Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, the
stars of the upcoming gay drama Freeheld, discuss how the film
impacted their lives in a new Out cover story.
Freeheld is the Hollywood
adaptation of the documentary short film of the same name based on
the true story of a lesbian couple facing death while battling a
discriminatory government.
Lieutenant Laurel Hester (played by
Julianne Moore) fought for the right to leave her Ocean County, New
Jersey police pension to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Ellen
Page), as she faced a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer. Hester's
conservative detective partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon) stepped
up to help her in her fight.
Steve Carell plays activist Steven
Goldstein in the film.
Page, 28, announced she's gay last year
on Valentine's Day, and has been attached to the project since she
was 21.
“For me, lots of stuff surfaced
[playing Stacie],” Page
said. “Recreating a sort of closeted relationship in a film
caused some stuff to surface, for sure. And then there's [the
matter] of speaking up or potentially owning an identity that I think
does require a responsibility of trying to help move things forward.”
“I remember thinking, 'Ellen, how in
God’s name could you make this film and not be out?'” she added.
“What’s interesting to me is how long it took to make the movie –
for it to finally come together – and how my internal progression
toward coming out was naturally in line with it. Stacie and Laurel’s
story is incredibly inspiring and did take a lot of courage,
particularly in a time of such unimaginable difficulty. It really
did make me go, 'Dude, just tell people you're gay. Just get over
yourself, honestly, and support those who are not as privileged.'
It’s like, 'You have fucking privilege, so do something with it.'”
Moore said that she would like to see
the film become a mainstream hit, because she feels “it's an
important time in our culture.”
“[S]ome people say we can effect
change,” Moore said. “I don't know that we can effect change,
but I do know that we reflect it. When there's a Supreme Court
judgment, generally, it's because popular opinion has already
changed.”