The actress gives a passionate interview on Thursday’s ‘Late Show.’
Ellen Page is fed up.
The 31-year-old actress appeared on Thursday’s The Late Show With Stephen Colbert where she was very candid and passionate when talking about the current state of the world, America’s leadership, the show business industry, and the recent racist and homophobic attack on actor Jussie Smollett.
Page didn’t hold back when discussing the tough topics, getting upset to the point of tears multiple times throughout her nine-minute interview.
The Juno star began by talking about her experience as a young actress growing up in the industry.
"In terms of the level of misogyny and homophobia I’ve dealt with, it’s been really unfortunate,” she said. "It was very hard for me and I dealt with a lot of stuff that was totally normalized since really young."
"What would you say to that young person?” host Colbert asked.
"I’d give her a hug, and I’d tell her she’s not alone,” Page replied, holding back tears. "And that she can reach out to people. And that behavior’s not OK."
Page went on to talk about the industry, global warming and more, adding, "Sorry, I’m really fired up tonight, but it feels impossible to not feel this way right now with the President and Vice President Mike Pence, who wishes I couldn’t be married, let’s just be clear. The vice president of America wishes I didn’t have the love with my wife. He wanted to ban that in Indiana. He believes in conversion therapy.”
Prior to becoming the vice president, Pence served as the governor of Indiana. He has previously denied supporting conversion therapy, though he has publicly opposed same sex marriage and signed into law a bill that made it legal for businesses to cite religious freedom when refusing service to gay and transgender people. In Congress, he voted against employment nondiscrimination protections for gay and transgender people and also voted against the repeal of "don’t ask, don’t tell."
Page thinks that these public stances against the LGBTQ community are directly related to the recent attack of Smollett.
“I don’t know [Jussie] personally, I send all of my love — connect the dots, this is what happens,” she said of the crime. "If you are in a position of power and you hate people and you wanna cause suffering to them, you go through the trouble, you spend your career trying to cause suffering, what do you think is going to happen? Kids are going to be abused and they’re going to kill themselves and people are going to be beaten on the street. I have traveled the world and I have met the most marginalized people you could meet. I am lucky to have this time and the privilege to say this. This needs to f**king stop.”
Page’s words were met with a standing ovation from The Late Show’s live audience, as she was in tears by the end of her interview.
Smollett was hospitalized in Chicago following an attack early Tuesday morning. He told police that he was approached by two men who yelled racial and homophobic slurs at him, and at one point wrapped a rope around his neck and poured an unknown chemical substance — now believed to be bleach — on him.
President Donald Trump has spoken out about the attack, saying, "That I can tell you is horrible. I've seen it, last night. I think that's horrible. It doesn't get worse as far as I'm concerned."
For more on the ongoing investigation into Smollett’s attack from earlier this week, watch the clip below:
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