Elliot Page who worked alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception and later went on to do, The Umbrella Academy has been in the headlines since when he came out as a trans-man in 2022. The actor thus recently published a memoir earlier this Pride month, showcasing his experience in the industry as a trans-man. This is exactly where he wrote about the time he had to reject the role of a mid-nineteenth-century woman, mostly because of the thought of donning elaborate feminine costumes that made him utterly uncomfortable.
He was already battling his inner demons and the frills and frolics of the movie character made him nothing but more nervous. Adding onto that, he also previously shared how he felt out of place while filming a Leonardo DiCaprio movie, although it was a big break for him, it also served as a constant reminder of how he did not belong.
A period drama role offered to Elliot Page made him very uncomfortable
The actor, Elliot Page who shortly after coming out as transgender went through a gender-affirming surgery recently has now come out with his memoir, Pageboy, encompassing his journey so far. Thus, many were shocked after they learned about the gender dysphoria he faced on a daily basis. He narrated a story of his pre-transition era, of when he was offered to play a mid-nineteenth century woman, and the thought of wearing all the elaborate feminine costumes made him feel disgusting.
The shimmer and the dazzle of the female clothing already made him sick as it is, so much so that he had to wear a mask to hide the anxiety from his face while attending award shows, before transitioning. Now that he was offered this big role, the thought haunted him day and night. He narrated,
“I would imagine myself in a woman’s costume from the mid-nineteenth century. The dress, the shoes, the hair, flashed before my eyes. It was too much after having put on the mask for awards season.–I understood that if I were to do it, I would want to kill myself.”
All that stress led him to think, this would be nothing but torture for him, and if he continued it would definitely make him kill himself. He was thus deemed as a diva even after declining the role politely and had to face brutal judgment for not being able to do his ‘job’ properly. Page further added,
“It wasn’t easy to explain to my reps that I couldn’t take on a role because of clothing. A face would scrunch up and tilt sideways, ‘But you’re an actor?’ Wardrobe fittings for films ripped at my insides, talons gashing my organs. I cringed at the way people lit up when seeing me in feminine clothing, as if I had accomplished a miraculous feat.”
Alas, that wasn’t the only time, Page felt out of place in this big industry, during the shooting of the Leonardo DiCaprio movie Inception, the actor had to face a similar feeling of being out of place.
Elliot Page felt “out of place” during the filming of the Leonardo DiCaprio starrer Inception
The above-stated incident wasn’t unfortunately the first time the actor had to face the severe anxiety that came along with dressing up as a lady. During the shooting for Inception, the Leonardo DiCaprio co-star lost almost collapsed after attending the countless, press meetings and premiers for the movie. He said,
“There was so much press and so many premieres all around the world and I was wearing dresses and heels to pretty much every single event. I lost it, it was like a cinematic moment. That night, after the premiere at the after-party, I collapsed. That’s something that’s happened frequently in my life, usually corresponding with a panic attack.”
Elliot Page then also elaborated on how the vast number of cishet men in the cast and crew made him feel like he did not belong in the team, he felt like an imposter.
“Shingles popped out of my spine while filming ‘Inception’ when I was 22. Despite everyone being delightful to work with, I felt out of place. In a cast full of cis men, I did not understand the role I found myself in. For the first two weeks of the film I joked I would be recast with Keira Knightley, and rightfully so.”
Things were made a bit better by Leonardo DiCaprio when he offered to take Page on a double date with his mother. Reflecting on these incidents in his latest memoir made him realize how far he has come since then.
Pageboy by Elliot Page is now out for people to read.
Also Read: Leonardo DiCaprio’s Wild Reaction to Eating Actual Animal Organs in $135M Movie
Source: Page Six
