Netflix series
Elliot Page in transgender role: This is how the series “Umbrella Academy” implements his transition
Elliot Page at the Oscars
© Jae C Hong / Picture Alliance
Elliot Page has come out as transgender – this is also reflected in the series “The Umbrella Academy”, in which he played a female role. Many fans were excited to see how the actor’s journey would translate into the script.
Warning, this text contains spoilers for Season 3 of The Umbrella Academy
In late 2020, Elliot Page made it public that he is transgender and will use the pronouns “he” and “they” in the future. “I feel lucky to be able to write this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life,” Page wrote at the time. The actor also underwent upper body sex reassignment surgery.
Now Page, known among other things from the film “Juno”, can be seen in a male role for the first time. This is especially interesting considering that he appears in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy. Page played the female character Vanya Hargreeves in the first two seasons of the graphic novel adaptation of seven superpowered siblings. So the series makers had to write the transition that Page went through in real life into the script.
Elliot Page plays character undergoing gender reassignment
In the third season, Vanya Hargreeves becomes Viktor Hargreeves. Page himself announced this in an Instagram post some time ago. Speaking on Good Morning America, Elliot Page said he was “really proud” of the process his character is going through. The reactions to it have been “really positive” so far.
The Umbrella Academy showrunner was “thrilled” about making Vanya Hargreeves a transgender role. For the implementation in the script, the team brought the author Thomas Page McBee, who is also transgender, on board. “It shouldn’t the story of the season, but one History or part of history,” Blackman told TV Line.
Warning, spoilers for “The Umbrella Academy”
So how does The Umbrella Academy implement Page’s gender reassignment in the script? Viewers have been able to see it on Netflix since Wednesday. In the first episode of the third season, Page still acts as a woman. In the second episode, Page, in his role as Vanya, enters a hair salon and appears in the next scene with a short hairstyle. When addressed by his brothers by the name “Vanya”, he corrects: “It’s called Viktor.” And when asked “Who is Viktor?”: “Me. I’ve always been. Does anyone have a problem with that?” The brothers react in a relaxed manner, the topic is settled after a few seconds.
Later, Viktor also talks to his sister Allisson about his gender reassignment. Allisson wonders why she had “never failed” and Viktor replies, “You couldn’t know because even I wasn’t sure.” He can never be free if he can’t be himself: “I realized that I couldn’t be locked up any longer.”
Sources: Elliot Page on Instagram / Elliot Page on Instagram (2) / “Good Morning America” / “Late Night” with Seth Meyers / “TV line” / “The Umbrella Academy” on Netflix