Actress Ellen Page says she came out
gay because she was “just depressed.”
The 28-year-old Page announced she's
gay last year on Valentine's Day during a speech delivered at Time to
THRIVE, an LGBT youth conference hosted by the Human Rights Campaign
(HRC) and held at Bally's Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Page, who is currently promoting the
upcoming film Freeheld,
was asked about coming out during an interview with TIME.
(Related: First
look: Ellen Page, Julianne Moore, Steve Carell star in gay drama
Freeheld.)
When asked whether coming out had put
her in touch with her art, Page answered, “One hundred percent.”
“And even more than whatever it means
to act, whatever it means to know that you’re living an authentic
life,” she continued. “For me, the level of sadness and lack of
inspiration and joy in general – that was hurting my work. I
didn't feel motivated. I was just depressed. Going to meetings, or
trying to push for things: It was this little flame that was barely
flickering anymore. The moment I came out, I felt every cell in my
body transform. I was happier than I ever could have imagined. You
feel excited about life, and motivated and inspired. You want to do
more. You want to go on adventures. For the most part that was
gone.”
Page also criticized calling an actor
“brave” for playing a gay role, saying it was “borderline
offensive.”
“I'm never going to be considered
brave for playing a straight person, and nor should I be,” she
added.