The Movie Elliot Page Says Is His Biggest Regret
Actor Elliot Page has been working since his teens, and his outlook on life and art has been evolving that whole time. In December of 2020, Page came out as trans, seen by many as a watershed moment for trans rights and especially impactful as a host of anti-trans bills enter state houses across America (via The Guardian). "This is incredibly new," Page told Oprah Winfrey on her new Apple TV+ show. "I feel like I haven't gotten to be myself since I was 10 years old."
Working while in the closet was trying for the actor. According to People, Page said in a 2017 Facebook post that director Brett Ratner outed him as gay on the set of "X-Men: The Last Stand," writing that Ratner instructed a woman to have sex with the star to "make her realize she's gay." Page said the encounter with Ratner was dehumanizing and robbed him of the autonomy to define himself. Yet in the same post, Page said his biggest regret as an actor was working with Woody Allen.
Many actors regret working with Woody Allen
Page said that working with Allen on the 2012 film "To Rome with Love" was "the biggest regret of my career." "I am ashamed I did this," he wrote. "I had yet to find my voice and was not who I am now and felt pressured, because 'of course you have to say yes to this Woody Allen film.' Ultimately, however, it is my choice what films I decide to do and I made the wrong choice. I made an awful mistake."
Woody Allen was first accused of molesting his daughter, Dylan Farrow in 1992 (via Vanity Fair). The HBO documentary "Allen v. Farrow" outlined both the accusations and how Allen used the press to discredit his daughter and ex-partner Mia Farrow. Page is one of many actors who regret working with Allen (via Vox). One of the first to publicly admit shame was "The Tick" star Griffin Newman, who tweeted in 2017 that he'd donated his whole salary from "A Rainy Day in New York" to RAINN. His co-stars, Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Hall followed suit and declared that they would also donate their fees. Other stars who have expressed regret for their work with Allen include Michael Caine (who won an Oscar for his work with the director and who introduced Allen to Mia Farrow).
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).