Ellen Page's 'Freeheld' Role Impacted Her Decision to Come Out

Ellen Page and Julianne Moore recently sat down with Glamour to discuss their new film "Freeheld," which centers on New Jersey police lieutenant Laurel Hester, who while battling lung cancer fought to pass on her pension benefits to her partner, Stacie Andree, and won her case just weeks before her death in 2006.

Ellen, who plays Andree, shared how she felt about watching a documentary on the gay couple after being offered the role seven years ago. “I was super closeted at the time. I was moved, so unbelievably moved. I wanted to be involved.”

After taking on the role, Ellen was inspired to be herself and come out as gay last year. She revealed, “I thought, how can I make this film if I'm a closeted person? Keeping that part of myself hidden was affecting my work, my ambition, my relationships. It was a constant burden — it was so toxic. As a gay woman, playing a gay character is a pretty monumental moment.”

Julianne was also clearly moved by this couple. “These women were forerunners of this year's case. They were very regular people. Laurel was a detective, and Stacie a mechanic. And for the first time in their lives, they were public about their sexuality in a way that they hadn't wanted to be. So what they did was major. They really put themselves on the line.”