The young actress goes beyond the pale in a revolutionary new computer game, writes Ronan Price
“It was the most difficult acting job I’ve ever had,” says Ellen Page. “The concept is huge and there are incredible action sequences, locations all over the world but there’s also this beautiful drama within.”
The 26-year-old Canadian actress talks excitedly about her latest project, lapsing occasionally into luvvie speak – “incredibly challenging,” “fulfilling experience” – but there’s no doubting her enthusiasm and sincerity. Thing is, she’s not discussing a new movie or become the latest Hollywood star to cross over into a big-hitting TV series.
Instead, Page has spent months in a mostly empty room making a videogame with craggy-faced thespian Willem Dafoe called Beyond: Two Souls. Their wardrobe consisted of nothing more than black catsuits covered in tiny grey balls. Their props were frequently just lumps of wood or metal.
“It was strange because it felt so foreign to me,” admits Page of the set-up in the motion-capture studio. “It sort of felt like jumping off a cliff a little bit. Maybe that’s what I did, jumped, I guess.”
Frankly, it was not a good look for an Oscar-nominated actress – even her face was dotted every day of the shoot with the grey balls – but the effort was worth it because she humanises the most extraordinary game of 2013.
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