LOS ANGELES • The Oscar-nominated star of Juno (2007) has come out as transgender, introducing himself as Elliot Page on Tuesday in social media posts that voiced joy at sharing the news - but also fear over a possible backlash.

In a landmark move for a top Hollywood actor, the performer formerly known as Ellen Page thanked supporters in the trans community for helping him on his journey to "finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self".

"I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer," wrote the Canada-born Page, who recently starred in Netflix superhero series The Umbrella Academy (2019 to present).

His statement identifying as trans won swift praise across Hollywood and beyond, with LGBTQ charity Glaad calling Page "remarkable" and "an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people".

"He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people," said the group's director of transgender media Nick Adams.

"All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are."

Netflix tweeted: "So proud of our superhero. We love you, Elliot."

Page, 33, burst onto the Hollywood scene with an Oscar-nominated role as a pregnant teenager in the 2007 sleeper hit Juno.

The actor also appeared in the 2010 science-fiction hit Inception opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, and the 2012 Woody Allen comedy To Rome With Love.

Page came out as gay in 2014, quickly became a flag-bearer for Hollywood's LGBTQ community, and married dancer Emma Portner in 2018.

While largely absent from big-budget Hollywood blockbusters since 2014's X-Men: Days Of Future Past, Page has repeatedly shrugged off suggestions of being typecast or shunned by Tinseltown.

Page joins a small group of prominent Hollywood transgender figures, alongside The Matrix series (1999 to 2003) writer-directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski, Transparent (2014 to 2019) creator Joey Soloway and actor Laverne Cox.

On Monday, Cox described being the victim of a recent transphobic attack in Los Angeles, underlining the hostility many transgender individuals face in the entertainment industry and beyond.

"The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now... I'm scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the 'jokes' and of violence," wrote Page.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE