When Elliot Page appears on the Zoom call, I’m genuinely starstruck. He’s not wearing anything especially flashy; actually the other – a plain black hoodie and straightforward framed glasses. He’s polite, warm, generously open together with his answers, thoughtful and careful together with his words, ceaselessly (and quite endearingly) punctuating replies with ‘gosh’. He’s, undoubtedly, a superstar. Someone I, and plenty of others who made the Juno soundtrack our personalities, have grown up with on our screens.

Now, he can be considered one of the brand new faces of Gucci Guilty, a primary for Page who has never fronted a beauty or fragrance campaign before. Starring alongside A$AP Rocky and Julia Garner, the Glen Luchford-shot campaign is an ode to the thought of home, a literal but additionally metaphorical place where we’re free to be our whole, authentic selves. It’s an idea that has shifted for Page recently, as he grows ever more comfortable in his body and self. “For the primary time ever I do feel at home in myself. And that sensation has been so thrilling, not something I believed I’d feel,” he says. “It’s given me a latest relationship to the thought of self-love and self-acceptance in some ways.”

The campaign sees Page, Rocky and Garner playing house, gazing at one another, dancing, tousled together on the sofa. The chemistry between them is palpable and Page lights up when he talks about his castmates and the experience of filming the campaign. “It was just the most adorable, comfortable, kind, fun experience. And the three of us really just immediately connected,” he says, at his most animated. “It really had that sensation like a connection had been formed and it made filming it just utter joy, like a real joy.”

For a very long time, fragrance and fashion were worlds he felt mostly separate from, unable to attach with. But as he’s grown into himself, comfortable in his body for the primary time and feeling present and joyful, Page has understood more in regards to the impact they’ll have and at last feels aligned with what he’s drawn to. “What I’ve actually personally been drawn to has never modified. My ability to feel fully comfortable and assured and at home in my body, that’s what’s dramatically modified.” This sentiment, his newfound confidence and luxury in his body, comes up time and again during our interview – “I sound like a broken record,” he jokes at one point – and it’s clear what a joyful and still tender feeling it’s for him.

After I got here down from the high of being face to (screen) face with a hero, I managed, still buzzing, to put in writing up the conversation. Read below as Page shares about nostalgic scents, stealing cologne from his step-brother’s room as a youngster, and his production company’s upcoming queer cheerleading movie, Backspot.

What are some scents which have the strongest memories for you or that at all times bring out nostalgic feelings?

Elliot Page: I feel for me it’s, gosh it’s a bit cliche, however it’s the ocean, anything ocean. Seaweed, salt within the air. I’m from Nova Scotia and it just does something, it just immediately transports me home. So I’d say that might be considered one of my biggest memory zaps.

You smell the saltwater and also you’re immediately transported back.

Elliot Page: Yeah, I’m. There’s something about it – the smell of it and the sensation of it within the air.

What do you think that fragrance should give you the chance to do for the wearer?

Elliot Page: Gosh, I feel it should do what the wearer’s in search of, and what their individual want is in that moment or on that day. For me, it’s about feeling confident, it could actually give a boldness, a sensuality perhaps. This nice mixture of feeling emboldened but additionally open. I feel for me, that’s a pleasant thing about when a fragrance works.

Why did you should be a part of this campaign and work with Gucci on the fragrance?

Elliot Page: It just appeared like an awesome opportunity. I’ve not done something like this before. To get to work with Gucci was obviously a really thrilling opportunity and it felt like the best thing to do. I feel really lucky that they involved me and I’ve gotten to work with Julia and Rocky on this, it’s only a incredible experience.

Was a fragrance campaign something that you simply had in mind that you simply desired to do or did it come out of the blue?

Elliot Page: It just got here. I mean, I feel so many facets of these items, like fragrance and fashion, I felt so separate from. Now that I’m really at home and comfy in my body for the primary time and feeling present and joyful in this manner – I’ve understood now more about fashion or fragrance, whatever it’s that individuals enjoy and the impact that it could actually have. The artistry of it, the creativity, the exploration and curiosity – all these items are very exciting and interesting. It’s a latest type of challenge and a beautiful thing to be an element of. 

One in every of my questions was gonna be how your relationship with fragrance has modified through your life. In order that’s really interesting. Did you used to not feel connected to the fragrances you were being sold?

Elliot Page: Yeah, I feel that was more after I was much younger, growing up as a youngster. What I’ve been drawn to has never really modified. It’s a little bit of a stereotype, [but] at the same time as a bit of kid [I was] going to my step-brother’s room to steal some cologne. But it surely’s the act of me selecting whatever I wanted regardless, which is what everybody should do: select the fragrance that feels one of the best for you. So what I’ve actually personally been drawn to has never modified. My ability to feel fully comfortable and assured and at home in my body, that’s what’s dramatically modified. And so all of that coming together may be very nice.

What does Gucci Guilty smell prefer to you? Does it remind you of anything?

Elliot Page: Gosh. It’s funny, I feel I’m having considered one of those true fragment memories, where I’m like, ‘it jogs my memory of after we were shooting the campaign’ [laughs]. And after all it does! That is smart, Elliot. But I feel the campaign is clearly representing [the fragrance]. So I suppose for me, it just jogs my memory of this boldness, this confidence, but mixed with this real kind of sensual comfort. For me, it’s that balance that I actually, really love about it.

It’s interesting that you simply said comfort, since the concept of the campaign is about home and making a place where people may be authentically themselves. Where or when do you’re feeling most at home?

Elliot Page: I feel most at home with my dog Mo, and the people I really like and my friends and within the spaces that I may be fully myself and feel secure and supported. That sense of affection and companionship and community, especially immediately, is what allows me to feel that sense of home. And for the primary time ever, I just – I at all times sound like a broken record – but I do feel at home in myself. And that sensation has been so thrilling, not something I believed I’d feel. And so like really, it’s given me a latest relationship with the thought of self-love and self-acceptance in some ways.

The thought of house is now just with you, wherever you go. You may have that sense of belonging, at all times.

Elliot Page: Yeah. It’s just the sense of attending to be present within the moment, it’s really special. And blocking out all of the noise that you possibly can latch on to and internalise, and really attempting to feel present within the moment and embrace gratitude for it.

How was the experience of filming the campaign? Do you might have good memories from that day?

Elliot Page: Such good memories! Yeah, it was multiple days and it was so fun. Walking into it I used to be definitely nervous. It’s not something I’ve done before, with these two super amazing talented people I respect a lot and everybody at Gucci and Julia and Rocky, it was just the most adorable, comfortable, kind, fun experience. And the three of us really just immediately connected, it was incredible. And at the same time as the fourth day we’re ending, it was similar to, ‘oh, I’m not gonna see you tomorrow?’ It really had that sensation like a connection had been formed and it made filming it just utter joy, like a real joy.

I feel you get that sense from the film, that chemistry really comes across. I desired to ask you about your profession – you’ve been doing more directing and producing in the previous few years. Is that something that you should do more of in the longer term? 

Elliot Page: Yeah, it’s. It’s something I’m continuing to do. I feel lucky to have a platform and be able where I can assist certain things get developed and help different stories be told. In order that’s something that I hope to proceed to do and am continuing to do.

You’ve spoken before in regards to the impact that the film But I’m a Cheerleader had on you growing up, and Backspot, which your production company is working on now, is about that very same queer cheerleading world. Is that considered one of the explanations you desired to tell that story?

Elliot Page: Oh, goodness, that’s so funny. Yes, But I’m A Cheerleader, well what a ceaselessly, ceaselessly iconic film. Yeah, I’m so enthusiastic about Backspot since it’s a incredible script and story. Devery Jacobs is incredible. And D.W. [Waterson] is directing and I’m just lucky that my company is a component of it. I’m really excited for people to see what they’re making.

Before we go, what’s your current obsession?

Elliot Page: Gosh. I’m so into VR figuring out on Quest. So I do the Supernatural VR and that’s something I really like and make certain it’s an element of my day, day-after-day. It’s a fitness programme however it’s extraordinary, it’s so fun. So it just makes getting up and moving and exercising one of the crucial joyous parts of my day.

Gucci Guilty Eau de Toilette Pour Homme is obtainable at Boots.

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