Ellen Page

Monday, 12 July 2010 13:12

Ellen Page wants to mess with your head. Maybe even steal your ideas. At least that's as far as you can get when picking her brain about her role in the covert, invasive mind-mission thriller with Leonardo DiCaprio and Marion Cotillard, this month’s Inception.

By Prairie Miller

Better known for her gabby and rude teenage conversation-style in Juno, the Oscar nominee was adamantly tight-lipped and under strict orders from director Christopher Nolan to not leak any Inception plots points in this interview. Dubbed “the tiny Canadian,” the 23-year-old spilled the beans about other stuff, like playing a sociopath, screen sex, her take-it-or-leave-it on whether you like her or not, and just how shy and strange she can be.

What are you up to with Inception?

It's rad as all hell. And I'm really excited about it.

What do you play in the movie?

I can't say.

You can't say?

No! And then I'm going to do a movie directed by James Gunn, with Rainn Wilson and Liv Tyler. It's called Super. I play a sociopath, so I'm pretty stoked about that too. James Gunn knows his shit.

A sociopath?

Yeah. That will be fun.

Well, what can and can't you tell us about Inception?

Not much! But working with Chris Nolan was awesome.

How so?

He's not one of those directors with a huge ego. He just wants to make a good movie. And an actor couldn't ask for anything better. Even if I wasn't in the movie. And I just had a blast.

You've done some pretty weird roles. So what gets you high on a character?

Just the honesty. And something that like gets a fire going in me, so that I want to spend time with that character.

How about getting into on-screen sexuality?

It starts with establishing a kind of confidence, and being in touch with yourself. Then developing a sense of sexuality around a way you've never felt before.

That's really nice to explore. For all that to happen, it's very strange.

But if I do something I don't care about, I'm going to suck. This journey to me is really about finding that thing in life that makes your blood boil, and makes your passion ignite inside of you.

That enables you to find your true potential, and to find a confidence and a sensuality and a strength that is powerful for anyone to find, no matter what age. And whether they’re male or female.

Would you ever describe yourself as a party girl?

No, I'm actually pretty shy. And the attention that's put on me can make me feel really strange. But I'm into hanging out too.

Do relationships change when you're famous?

I’ve had really close friends at different times in my life. In junior high school, my best friend was a guy named Alex, and we were absolutely inseparable.

And then later on, I had a couple of friends in high school. And they are two of my best friends. But yeah, relationships are important to me.

How about Twitter?

Nah. But if it works for somebody else, awesome.

Who inspires you?

My mom; she's a tough cookie. And she’s been through a lot in her life.

But she's a really amazing woman.

What turns you on about being an actress?

It’s just what I feel at the moment, and what I get pumped up about. But it really doesn’t affect me whether people like things or not, or like me or not. I’m just so grateful to be able to do what I do right now. And I take every moment as it comes.

How do you know when you’re good?

Do I know when I’m good? Oh God, no. I do my thing, and hopefully it works for people. It probably works for some people, and not for everyone.

But that's just the way it is.

Watch Ellen Page and Leonardo DiCaprio in the trailer for Inception, out this Friday July 16!