A smidgen over five feet and just 19 years old, Ellen Page nonetheless commands attention. Widely known in her native Canada for her TV roles, Page is fast gaining fans in the United States. Before her appearance as Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat in X-Men: The Last Stand, her starring performance in Hard Candy branded her impish face onto our consciousness for eternity: how could we ever forget her coolly wielding a scalpel over those tender nuggets of manhood? Another indie feature opening this summer in the US called Mouth by Mouth will reveal her sporting a shaved head.

An outspoken third- (or is it fourth- ?) wave feminist, Page seems unlikely to take on any role that doesn’t challenge the patriarchy, as she puts it. CURVE was lucky enough to engage Page in a relaxed late-morning chat, stolen from her whirlwind PR trip across the States

You’re 19 now, and you started acting when you were 10 years old. How did you decide you wanted to act?

Someone actually came to my school looking to cast for his movie, and I was chosen. Then one thing led to another which led to another. But when I was 15 I guess I had the epiphany that this was something I really wanted to do. I stopped being a girl who memorized lines, and really started feeling it. And I realized it was exactly what I wanted to be doing. It’s kind of nice, to be so clear about what you want to do and where you want to go.

So-You’re pretty well known in Canada for your role in the popular TV series Trailer Park Boys, among other things. Do you people recognize you or stop you on the streets?

Not really so much. Sometimes they recognized me when the show was running. But Canada’s not so star-struck as they are in the United States.

And with these films coming out, what are your feelings about getting famous?

I have all kinds of emotions. Some anxieties, yeah. Some exhilaration. But I don’t really know how it’s going to be, what’s going to happen. My life is changing a lot right now. I have great friends… and wicked parents – they worry about me going into this work because they’re afraid it’s crazy…which it is… but they help keep me stable.

We don’t see so much of your Canadian-produced work here in the US, but I did get to see Marion Bridge, which was a lovely little film, with a lesbian subplot, no less. You brought a lot of gravity to that role, and it was a pretty emotionally intense story. What makes you so mature?

That’s the film I was talking about when I said I was 15 and I realized that acting was exactly what I wanted to be doing. I felt what that character was feeling. That was a great film to work on, especially to work with Molly Parker, who is just amazing. I really look up to her. She’s done so much stuff- she’s been in a ton of things. I learned so much from her. And, as for the gravity. I’m just passionate about what I do, you know? And when I get passionate I get very focused and determined.

Let’s talk about Hard Candy. Now there’s a really intense film. How did you prepare for that?

I loved the clarity and strength of Hayley’s character. You know, she’s 14, and she hasn’t lived that much, so everything is very black and white for her. She’s certain that she’s doing the right thing. In light of how women are depicted in the media, which I think is just terrible – it makes me sick! – I loved her role in the story, even with all the ambiguities you’re left with at the end.

Is this a female revenge flick, would you say?

Well, yeah, I guess it is. People are having really strong reactions to the film, and I understand why.

Yeah, I read that at one screening people started shouting “Kill…”

“Kill the bitch!” Yeah, they did.

Wow. What does that feel like?

I’m glad about it. It means they were disturbed by the film, and they should be. But I don’t understand the people who come in, see this 14-year old girl get taken home by this guy, and clearly be in danger, and they are still rooting for him at the end. But, whatever. I’m glad that it’s making people think, and that it’s not so cut and dry. I mean, I stepped over a line with this – not as Hayley, but as Ellen Page. I’m not advocating for vigilante revenge! I want that to be clear.

It was shot in just 18 days. What was that like? Intense?

Actually, I really appreciated that. It was perfect. It was such an emotionally intense experience that it was much better to do in one intense burst. I think that the short timeline was much harder for the production crew – the DP, the grips, etc. – than it was for me. But I appreciated it.

And now we’ll see you as Kitty Pryde in the next X-Men! There were two other young women in this role in the previous films– did you feel like you had big shoes to fill?

Well, it was such a minor role in the other two films, it was just the diehard fans who really noticed, there was just a glimpse of her passing through a wall, and it was only those fans who were like, “Ooh, there’s Kitty Pryde!” This time there’s a little more to her.

That’s quite a transition, from independent films to Hollywood mega-feature.

I loved it. Everything was so huge, it was an amazing experience. It was like seeing the whole world through an 8-year-old’s eyes, all this cool stuff and sets and everything.

So do you have a preference, having experienced both now, between Hollywood blockbusters and indie films?

Both are wonderful. I guess my heart’s more in the independent films, though.

Do you have any ideas about why the X-men series is so wildly popular among gay and lesbian audiences?

Of course. There’s a whole school of thought that the X-men is basically a metaphor for homosexuality. The whole mutant gene thing, and this group who possesses that gene being ostracized from society. I think it’s public by now that in this film they find a cure for the mutation, right?

Yup.

So, yeah. I was having a conversation about that just the other day. What would we do if they came up for a cure for homosexuality. Which I think is just totally bogus... Plus, Kitty Pryde! I mean, there’s a loaded name. There’s something there, right?

There certainly is.

And she’s basically turning the tables on this one male character in the film. Yeah, Kitty Pryde rocks. Again, I feel like there’s so much negative portrayal of women in media and film, it’s just great to be doing roles like these. I mean, what does it say that we live in a world where “feminism” is a bad word? What could possibly be more patriarchal than that?

And what do you have coming up next? Anything you want to tell us about?

Oh, one thing you’ll like a lot. I’m going to be in this really sweet film by a shining star of a director named Bradley Rust Gray, who just did an amazing film set in Iceland called Salt. His new film is called Jack and Diane, and it’s a love story about two girls.

Oh, yeah? and you’re one of the two girls?

I’m Diane.

OK, well, last question. Do you have role models, actors or otherwise, who inspire you?

Patti Smith. She comes to mind right away. She’s incredible... Peaches/Merrill Nisker. I’m totally into her. And as far as actors go, I have a lot of admiration for Kate Winslet. She has such a range, is so versatile. She’s a total inspiration to me.

Search Curve    All Categories travelstoriescommerceabout   
search our shop and forums, too!