Elliot Page has spoken openly about some of the darker moments he’s faced in Hollywood, including one disturbing encounter where a well-known actor allegedly verbally assaulted him after he came out as gay.
The Umbrella Academy star, now 38, first came out as gay in 2014 and later came out as transgender in 2020. In his 2023 memoir Pageboy, he reflected on his life in the entertainment industry and what it’s been like to exist in spaces that often don’t welcome those who are openly queer or trans. One story in particular, told in a chapter titled “Famous A**hole at Party,” has left a lasting impact on readers.
Page wrote that the incident happened in 2014 at a party in Los Angeles. There, an actor he described as an “acquaintance” told him, “You aren’t gay. That doesn’t exist. You’re just afraid of men.” The man then went even further, saying something truly vile: “I’m going to f**k you to make you realise you aren’t gay.”
Page recalled feeling shocked and disgusted. A few days later, he saw the same actor at the gym, where the man tried to brush it off, insisting, “I don’t have a problem with gay people, I swear.” Page responded calmly but firmly: “I think you might.”
He explained in the book that he’s experienced “some version” of this kind of harassment many times throughout his life, noting that many queer and trans people are forced to deal with similar situations, often in silence. “These are moments we don’t talk about or are told to brush off, but they’re actually very painful,” he wrote.
Page said he chose to share the story not to expose the person involved, but to highlight how common and harmful this behavior is, especially in environments dominated by cisgender and heterosexual people, like Hollywood. He pointed out that those with power in the industry are often the same people deciding which stories get told and whose voices are heard.
Although Page didn’t reveal the actor’s name, he added that the man would “know it’s him.”
Through Pageboy, Page continues to shed light on the challenges and prejudice LGBTQ+ people face, even in places that claim to be progressive, and the strength it takes to keep standing up for authenticity and truth.