No One Is Offering Elliot Page Work Despite His Role in ‘The Odyssey'

The Odyssey is one of my favorite films of the year. It had big, fantastic set pieces. The people and places felt grounded, yet the film could easily delve into the magical. Even then, characters like Circe and the Cyclops felt tangible and understandable. There’s a moment with Zendaya that is one of the best storytelling choices I’ve seen made in a big, blockbuster movie in quite some time. I loved it. But what really drove it over the edge for me were the performances.

Everyone who is onscreen, be it for a moment or most of the film, is giving it their all. Not only are they fully committed, but everyone is on the same page tonally. They feel as though they all exist in the same world, and while some of them get a chance to do more heavy lifting than others, most of the people who pop up onscreen get a moment to shine, which is likely why Nolan was able to secure so many names for smaller roles. It’s part of the magic of the film.

One such actor who did a wonderful job, along with everyone else, was Elliot Page, who starred as Sinon, a soldier who is loyal to Matt Damon’s Odysseus. Damon takes advantage of that loyalty and leaves Sinon behind to watch over the Trojan Horse. The whole incident, a betrayal of Zeus’s Law, becomes a driving force in the film and leads to a haunting scene of Sinon in Hades, questioning why Odysseus needed to lie to them as well. It is haunting and heartbreaking, but it’s not getting Page any more work.

“No, Kevin, I’m not,” Page responded on On Movies… with Kevin McCarthy (via THR), when the host suggested he must be getting numerous offers after the film. “So, let’s — if someone wants to call me … ” When a shocked McCarthy asked if Page was serious, they confirmed as much, adding, “I’d really love to do good work. That’s what I’d love to do.” He then joked that directors obviously see him differently now than they did years ago… because he’s Canadian. But he then explained that he feels incredibly comfortable as an actor now and could do his best work.

On the one hand, I understand Page’s frustration. I think any actor would assume that landing a role in one of the biggest films of the summer would get them more opportunities. On the other hand, with such a stacked cast, it’s easy to walk out without focusing on any one person (save for Robert Pattinson’s line about beggars getting memeified pretty quickly). Damon leads the way, but the Odyssey works more like an ensemble picture, and it can be hard to shine in those circumstances, whether you get to be in a creepy scene or not.