Summary
- Elliot Page describes his shirtless scene in Close to You as “clumsy” yet “natural” and “liberating.”
- Playing the character of Sam allowed Page to feel more embodied and present in their acting, something they had never experienced before.
- Page reflects on feeling uncomfortable in the past during filming and notes that this film allowed them to be more loose and go with the flow in the present moment.
While chatting with Entertainment Weekly, at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival for the world premiere of the indie drama Close to You, the film’s star Elliot Page opened up about his “liberating” shirtless scene in his first theatrical film since making his transition.
In a joint interview, along with the film’s director Dominic Savage and costar Hillary Baack, Page spoke about working on the indie drama and the impact of one specific scene.
Close to You is a heavily improvised independent film that stars Page as a Sam, a transgender man who returns home to his Canadian suburban roots for a tense family reunion. During his visit, Sam reconnects with his ex (played by Baack).
While talking about the opening scene in Close to You (which shows his character getting out of bed shirtless), the actor revealed how it felt to capture the moment on film. Page told the outlet:
“Shooting on the day, I was getting out of bed and getting dressed, it was sort of clumsy, like, ‘Oh, it would be great, he sleeps shirtless.’ In the moment when you’re making this, you’re making it from this instinctual place that I don’t know how to describe. It just sort of happens, but at the same time, it just felt natural.”
The Umbrella Academy star added, “Showing this dude who’s comfortable and present and waking up in his body, that means a lot to me. I never thought I’d feel that way, so it’s nice to get to act it.”
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Elliot Page Said It Was “Liberating” To Play Sam
Flatiron Books
Page went on to note that playing Sam was a “liberating” experience that allowed the Whip It actor to truly express himself in a way they were never previously able to do with a character. Page continued:
“The way I get to feel working now is far more embodied coming from that foundation, versus entering and not feeling that way. It’s a huge shift. Doing something like this, complete improv, before, would’ve been close to impossible. The sensation of being able to do it and feel that present enough to do it, I just felt exhilarated every day. What a special film to do, first time [back on film], because it lets you feel embodied to the extreme.”
The actor added that watching himself in Close to You allowed Page to see himself in a way he’d never previously had with any of the other characters he’s played. While reflecting on feeling “uncomfortable” in the past during filming, Page stated, “When I was the most uncomfortable, those [past] performances, you’re a little more stiff, you’re less loose. There’s less ability to kind of go with the flow in the present moment.”
The director also opened up about his approach to making Close to You and working with the actors saying, “They trust me in that, and that’s important. Of course, I offer ways into the scenes and I’ll offer places to go, but, really, I’m empowering them, too.”
Currently, there is no official release date for Close to You.
You can view the original article HERE.
