You won’t find her in the tabloids. No posts on TMZ. And while you won’t see her in jail with Paris or rehab with Lindsay, you just might see her at the Oscars. Ellen Page represents a different brand of young actress…one who actually focuses on acting. After glowing character work in Hard Candy and An American Crime, she nabbed a Gotham Award as “Breakthrough Actor” for her feisty, sassy-but-warm performance as a pregnant teenager in Juno.
Clubplanet: What’s it like to be 20 years old and already anointed “The Next. Big. Thing?”
Ellen Page: Yeah, that’s weird. I’m excited because I love to act, and when all of this happens, it just means you’ll have more control and more choice. Do I get a little overwhelmed at times? For sure.
You worried about losing your privacy?
Ellen Page: I think because of my interests and my general life, I don’t think it could get too out of control.
What do you think about the whole celebrity-gossip craze?
Ellen Page: I find it ridiculous that celebrities go through really tough situations with pain, and no one offers any compassion. Everyone sits around and judges. A lot of girls my age party a hell of a lot. And they didn’t have their face splattered on tabloids every friggin’ day.
Your character Juno is lightning-quick on her feet—she’s witty as hell. It looks like you’re the same way?
Ellen Page: Maybe not as consistently. I have a lot of “Milk Duds,” as my friends and I call them. Milk Duds, to us, are one of those candies where we’re like, “who eats Milk Duds?”—sorry if you like Milk Duds—so when someone tries to be funny and it doesn’t work, we go, “Miiiiilllk Duuuddds.” [Laughs.]
I saw An American Crime at Sundance—you were terrific. And now you’ve played a bunch of amazing, strong women characters. Does it bother you that many women-roles are under-written?
Ellen Page: I always get this label of like, “Wow, you play such strong girls. You play such feminist roles.” Sitting here if I was a guy, no one would ever say that to me. No one would say, oh Emile Hirsch—he plays such strong young men. The fact that that question even gets asked to me is insulting, and I get it a lot. Or I’ll get someone saying, “Oh, a teenage girl can’t be like that.” And it’s bullsh#t. Teenagers aren’t really treated like human beings. And it’s a drag.
It’s a total double-standard.
Ellen Page: I can’t even tell you how mad that makes me. It makes me want a stab a fork in my eye.
I heard something about how you hated The Breakfast Club…
Ellen Page: The Breakfast Club really bothers me. You know what’s funny? I don’t have a tv in my house. So when I’m in a hotel I’m like television! And last night, literally, The Breakfast Club was on. This is an iconic movie, and the coolest character—Ally Sheedy, who’s awesome, who I love in High Art, who I think is wicked—she goes from being this interesting, quirky girl, to being made quote-unquote “hot,” so she can just fu#king make out with Emilio Estevez? I mean, give me a break.
I wouldn’t want to make out with Emilio Estevez either. Anyway, great music in Juno. What are your favorite bands?
Ellen Page: I’m a massive Patty Smith fan. I’m a massive Cat Power fan. I love Radiohead—I love the new album. Bands will just keep hitting me in the brain; Eric Satie…I can go on and on and on.
Congrats on the Gotham Award. Good luck with the little golden statues that come in March.
Photo credit: ACE Pictures