Image Source: Getty / Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic
Elliot Page brings his story to the fore. On Dec. 5, Page shared the cover of his new in-depth memoir, a photo of the actor in a white tank top and jeans against a maroon background Instagram. “Writing a book has come up a few times over the years but it never felt right and honestly it didn’t feel possible,” Page, who came out as transgender in 2020, captioned the photo Monday. “I could hardly sit still, let alone concentrate long enough to complete a task like this. I can finally be with myself in this body. So I wrote a book about my story.”
The ‘The Umbrella Academy’ actor continued, “It’s coming out next June and I’m really excited to share its cover with you guys now. At many points in my life, being in front of a camera has felt unbearable, but doing this cover with acclaimed photographer Catherine Opie (@csopie) was a joyful experience that I will never forget.” The comments were true Thousands of fans with words of praise and congratulations. “This [is] Great. Can’t wait to read Elliot,” Uzo Aduba commented amid stacks of red heart emojis from other celebrity friends and allies.
“Trans people are increasingly subject to attacks ranging from physical violence to health care bans, and our humanity is regularly ‘debated’ in the media.”
Flatiron Books first announced the Page 2023 memoir in February Associated Press. Per the summary of the book, the 272-page memoir will feature “never-before-heard details” and explorations of “gender, love, mental health, relationships and Hollywood.” Featuring “behind-the-scenes details and intimate interrogations about sex, love, trauma and Hollywood, ‘Pageboy’ is the story of a life pushed to the sidelines,” reads the book’s website.
For Elliot, the memoir is an open exploration of his trans identity, mental health, and pursuit of happiness. He added in his Instagram post that he hopes the book will serve as a central springboard for other members of the transgender community to share their stories. “Trans people are increasingly subject to attacks ranging from physical violence to health care bans, and our humanity is regularly ‘debated’ in the media,” he wrote. “Writing, reading and sharing the multitude of our experiences is an important step in standing up to those who want to silence us and harm us. Books have helped me, even saved me, so I hope this can help someone feel less alone, feel seen, no matter who they are or what path they’re on.”
“Elliot was often silent, unsure of what to do, until enough was enough.”
An excerpt from the Amazon description for the book reads: “With the massive success of ‘Juno,’ Elliot became one of the most popular actors in the world. His dreams came true, but the pressure to perform suffocated him. He was forced to play the role of the shiny young starlet, a role that made his skin crawl, both on and off set. The career that had been an escape from his reality and into a world of fantasy suddenly turned into a nightmare. Faced with criticism and abuse from some of the most powerful people in Hollywood, a past chasing his heels, and a society determined to force him into a binary world, Elliot often remained silent, unsure of what to do should, until enough was enough.
Pageboy: A Memoir ($30) is currently available for pre-order from retailers including Barnes & Noble, Target and Amazon and will be available worldwide on June 6, 2023.