Elliot Page is sitting down with Oprah Winfrey for his first on-camera interview since announcing he is transgender in December. On a new episode of The Oprah Conversation, airing Friday, April 30 on Apple TV+, Page cries tears of joy as he reveals that this is the first time in his life he has felt comfortable in his own body.
Winfrey asked Page what part of his transition has brought him the most joy, and Page emotionally shared that it was his relationship to his body.
“Getting out of the shower and the towel’s around your waist and you’re looking at yourself in the mirror and you’re just like, ‘There I am,'” a choked-up Page shared. “And I’m not having the moment where I’m panicked. I’m not having all these little moments that used to be — just being in a t-shirt.”
The Umbrella Academy star became increasingly emotional as he described a sense of self he never had before.
“It’s being able to touch my chest,” he added as he wiped away his tears. “Feel comfortable in my body, for the, probably the first time. Tears of joy.”
In a lengthy statement shared on Twitter and Instagram the Oscar-nominated actor proclaimed, “I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot.”
“I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life. I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey,” Page wrote. “I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.”
“I also ask for patience, My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared,” he continued. “I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and of violence. To be clear, I am not trying to dampen a moment that is joyous and one that I celebrate, but I want to address the full picture. The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences.”
Page concluded their post by exclaiming, “I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer.”
In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Page talked about knowing he was “absolutely, 100 percent” a boy since he was a toddler.
“I was writing fake love letters and signing them ‘Jason,'” he recalled. “Every little aspect of my life, that is who I was, who I am, and who I knew myself to be. I just couldn’t understand when I’d be told, ‘No, you’re not. No, you can’t be that when you’re older.’ You feel it. Now I’m finally getting myself back to feeling like who I am, and it’s so beautiful and extraordinary, and there’s a grief to it in a way.”
