Ellen Page

Canadian actress Ellen Page caught our eye in the film 'Hard Candy,' then stole our hearts as a pregnant teen in 'Juno.'

Who Is Ellen Page?

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1987, Ellen Page got her start in Canadian television before generating buzz for her powerful performance in the 2005 indie thriller Hard Candy. From there, Page went on to star in X-Men: The Last Stand, and her much-heralded role as a pregnant teen in Juno. Although Juno became one of her best-known roles, she also appeared in several popular films, including Smart People, Inception, Super and X-Men: Days of Future Past, later starring in the domestic drama Freeheld.

Early Life and Career

Actor Ellen Philpotts-Page was born on February 21, 1987, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The daughter of a teacher and a graphic designer, Page took an interest in theater from a young age. She performed in her first local production in the fifth grade and won Canada's prestigious Gemini nomination for her role in the made-for-television movie Pit Pony in 1997.

The busy actress went on to appear in several Canadian television series, including the Pit Pony spin-off, Trailer Park Boys (2001-02) and ReGenesis (2004), as well as the award-winning film Marion Bridge (2002).

Big Break

Though Page was first introduced to American audiences in the Lifetime movie Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003), she received the first role that brought her to the spotlight in the provocative 2005 indie thriller Hard Candy. Her haunting performance as a 14-year-old victim-turned-attacker caught the attention of director Brett Ratner, who cast her as Kitty Pryde in Page's first big-budget feature, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). In 2007, she starred as Sylvia Likens in An American Crime.

'Juno'

Even after having filmed the big budget X-Men film, Page didn't gain international critical acclaim for her acting until she played a pregnant teen in the heralded indie dramedy Juno (2007). Her quick wit and hidden vulnerability as the wise yet innocent Juno McGuff earned the young star an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Page, only 20 years old at the time, lost the award to actress Marion Cotillard.

Later Work

After appearing in Juno, Page continued her success on film as the star of films like Smart People (2008) and Whip It (2009)—the former film showcased Page as a Dennis Quaid's secluded and emotional daughter, while the latter film, directed by Drew Barrymore, put Page in a helmet and knee pads as part of a roller derby league. Sidestepping her usual quirky, comedic roles for something more serious, she starred in Inception alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 2010.

Not long after Inception, Page began participating in a string of voiceover work. She lent her voice to the television series Glenn Martin DDS in 2011 and to the popular cartoons Family Guy and Out There in 2012 and 2013, respectively. She also brought the main character in the video game Beyond: Two Souls to life as the voice actor for protagonist Jodie Holmes. Following her stint as a voiceover actor, Page reprised her role in the film X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).

In 2015, Page co-starred with Julianne Moore in Freeheld, about a terminally ill police officer seeking to have her pension benefits passed on to her domestic partner. The following year she began hosting Gaycation, a travel series exploring LGBTQ cultures around the world, and in 2017 she starred in a remake of the 1990 horror flick Flatliners.

Personal Life

Page publicly came out as gay during a conference in Las Vegas in February 2014. The conference, named Time to THRIVE, was focused on addressing issues within the LGBTQ community.

In January 2018, Page announced her marriage to girlfriend Emma Portner, a dance instructor and choreographer. Posting a photo of their wedding bands on Instagram, the actress wrote, "Can't believe I get to call this extraordinary woman my wife. @emmaportner."

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