Juno star JK Simmons praises trailblazing co-star Elliot Page: ‘He’s iconic in a new way’
JK Simmons says his Juno co-star and trailblazing trans actor Elliot Page is a “positive influence for a lot of people”. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images/Instagram/@elliotpage)
JK Simmons has praised his Juno co-star and trailblazing trans actor Elliot Page, saying he is a “positive influence for a lot of people”.
Simmons told Yahoo that it has been “great” to watch Page living their truth since coming out as trans in December 2020. He said Page has become “iconic in a new way” and has been a “positive influence for a lot of people”.
“I had an awesome time working on Juno,” Simmons shared. “Elliot’s been one of my favourite actors to watch since then and a wonderful actor to work with.”
He admitted in the interview that he doesn’t “stay in touch with many people from work” and described himself as a “go to work and go home” kind of person.
Though he hasn’t stayed in contact with Page, Simmons has been following Elliot Page’s personal and professional life since they worked together.
In the months since he came out, Elliot Page has shared his milestones on social media and used his platform to advocate for trans rights.
He became the first trans man to appear on the cover of Time magazine where he talked openly about his transition.
Page said he came out publicly while recovering from top surgery, which said was “not only life-changing but lifesaving”. Page said: “It has completely transformed my life.”
He told Time that he didn’t exactly remember how long he had been asking about his gender identity, but he recalled asking his mum if he could be a boy from as young as nine-years old. They explained that they felt a sense of joy at being able to cut their hair short at that age, which made them feel “like a boy”.
“I wanted to be a boy,” Page said. “I would ask my mom if I could be someday.”
Just last month, Elliot Page shared his first shirtless photo on Instagram which caused the internet to collectively drool. The Umbrella Academy star posted a picture of himself poolside in their “first swim trunks”. They added the hashtags “#transjoy” and “#transisbeautiful” to the post.
