Elliot Page’s Umbrella Academy character is now Viktor Hargreeves
Netflix confirmed the character "will come out as transgender" in the third season
Aux News Viktor Hargreeves
It was announced in 2020 that Elliot Page would continue to play his Umbrella Academy role after he shared that he is trans, but at the time, sources told Variety that there were no plans to change the character’s gender. It seems those plans have now changed.
Page shared on social media that his character’s new name is Viktor Hargreeves. His post was accompanied by a still from the upcoming third season of the Netflix series based on Gerard Way’s graphic novels. Netflix confirmed the news too, writing, “FEELS SO GOOD TO SAY THIS: Elliot Page stars as Viktor Hargreeves in Umbrella Academy S3!!!” on its LGBTQ+-centric social media account, @Most.
Netflix also wrote on its main account, “Welcome to the family, Viktor—we’re so happy you’re here.” The A.V. Club reached out to Netflix and it confirmed that Page’s character “will come out as transgender in season 3 and be henceforth known as ‘Viktor Hargreeves.’” However, the streaming giant has yet to share any more details about how (or if) Viktor’s transition will be written into the show.
In a profile for TIME in March of 2021, it was noted that Page’s name had been changed in the credits for the series. His coworkers also noted a positive change in his demeanor. “It seems like there’s a tremendous weight off his shoulders, a feeling of comfort,” The Umbrella Academy’s showrunner Steve Blackman said at the time. “There’s a lightness, a lot more smiling.”
Page also noted that though it took some adjusting for his coworkers to call him by his new name and pronouns, he felt seen and acknowledged by them.
The third season of The Umbrella Academy began filming in early 2021, and is set to arrive on June 22, 2022. Netflix has yet to share any details of the forthcoming season’s plot.
88 Comments
This is going to make a lot of people mad who won’t understand that someone deciding to transition is quite possibly one of the most mundane issues the Hargreeves family has seen.
Also makes a ton of thematic sense for the show, frankly. Reginald Hargreeves was an abusive, domineering asshole who brutalized his children into the shape he wanted them to be. Viktor rejecting him by embracing a more truthful identity would feel downright victorious. Excusing the pun.
I think with the time travel shenanigans he’s alive for S3 again, considering how much of an asshole he is I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets lippy about this too.
People get mad at anything they see as remotely “woke” these days. Two other scifi shows (Resident Alien and Picard) were both in their crosshairs recently, the former for daring to have a “girl power” episode with jokes about vaginas (it was hilarious) and the latter for having characters from a future where racism and division are long in the past daring to comment on how bad things were in our time.
The same crowd also got super pissed then The Doctor regenerated as a woman, even though it was already firmly establish lore that transgender regenerations were perfectly normal for Time Lords.Then there was the time when Admiral Cain was turned into a woman for the BSG reboot, and even worse, was changed from cardboard cutout hero figure into a flawed and complex character — i.e. a real person.
Some people always hate it when reminders of their prejudices invade their fantasy world.
It’s a shame “woke” isn’t replaced with “evolved” but then the latter isn’t very cool. I guess it’s possible the more mentally-anal would hate evolved even more because it says what it says pretty clearly.
True, although anyone discussing “wokeness”, “woke culture”, “snowflakes” etc without a shred of irony tends to be a dickhead, so it’s a good way of weeding them out.
Also, “evolved” is hard to work into a rhyming slogan used to mock companies that make token efforts to be progressive.
I dunno…The opposite of woke[n] is unconscious, and yet they don’t seem to have any problems identifying as that.
It’s like “SJW”—the opposite (themselves) is “Antisocial Injustice Coward,” yet they used the phrase with glee until they wore it right tf out.
BSG? British Society for Gastroenterology?
Lol. Battlestar Galactica.
I don’t get how someone could be a fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and really sci-fi in general without being “woke”. I’d imagine they’d be pissed off all the time.
Seems like “they” have done a lot to hurt you huh?
Huh??
other than doxxing and comment board sniping, the most those neckbeards have managed to do is give ST:Disco a low IMDB rating and get “Flash Enters The Whatever” voted as a moment when somebody would have cheered. Not exactly a campaign of unmitigated success lol.
The same crowd also got super pissed then The Doctor regenerated as a womanWell now. Be fair – these idiots don’t approve of women doctors in normal life, let alone science fiction.
Nobody is going to be mad about an already lgbtq+ character played by an established lgbtq+ actor transitioning. “Vanya’s” arc is complete. If that bothers people from the fandom, they should focus on overcoming their transphobia instead of something as trivial as a person’s orientation.
This is going to make a lot of people mad who won’t understand that someone deciding to transition is quite possibly one of the most mundane issues the Hargreeves family has seen. Exactly what I thought! I’m not even that familiar with the comic or the show, but I know it should play seamlessly (if it plays at all) into the fabric of the story.I’m almost looking forward to whatever some GOP representative whines about it, but… maybe they’ll just shut up for once?
More power to him but I’m disappointed by the turn of his character. One of the reasons is that Vanya and Allison were the only sisters and this gave them a unique dynamic.
Given his appearance during Sunday’s Oscars (for the anniversary of Juno), it would seem odd if they hadn’t adjusted the role.
Yeah probably one of those short-sighted things where it’s like don’t worry fans and then it just became more practical to embrace it.
I still can’t figure out why there was an “anniversary of Juno” moment at the Oscars. There is nothing landmark about that film and it was so overrated at the time of its release.
Soooooo brave.
Given the rates of violence and murder in the trans community it is, in fact, “Sooooo brave” for anyone to come out as trans.
The rate of murder is pretty much identical to the rest of the population and even then, much of it is down to ancillary factors like working class trans women having to take on dangerous sex work. Elliott Page is a rich, white male. It’s hardly any more typical of the trans experience than Caitlin Jenner’s.
and Caitlin’s already one ahead when it comes to killing people
You’re sooooo brave for saying this. Congratulations.
I don’t think I’m brave for just being a thoughtful human being but thanks for the compliment
You’re doing a lot of reallllllly important work and your opinions matter. Congrats.
Thank you!
You’ve swallowed the myth about the “epidemic” of murders of trans people.https://quillette.com/2019/12/07/are-we-in-the-midst-of-a-transgender-murder-epidemic/https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/04/the-left-is-lying-about-a-hatred-and-violence-epidemic-against-transgender-people/
Do you just go from post to post commenting this tepid nonsense? Did somebody give you the impression that it was funny the first time and you need that dopamine hit THAT badly? Because let me clarify: it’s not funny. You’re not “cool”. Get lost.
It’s a good thing you and your opinion don’t matter.
If there was ever a show where a major character can just suddenly show up as a different gender without any kind of acknowledgement, it’s this one.
I would love if it was that, or just one coming out scene. We’ve had lots of overwrought transition stories, I think the next phase of normalization should be trans characters just existing in a story without having to be a walking PSA
“I’m a dude now.”“Cool, wanna go eat?”
Peacemaker isn’t trans, we all know that, but I loved how his being bi-sexual isn’t even a blip to the other characters. It’s just brought up and done. No one dwells on it.
And that’s real to a lot of people’s experience these days! It’s not like I haven’t encountered people who are weird about me being bi, but they’re few and far between. My story certainly isn’t about them, or about proving myself to them.
And … ?
Stay mad
Do you need someone to explain it to you, or are you being trite?
I think he’s downplaying it as news, as we’re getting to the point where it shouldn’t be, not being dismissive outright.
After his blowing up the moon in season 1, I hardly think this’ll make a ripple for the Hargreeves. 😂🤣 Love this show.
I am really looking forward to Season 3 of Umbrella Academy. I am also glad to hear that Elliot Page is in a good place, and was feeling positive and comfortable while making it. This article is good news all around.
It’s on Netflix so, heads up, don’t go lookin’ forward to Season 4…
So Valve doesn’t believe in the number three while Netflix denies that four exists. Any takers on telling five to go screw?
Is they taking testosterone? They sounded gravely-voiced Sunday night. No judgement, just curious if anybody else heard they that way as well.
It’s really not any of our business one way or another unless he decides to disclose that part of his medical history, which he hasn’t.
are they taking testosterone*
heard them that way as well*
That’s grammatically incorrect on your part.
are you illiterate?
Clearly they’re not since they’re reading the article and writing about it. If you’re going to be a prick about grammar at least take the time to understand the definition of words. Maybe English isn’t a first language for this poster. Maybe not. Either way it puts nothing positive into the world to shame someone because their grammar isn’t up to your standards, and you don’t come out looking as cool or as smart as you seem to think you do.
Just a guess here, but did you consider that around 6.5 billion people on this planet don’t speak English as a native tongue before you retorted so arrogantly? The anglo-centric nature of American society is precisely why it isn’t even close to being woke and why it tends to culturalism et al. as you have clearly shown. Also, I’m also quite certain that illiterate is the wrong word. A form of dysgraphia, is what you’re looking for.
Just a guess here, but did you consider that around 6.5 billion people on this planet don’t speak English as a native tongue before you retorted so arrogantly? The anglo-centric nature of American society is precisely why it tends to culturalism et al. as you have clearly shown. Also, I’m also quite certain that illiterate is the wrong word. A form of dysgraphia, is what you’re looking for.
You’re the one pushing incorrect grammar.
Clearly not, but you’re a jackass for sure.
Hey, don’t snark; they’re trying.
English might not be their first language, no need to be an asshole about it…
Not everyone speaks English as a first language.
And not everyone knows the definition of the term illiterate, as shown by you.
It’s how you refer to non-binary people, dipshit.
Dipshit, did you read comicghostrider’s previous post with the corrections?“Is they” it’s “Are they”“heard they that way” is “heard them that way.”
I dunno, since “they” refers to a single person in this case, shouldn’t the verb reflect that? I assume that’s what Carlotta’s doing, anyhow
Semantically singular ‘they’ has been a thing since at least the 14th century if not earlier, and it pretty much always takes plural agreement.[there is of course a parallel for this: “you” is now just as likely to be singular as plural (more so in many dialects), but it’s always retained its original plural agreement. “They are” for a singular is no stranger than “you are” for a singular.]
You’ve unintentionally given me the best laugh of the night. The them in they/them is there for a reason.LOL
Oy, jeez. Now I feel like the “really dumb ally.” Sorry all. Thanks.
We had a ++blast++ watching this show. I wasn’t familiar with the source material (though I’m an ol’ school comic nerd …), I got into about eposide 4 or 5, stopped, told the wife we had to watch it together, and we couldn’t stop.And good for him, a much better place, a terrific actor, just look forward to seeing what happens next in their world(s) 😀
Good for her
Given Elliot Pages preferred pronoun I think you mean “Good for him” or “Good for them”
I sadly assume they LITERALLY meant the opposite and were trying to say “Good for her” in a very sarcastic, mocking way. I could be wrong…but then again…I’m probably not.
I loved the comics. The show has been okay. But it’s cool that the show runners are choosing to validate a performer who has given the show its best moments instead of asking for some kind of legacy drag for the sake of continuity. And for everyone saying “the Umbrella Academy is just zany enough to make this work,” gender transitions happen in plain old real-ass life.
“And for everyone saying “the Umbrella Academy is just zany enough to make this work,” gender transitions happen in plain old real-ass life.”
Very true, but it’s still also true that the plot of the show in question will make the inevitable complaints about the transition even more ridiculous than they otherwise would be.
You’re not wrong.
Viktor’s arc in season 2 already reads pretty much as trans.
Seems logical, and absolutely not something that feels out of place in the show or for his character. Also I feel like it’s kind of cool to see a character transition at (roughly) the same time the actor does. Has that happened before on a show?Either way, excited for the new season.
This is the first time a TV show has ever had to deal with a major cast member coming out as trans partway through.
Cheers, that’s what I thought. I’m kind of excited about that, and I don’t really know why!
More Lila please
Given the cliffhanger that season 2 ended on, I really hope they dont just jump forward 6 months in time and say ‘Oh btw he’s Viktor now’. I don’t need the transition to be a season long arc or anything, just hoping that the show picks up exactly where it left off and that we see things happen in relatively real time.
Is it too much to ask that DC recast Elliot as the movie Flash?
I’m going to miss out on all this because I’m cancelling netflix. Genuinely bummed.
I have seen the tweets welcoming Viktor but I have heard nothing about Vanya departing. Since there is a whole new Academy “family” could it not be that Viktor is one of them, Vanya is still around, and Elliot plays both parts?
The show already depicted the new family, and neither was one of them.
God it’s nice to see a news story that’s just nice. It’s just nice and it involves people being kind and growing and understanding. Goddamn that’s pleasant.
Souls have just replaced em would have made more sense. But she still had her role. Juno would definitely play the victim if they recasted her like they should have. You should change a role from a female to a fake male. Leave it female and put a real female actress in pages place it’s only fair to women
Bruh the character in the comics isn’t even bi
I remember when they said they had no plans to change Vanya’s gender, so this reversal is… interesting. I’m not programmed to automatically shrug my shoulders or cheerlead every decision like this because I do think these things are complicated for a reason. The dynamic of the siblings felt specific to me, especially having more than just 1 girl in in group, and the sisterly bond between Vanya and Allison, and frankly I’ll be sorry that’s gone. But I also understand how insensitive it would be to make Page keep playing the part as is. This is a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation, but a change this significant to reflect the actor’s own life, I think raises questions about how much “ownership” a performer can or should have over a pre-existing character they didn’t create.
I am female to male, and my ‘sisterly’ bond with my sister did not chance when I came out 15 years ago. Honestly, I think our bond is even closer. Just because our outward gender finally reflects how we feel on the inside, we are still the same person.
That’s fair, (and good!) and I should add it could/should be interesting to see this same thing play out on the show, to help people like me understand these nuances better- If they are willing to go there (I find shows will sometimes barely even talk about it, and just move on)