Elliot Page Source: Associated Press

Elliot Page Opens Up About 'Umbrella Academy' Transgender Storyline

Emell Adolphus READ TIME: 2 MIN.

When Elliot Page came out as transgender in 2020, fans didn't quite know what that meant for his character on Netflix's "Umbrella Academy."

Then actor, showrunner Steve Blackman and writer Thomas Page McBee, who is also trans, began to discuss what a transition would look like for Page's character in the show and the motivations behind it.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Page said one of the most special things about his transition in the show "is how it's handled."

"It's not void of emotional moments with the siblings, of course. I think they're each individually special and in relation to their specific relationship," he said.

For season 3, the show places the start of Victor's transition around his relationship with Sissy from the last season.

"It was absolutely Elliot's pitch that his dynamic with Sissy was a way that – and Elliot, you could speak to this – he was opening himself up and able to really be authentic," explained McBee. "I think Steve and I both thought that was a beautiful way of thinking about his story."

Page added, that Viktor's relationship with his siblings also played a part and there are scenes of awkwardness that mimic real-life experiences.

"It's not void of emotional moments with the siblings, of course. I think they're each individually special and in relation to their specific relationship," said Page. "Simultaneously I'm experiencing all that, because I've stepped into this moment where I'm a trans person and perceived that way, and having all these new experiences I didn't have before. Then these scenes were resonating with that, which was really incredible."

Fans were happy with how the transition was handled and so was Page. And though Viktor's transition wasn't the entire focus of this season.

McBee and Blackman say they plan to explore it more in season 4.

"What I thought was nice is that it didn't become the storyline of the show," said Blackman. "We were able to craft something that felt very balanced and real, authentic. We want to continue to do that going forward."


by Emell Adolphus

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