The Kitty Pryde of 'X-Men' movie series also has issues with the lack of diversity in movie, 'That's obviously the huge issue, particularly for the LGBT community, but any minority.'
- Aug 29, 2015
AceShowbiz - Ellen Page doesn't understand why straight actors who play LGBTQ characters were often called "brave" when it's not any different from playing any other roles. "When people are (called) brave in regards to playing LGBTQ people, that's borderline offensive," she says.
"I'm never going to be considered brave for playing a straight person, and nor should I be," she tells TIME. "Maybe this is a bad thing to say, but I have a hard time when people call actors brave. I don't really get that, because our job is to read something on a page."
The actress also criticizes lack of diversity in film. "That's obviously the huge issue, particularly for the LGBT community, but any minority. Native American and Native Canadian people: Where are these stories? I want to see these stories! And I'm hoping the shift is going to come really quick now."
"It's evident from what people are watching on television that people want diversity. They want it. Whether they consciously know it or not, I'm not sure, but look at Orange Is the New Black. You're seeing actors that, if that show didn't exist, we might not have ever seen - that are extraordinary."
She adds, "It makes me excited because the whole reason to go to a film is to disappear into another world, and to have your humanity connect with someone else's, who you might not ever meet in your life! To be moved and have more compassion, that's the wonderful thing all art can do, and particularly film!"
"I want to see gay stories, of course, because I'm gay, and I want to connect to a reflection of my life on film. But I also want to see what it's like to be a young Native person, African-American, African-Canadian. Hopefully that will keep changing."
Ellen Page who publicly came out last year says she is in happier place now. "For me, the level of sadness and lack of inspiration and joy in general - that was hurting my work," she explains. "I didn't feel motivated. I was just depressed. Going to meetings, or trying to push for things: It was this little flame that was barely flickering anymore. The moment I came out, I felt every cell in my body transform. I was happier than I ever could have imagined."
