Elliot Page, a transgender actor, recently spoke on the ‘On Film… with Kevin McCarthy’ podcast. He revealed that acting opportunities diminished after featuring in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster, ‘The Odyssey’. Page suggested that his transition had changed how Hollywood perceives him, impacting casting offers. Reflecting on his career, he acknowledged the shift before and after publicly coming out in 2020, indicating a possible need to actively seek and develop new projects.
Page shared, “I was seen in a certain way before, and it’s different now. So maybe there is something to reaching out to people and trying to create projects that way. But it’s a little tricky for me to get cast now, for obvious, pretty obvious reasons.” He humorously referred to “the Canadian thing” when discussing hurdles in casting.
Despite the commercial success of ‘The Odyssey’, where he played the role of Sinon, acting offers have become scarce. Lisa Cusack, President of the Don’t L.A. My Burbank PAC, commented on the industry’s financial pressures, suggesting Hollywood should prioritize audience preferences over political messaging. She noted, “Hollywood might skew as left as it gets, but the industry is struggling right now and can’t afford to push woke politics that lose at the box office. Maybe the silver lining is the industry will get back to basics.”
Debate surrounded Page’s casting as Sinon. Critics accused Nolan of infusing “woke” politics into the classical narrative, resulting in backlash even before the film’s release. Alongside Page, casting decisions like Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and Travis Scott as a Greek bard faced criticism.
Nevertheless, Page remains committed to acting, expressing a newfound comfort since transitioning. He stated, “I feel like I could maybe do some of my best work now. I’ve been so lucky in my career and gotten to play some really fantastic parts and be a part of some wonderful projects.” At 39, Page reprised his collaboration with Nolan, 16 years after starring in ‘Inception’.
Despite controversies, ‘The Odyssey’ achieved substantial success, grossing over $1.5 billion globally by September 2026. This triumph occurred amid a complex year for the film industry, with domestic box-office revenue reaching $6.2 billion by August, marking a 15% rise from 2025 but still trailing pre-pandemic figures.