Born: February 21, 1987
Age: 37
Birthplace: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Ellen Grace Philpotts-Page (born February 21, 1987), known professionally as Ellen Page, is a Canadian actress. She started her career in Canada with roles in television shows including Pit Pony, Trailer Park Boys, and ReGenesis. Page then ventured into mainstream films, winning attention after starring in the 2005 drama Hard Candy, a role that won her the Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress. Her breakthrough role was the title character in Jason Reitman's comedy film Juno (2007), for which she received nominations for Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress, and won numerous other accolades including the Independent Spirit Award, MTV Movie Award and Teen Choice Award for Best Actress Comedy.
Her other notable film roles have been in the X-Men series, portraying Kitty Pryde in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). Her performance earned her a nomination for Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Scene Stealer. Then followed crime-drama film An American Crime (2007); drama The Tracey Fragments (2007), a role that won her the Vancouver Film Critics Award for Best Actress; Smart People (2008); sports comedy-drama film Whip It (2009); Super (2010); and Inception (2010). She also provided the voice acting, motion capture, and likeness for the character Jodie Holmes in the video game Beyond: Two Souls (2013).
Page was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the daughter of Martha Philpotts, a teacher, and Dennis Page, a graphic designer. She attended the Halifax Grammar School until grade 10, spent some time at Queen Elizabeth High School, and graduated from the Shambhala School in 2005. She also spent two years in Toronto, Ontario, studying in the Interact Program at Vaughan Road Academy, along with close friend and fellow Canadian actor Mark Rendall. Growing up, Page enjoyed playing with action figures and climbing trees.
Page first acted in front of the camera in 1997 at age ten in the CBC television movie Pit Pony, which later spun off into a television series. This led to more roles in a number of small Canadian films and television series, notably playing Treena Lahey in season two of Trailer Park Boys. At 16, she was cast in Mouth to Mouth, an independent film shot in Europe. Page starred in the 2005 movie Hard Candy and gained praise for "one of the most complex, disturbing and haunting performances of the year." She also appeared in X-Men: The Last Stand as Katherine "Kitty" Pryde / Shadowcat, a girl who can walk through walls. In the previous X-Men movies, the part had been used in brief cameos played by other actresses, but never as a main character.
As the title character in Juno, Page garnered substantial praise; A. O. Scott of The New York Times noted her as "frighteningly talented" and Roger Ebert said, "Has there been a better performance this year than Ellen Page's creation of Juno? I do not think so." Page was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, but lost to Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose. She also earned nominations at all the other major awards including the Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild The role, however, did win her more than 20 awards, including a Canadian Comedy Award, an Independent Spirit Award, and a Satellite Award besides the likes of numerous Critics awards including Detroit Film Critics Society, Austin Film Critics Association and Florida Film Critics Circle.
Page also co-starred in Smart People, which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Shot before Juno, but released afterwards, the film saw her playing overachieving daughter to Dennis Quaid's college professor character. Page's other film credits include An American Crime, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival; The Tracey Fragments, which was released in November 2007 in Canada and May 2008 in the US; and The Stone Angel.
In 2007, she was attached to play the title character in an adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and had planned to work on an as-yet unmade film entitled Jack and Diane opposite Olivia Thirlby, with whom she co-starred in Juno but it was announced in August 2009 that her role in Jack and Diane would be played by the actress Alison Pill. Before his death in January 2008, Heath Ledger had discussed with Page the idea of starring in his directorial debut, The Queen's Gambit.
In 2008, she was ranked #86 on FHM's Sexiest Women in the World list, and placed at #93 for 2009. In June 2008, Page was listed in Entertainment Weekly's future A-List stars list. Page hosted Saturday Night Live on March 1, 2008. On May 3, 2009, she guest starred in the episode "Waverly Hills 9-0-2-1-D'oh" of the animated series The Simpsons as a character named Alaska Nebraska, a parody of Hannah Montana. She also starred in Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, Whip It, alongside Juliette Lewis, Marcia Gay Harden, Drew Barrymore and Kristen Wiig. The film premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and had its wide release on October 2, 2009.
She features in Michael Lander's film Peacock, opposite Cillian Murphy, Susan Sarandon, Bill Pullman and Josh Lucas, which was released in 2010 despite an original release date of 2009. In August 2009, Page began shooting the big-budget Christopher Nolan thriller Inception, alongside co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ken Watanabe. The film was released on July 16, 2010. She has starred in the film Super, and will reportedly play Stacie Andree in an upcoming film about Laurel Hester.
As of 2010, she serves as a spokesperson for Cisco Systems in a series of advertisements, appearing in three commercials set in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. On May 26, 2010, it was reported in a column on "Deadline Hollywood" and by Entertainment Weekly that Page will star in the new HBO series Tilda alongside Diane Keaton, who plays the title role. Tilda is based on the life of Nikki Finke, the founder of the influential Hollywood blog, DeadlineHollywood.com. Tilda was reportedly dropped by HBO due to friction between the creators. She is also the narrator of the documentary on colony collapse disorder, Vanishing of the Bees, directed by Maryam Henein.
In April 2011, it was announced that Page would co-star in the Woody Allen film To Rome with Love alongside Jesse Eisenberg, Penélope Cruz, and Alec Baldwin. In June 2012, Quantic Dream announced a video game entitled Beyond: Two Souls in which Page and Willem Dafoe portray the protagonists Jodie Holmes and Nathan Dawkins, respectively. It was released on October 8, 2013, in North America. Page reprised her role as Katherine "Kitty" Pryde in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). In February 2013, Page confirmed that her directorial debut will be titled Miss Stevens and will star Anna Faris. The script is written by Julia Hart and will be produced by Gary Gilbert, Jordan Horowitz and Doug Wald. In December 2014, Page portrayed Han Solo in a staged reading of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
Page co-starred in Zal Batmanglij's 2013 thriller film The East a movie inspired by the experiences and drawing on thrillers from the 1970s, alongside Brit Marling and Alexander Skarsgård. Earlier Felicity Jones was attached to the project, but she dropped out and was replaced by Ellen. The same year she starred in Lynn Shelton's Touchy Feely alongside Rosemarie DeWitt. Page is starring in a new film Tallulah alongside her Juno costar, Allison Janney, and has two other releases slated for 2015, Canadian drama film Into the Forest and Peter Sollett's Freeheld.
In 2008, Page was one of 30 celebrities who participated in an online ad series for US Campaign for Burma, calling for an end to the military dictatorship in Burma. She describes herself as a pro-choice feminist. She attended Buddhist school in her youth and practised meditation and yoga. She practices a vegan lifestyle, and PETA named her and Jared Leto the Sexiest Vegetarians of 2014. She is an atheist.
On February 14, 2014, Page came out as gay during a speech at the Human Rights Campaign's "Time to Thrive" conference in Las Vegas. In 2014, Page was included as part of The Advocate's annual "40 Under 40" list.
In September 2015, Page confirmed that she is in a relationship with artist and surfer Samantha Thomas, with whom she walked the red carpet for the world premiere of film Freeheld at the Toronto International Film Festival. In October, she discussed their relationship on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Wet Season, TheThe Wet Season | Jocelyn | Short Film |
2002 | Marion Bridge | Joanie | ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Female Performance |
2003 | Touch & Go | Trish | |
2003 | Love That Boy | Suzanna | |
2004 | Wilby Wonderful | Emily Anderson | Atlantic Film Festival Atlantic Canadian Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor - Female |
2005 | Hard Candy | Hayley Stark | Won - Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Nominated - Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance |
2005 | Mouth to Mouth | Sherry | |
2006 | X-Men: The Last Stand | Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat | |
2007 | An American Crime | Sylvia Likens | |
2007 | Juno | Juno MacGuff | Won : Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best Breakthrough Performance Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best Ensemble Cast Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress Florida Film Critics Circle Pauline Kael Breakout Award Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Female Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance National Board of Review Award for Best Breakthrough Performance - Female New York Film Critics Online Award for Best Breakthrough Performance North Texas Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award for Best Breakthrough Performance Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Breakthrough On Camera Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress: Comedy Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Breakout Female Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Breakthrough Performance Nominated : Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Empire Award for Best Actress Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress National Movie Award for Best Performance - Female Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress MTV Movie Awards - Best Kiss New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Academy Award for Best Actress BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast |
2007 | Tracey Fragments, TheThe Tracey Fragments | Tracey Berkowitz | Won - Atlantic Film Festival Canadian Award for Best Actress Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress Nominated - Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role |
2007 | Stone Angel, TheThe Stone Angel | Arlene Simmons | |
2008 | Smart People | Vanessa Wetherhold | |
2009 | Vanishing of the Bees | Narrator | Environmental documentary |
2009 | Whip It | Bliss Cavendar/Babe Ruthless | |
2010 | Peacock | Maggie | |
2010 | Inception | Ariadne | Won - MTV Movie Award for Best Frightened Performance Nominated - MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss MTV Movie Award for Best WTF Moment Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble Saturn Award for Best Actress |
2010 | Super | Libby / Boltie | |
2012 | To Rome with Love | Monica | |
2013 | The East | Izzy | |
2013 | Touchy Feely | Jenny | |
2014 | X-Men: Days of Future Past | Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat | Nominated - Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Scene Stealer |
2014 | Tiny Detectives | Detective Ellen | Short film |
2015 | Into the Forest | Nell | |
2015 | Freeheld | Stacie Andree | |
2016 | Tallulah | Tallulah | |
2016 | Robodog | Izzy (voice) | Post-production |
2016 | Window Horses | Kelly (voice) | Filming |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Pit Pony | Maggie Maclean | Movie Nominated - Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Leading Young Actress, Gemini Awards for Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series |
1999-2000 | Pit Pony | Maggie Maclean | 29 episodes |
2001-02 | Trailer Park Boys | Treena Lahey | 5 episodes |
2002 | Rideau Hall | Helene | Episode: "Pilot" |
2003 | Homeless to Harvard | Young Lisa | Movie |
2003 | Going for Broke | Jennifer | Movie |
2003 | Ghost Cat |
Natalie Merritt | Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series |
2004 | Downloaded a Ghost, II Downloaded a Ghost | Stella Blackstone | Movie |
2004 | ReGenesis | Lilith Sandström | 8 episodes Gemini Award for Best Supporting Actress |
2008 | Saturday Night Live | Herself (host) | 1 episode |
2009 | Simpsons, TheThe Simpsons | Alaska Nebraska (voice) | Episode: "Waverly Hills 9-0-2-1-D'oh" |
2011 | Glenn Martin, DDS | Robot Assistant (voice) | Episode: "Date with Destiny" |
2011 | Tilda | Carolyn | Failed pilot |
2012 | Family Guy | Lindsey (voice) | Episode: "Tom Tucker: The Man and His Dream" |
2016 | Gaycation | Herself (host) | Documentary series on Viceland |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Beyond: Two Souls | Jodie Holmes | Nominated - Spike TV VGX Best Voice Actress British Academy Video Game Award for Best Performer |
Year | Award | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance - Female | Marion Bridge | Won | |
2004 | Atlantic Film Festival Canadian Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor - Female | Wilby Wonderful | Won | |
2006 | Austin Film Critics Association Awards for Best Actress | Hard Candy | Won | |
2007 | Atlantic Film Festival Canadian Award for Best Actress | The Tracey Fragments | Won | |
2008 | Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | Juno | Nominated | |
2008 | Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical | Juno | Nominated | |
2008 | BAFTA Film Award for Best Leading Actress | Juno | Nominated | |
2008 | BAFTA Orange Rising Star Award | Herself | Nominated | |
2011 | MTV Movie Award for Best Scared-As-Shit Performance | Inception | Won | |
2011 | Saturn Award for Best Actress | Inception | Nominated |
Charities
Ellen Page supports the following charitable cause: Gay Rights.