In a June 25 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Elliot Page praised how the third season of “The Umbrella Academy” dealt with his transition and the way it portrayed their character’s transition within the context of the bigger story.
Page came out as trans in December 2020, between the discharge of the second season of the present and the filming of its third season. The minds behind “The Umbrella Academy” subsequently integrated the transition into the present for Page’s character, sharing the information on March 29.
“Meet Viktor Hargreeves,” Page wrote on Instagram with a nonetheless from “The Umbrella Academy” that includes Viktor and his sister, Allison Hargreeves (Emmy Raver-Lampman), sitting on the bar in a diner. Netflix later confirmed to The A.V. Club that in season three of the present, Viktor would come out as transgender.
In the June 25 interview, Page had solely constructive issues to say about the way in which their character’s story arc was handled on the present, which was launched on Netflix on June 22. “I believe one of the crucial particular issues about that is the way it’s dealt with,” he mentioned. “It’s not void of emotional moments with the siblings, in fact.”
For Page, portraying their transition on display screen whereas he was additionally experiencing it in the true world was a robust expertise. “The scene when Luther and Diego are coming down the steps and Luther’s awkwardness and all these items . . . concurrently, I’m experiencing all that, as a result of I’ve stepped into this second the place I’m a trans individual and perceived that manner, and having all these new experiences I did not have earlier than,” Page mentioned. “These scenes have been resonating with that, which was actually unimaginable.”
They additionally talked about how supported he felt by the present’s solid and crew. “We have been taking pictures proper after I disclosed that I’m trans, in complete isolation,” they mentioned. “That was undoubtedly an amazing interval, however I really feel so fortunate that I used to be going to work and attending to be with so many supportive folks.”
On June 21, Page told Seth Meyers that his life has improved considerably since transitioning. “I really feel a manner that I actually by no means thought attainable for an extended, very long time, in order that’s actually what I’m focusing on and embracing probably the most,” they mentioned. “[Transitioning has] improved my life drastically, and I hope individuals who do have a difficulty with me might attempt to hear that and embrace that on some degree.”
On June 1, author Thomas Page McBee opened as much as Esquire about how he and “The Umbrella Academy” showrunner Steve Blackman integrated this plot line into season three of the present. According to McBee, Blackman was “passionate” about together with Page’s transition within the present, however once they made his announcement, they have been set to start manufacturing in two weeks, and scripts have been already locked in. They had a severe time crunch to take care of.
“Because Elliot was returning to the display screen in a longtime function and with a completely fleshed-out character arc that intersected with each facet of the present, his story required that his transness exist as a texture, not a defining character trait,” McBee mentioned. The different concern was that season three begins instantly after the top of season two: “His changing into would wish to occur inside the first episodes, and with out the hand-holding normally offered for cisgender audiences.”
Ultimately, nonetheless, this led to a richer storyline. “In this story, being trans is a context, a coming into focus, a sharpening of perspective that may solely deepen the connection hundreds of thousands of viewers already must Viktor and his household,” McBee mentioned.
For Blackman, portraying Viktor’s transition nicely however not making it the defining attribute of his story or the present have been each paramount. “What I assumed was good is that it did not turn out to be the storyline of the present, and with these pretty folks that you just’re speaking to, we have been in a position to craft one thing that felt very balanced and actual, genuine,” he mentioned within the June 25 interview. “We need to proceed to try this going ahead.”
In the third season of “The Umbrella Academy,” the Hargreeves journey by an alternate universe, assembly the unfriendly Sparrows, coping with private struggles, and preventing a cosmically harmful entity alongside the way in which.
