Elliot Page opens up in first interview since transgender announcement

The Nova Scotia native shared his cover to Instagram, captioning it, "With deep respect for those who came before me, gratitude for those who have supported me and great concern for the generation of trans youth we must all protect, please join me and decry anti-trans legislation, hate and discrimination in all its forms."

In the cover story by Katy Steinmetz, Page is searingly vulnerable about his journey—from wanting to be a boy at nine years old to struggling with Hollywood's feminine pressures once his acting career took off, particularly 2007 Oscar-winning indie darling Juno co-starring the likes of Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons.

"I just never recognized myself," Page said of that time. "For a long time, I could not even look at a photo of myself."

Page, who was nominated for an Oscar thanks to an excellent performance in Juno, started to feel more like himself when he came out as gay in 2014, but he still wasn't fully comfortable in his skin: "The difference in how I felt before coming out as gay to after was massive. But did the discomfort in my body ever go away? No, no, no, no."

Page also revealed that, at the time of his Instagram announcement that he is, in fact, transgender, he was recovering in Toronto from top surgery. 

"My privilege has allowed me to have resources to get through and to be where I am today," he said, "and of course I want to use that privilege and platform to help in the ways I can."

Page has starred as Vanya Hargreeves in all 30 episodes of Netflix's action comedy The Umbrella Academy, and he is in Toronto filming its third season.