what legal rights you may be given, that’s basic human nature. The most unfortunate will find themselves chronically lonely, isolated and maybe even suicidal."

www.transgendertrend.com/letter-to-young-trans-people/

It's very sad, and the direction of travel...wishing Elliot only the best, but fearing....

[somethinginoffensive]

I really cannot see any similarity between EP and JGL.

So glad you said this, I thought I was missing something. I mean I can point out similarities if forced to (both white, young-ish adults) but I don't get that "oh yeah, one will remind me of the other" feeling.

[SirSamuelVimes]

Same here, MoLD.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

I really cannot see any similarity between EP and JGL. One is a so obviously a man and the other has zero sex appeal for me as a super straight individual.

[MoltenLasagne]

Interestingly, like Tom Holland, JGL also did a lip sync battle in drag - to Janet Jackson, and again had the swagger to totally pull it off.

[SirSamuelVimes]

Well, thanks to this thread I had some very, ermm, interesting dreams about JGL last night!

[TheSongOfTheSea]

JGL is bloody gorgeous. Let me just state that. Oh yeah.

[TheSongOfTheSea]

Agree @MrsBarbary

And oh so worthy too. Every interview I've seen in the last few years, Page has been so preachy and scolding.

[SirSamuelVimes]

He does look rather fetching in a suit! JGL, that is.

[MissBarbary]

Similar look to Joseph Gordon-Levitt I think. But smaller

The difference is, that as asuperstraight woman I find JGL attractive. I couldn’t look at EP - someone with such feminine features, voice, stature and indeed 30 odd years of history as a female - and consider them sexually attractive

JGL and JGL's beautiful suits were the best thing by a mile in Inception.

EP is so mopey and wooden- there's nothing attractive about EP.

[MissBarbary]

@WhereYouLeftIt

"I agree, Hollywood won't cast Page as a male. Delicate bone structure, diminutive stature, plus a viewership a large % of whom will most likely still see Page as female, or at least find it hard to see as male, knowing that Page was born a girl."

There could be roles they'd be perfect casting for, I'm thinking adolescent boys. Michael J Fox (5'4") was 24 in Back to the Future playing a 17 year old. Using actual child-actors carries a lot of requirements (chaperones etc.) so if they can cast a young-looking adult in such a role, they would. Whether Page would want those roles remains to be seen.

Michael J Fox also could act convincingly, had a good comic light- touch, didn't seem to take himself too seriously and has charm and charisma- none of which apply to E. Page.

[JesusMaryDonkey]

I think they'll be moving behind the camera - they've already got Directing credits. I imagine they'll be keen to encourage young trans actors and get greater trans visibility. But maybe not for themselves in front of the camera - I think acting may have brought them a lot of wealth and attention and they never seemed entirely comfortable with the latter (which is odd for an actor but not unheard of). Least as a transman they probably won't get all the 'cheer up love' nonsense. You're allowed to be 'serious' when you're a man.

[SirSamuelVimes]

Totally agree with JGL swagger!

Not to mention ability to take the piss out of himself, dancing topless on Saturday Night Live.
Not something I can see Page being able to do.
Actors generally need to be ok with making a pratt of themselves in front of an audience, especially if you're a bit middling, star-status wise.

Tom Holland is another slight (in Hollywood terms) young male. Can still be cast as a teen (Spiderman) even though I think he's mid twenties now. Again, big young female fan following. Danced about in drag to Rhianna's Umbrella on lip sync battle. Again, can't see Page doing similar. At some point the list of "can't do/ won't do" under Page's name has got to outweigh anything else from a casting point of view, at least for any big projects which require a load of promo work.

[FingonTheValiant]

Agree totally on all the differences with JGL. Was just musing to myself that it’s a similar look. I should have been less understated with the «but smaller»

As it is JGL isn’t an actor with access to all the male roles possible. He’s never going to play Thor, is he. EP, as a tiny and feminine person with a similar look, even less so.

And 100% on swagger. Swagger vs fragility. Makes a huge difference. PP who said roles on shows like the OA and ST Discovery is spot on.

[MondayYogurt]

EP will continue to be offered roles bc he ticks some boxes that require ticking.
I could see him getting a minor superhero role, or scifi/alien type of thing that doesn't require looking buff. Equally he has the money to hire a PT and train 8 hours a day until he has abs like Tom Daley.
But I'm not sold that he'll be happy at the end of it. I think this goes deeper. Time will tell.

[SmokedDuck]

I don't quite know where this idea comes from that all teen roles are meant to be pin-up types?

It's not only films and tv marketed to teens that have teen roles.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

Page is also already older than the oldest actor playing a teenager in either of those two particular shows/films.

Gordon-Levitt is 5ft 9 ish and about 11st, Page is 5ft 1 and surely several stone lighter with a much more slender bone structure.

I can't realistically see any prospect of Page going up for the same roles as JGL or similar and getting them.

[FakeColinCaterpillar]

I also fancy JGL he’s got swagger.
How old is Grease! To play a teenage boy they need to be sexually attractive to the opposite sex in general. I don’t think EP does look like a teenager exactly. American boys on TV in the main are tall and muscular.

[TinselAngel]

They weren't also playing the opposite sex.

[Quaagars]

@FakeColinCaterpillar

They’re far too old to be playing a teenager.

Since when has that mattered, just look at Grease and Beverly Hills 90210 lol

[MarkRuffaloCrumble]

@FingonTheValiant

Similar look to Joseph Gordon-Levitt I think. But smaller.

The difference is, that as a super straight woman I find JGL attractive. I couldn’t look at EP - someone with such feminine features, voice, stature and indeed 30 odd years of history as a female - and consider them sexually attractive.

It doesn’t matter how someone presents themselves, it’s how others perceive them that is going to affect box office takings etc

[FingonTheValiant]

Similar look to Joseph Gordon-Levitt I think. But smaller.

[rabbitwoman]

I think it's such a deceptive message : living your truth. Being true to yourself. This is the real me etc.....

And it makes it sound like once you transition you will be much happier.

But what about love, bring in love, having sex, having a family? For many people this is the crux of happiness. Not everyone - but surely most of us at some level want that intimacy and companionship?

Apart from the fact that Page is now getting divorced, and that marriage did not last long, what will happen now? He is attracted to women - he is five foot tall, and frankly, always moody, he has effectively cut himself off from straight women - and as he is now a man, from gay women too.

I think after the initial burst of attention has worn off, elliot might find himself lonely in life and unsatisfied professionally, will he then reflect upon his choices? Or will he blame the world for being transphobic?

[TheSongOfTheSea]

Page has worn suits to premiers for years. I noted this because I always thought that Page looked super cool.

So I think it's probably been a great many years since page has had pressure to wear a dress.

[SmokedDuck]

It seems like it used to be more common to cast older actors in teen roles. Apart from shows like Riverdale, you don't see that so much now.

Good teen actors are really difficult to find though. OTOH, I find EP basically plays the same role all the time.