Elliot Page has had a pivotal year. This summer, he published his memoir, Pageboy, opening up about being groomed in the industry as a teenager; starred in his first fragrance campaign for the classic scent Gucci Guilty alongside Julia Garner and A$AP Rocky and most recently, has been calling on the Supreme Court to reject Tennessee anti-trans laws. Page, came out in December 2020 as a transgender man, tells the Cut, “There were so many moments of self-doubt. I speak to friends now who tell me I was talking about feeling this way a few years ago but I would always talk myself out of it. The feeling of being present, blocking out the noise, and embracing that sense of belonging has carried me through.”
The face of Gucci Guilty, Page has been drawn to more musky scents since he was a kid — “That’s just my vibe,” Page says. (Gucci Guilty is a warm and spicy blend of hot chile pepper and cedarwood.) As for the rest of his vibe, his taste is pretty artistic and even a bit poetic.
What is the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?
Probably to moisturize. I wasn’t always good at that, and now I’m much, much better. I’m grateful for people who were always very encouraging to me to do that and take good care of my skin.
What about the worst beauty advice you ever received?
Encouraging me not to be yourself or to play the game. That was the worst advice I was ever getting. I was being encouraged to deny who I am.
What is the worst thing to do at a dinner party?
Be an asshole? If you’re rude to the waiter or something, I just can’t. Also talking too loud and too much. Let’s just share the moment.
If you had to choose a last meal, what would it be?
When I was 18, I was so lucky: I got to go to Japan for the first time to promote a movie, and they took me for my first omakase experience, which completely blew my mind.
When you’re traveling for work or just pre-filming, pre-writing, anything, what is your ritual?
With writing my book, my writing process was waking up very early in the morning my brain is easier to access. I’m talking 6 a.m. There wasn’t a ritual because, to be honest, I’d pretty much make coffee and start writing. I’d write for a couple of hours till, then walk my dog. Then come back and write a bit more and then maybe do a little workout. There was a structure for the day. Getting outside felt really important.
When it comes to acting, my rituals are dancing; I play music in the trailer and let loose. I open my heart, open my brain, so hopefully when I walk into a scene I can be as present as possible. It might actually be very counterintuitive with the music I’m listening to. I might actually be walking into a really intense scene or something, but I’ve found that it’s a really nice way to enter the work.
I love that. Do you have a comfort-rewatch television show or movie?
E.T. is probably a movie I watch once a year. I love it so much. I bawl my eyes out every time, so what’s the comfort aspect? I think that it’s maybe just because of the way it hits the heart.
Crying can be comforting though.
We really need it sometimes.
What’s something you’ll never watch, no matter what?
I can’t handle a lot of horror because I get scared. I can do some sort of psychological ones — The Babadook is probably one of my favorite movies. But the ones that are more just murder … I can’t.
What is one book you just couldn’t put down?
Raquel Willis’s book The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation is absolutely fantastic. I couldn’t put it down; she’s amazing. Stephanie Foo’s book What My Bones Know is phenomenal, multifaceted and stunning. It’s about her recovering and healing from CPTSD. That’s a book I read that really blew my mind. Also this book by Monica Potts called The Forgotten Girls.
Do you have a favorite piece of art? Or would your books be that?
In terms of art I’m actually a person that’s a bit minimal. I don’t really have things on my walls, which people sometimes criticize, and I’m just like, “What? Maybe I should, yes.”
But you prefer to just live minimally?
I tend to, yeah.
