Page 105 - Sharp Winter 2025

Black Bag to a world lauded by the American Film Institute as “one of the greatest American films ever made.”
“I have [an] adventurous mindset to this whole job,” Page says, detailing the process behind selecting projects. As his audience and filmography continue to grow, the method of choosing which worlds to explore next carries more weight. “Where do I want to go? [...] Where do I want to take my companion with me? And my companion, in this instance, is the audience. So, what adventure do I want to go on with them? That’s basically what I ask myself when I read a script.”
Still, as his audience travels with him to each new story, the spotlight grows brighter, perhaps a bit more searing. But Page doesn’t let the outside noise influence his choices. Like he said, it’s early in his career, yet he treats these high-pressure decisions like a veteran athlete, letting the game come to him. “It’s a public job, which is nerve-wracking. Every actor you ever talk to [talks] about how the nerves never leave. And in that respect, I imagine it’s similar. [...] You said it’s like letting the game come to you. It is. It’s like high-level athletics. And that idea of letting the game come to you is trusting your competence, trusting that you know what you’re doing, trusting your teammates. It’s a team sport. And the best thing about this job is, if you do it right, it’s almost never about you. [...] It’s about who you’re bringing to the table as an actor, whose story you’re bringing to the table.”
When fans stop him on the street, Page is happy to reminisce
on past roles. After all, as he describes, it’s a journey they’ve taken together through his own invitation. But what excites him more than the fanfare built up over a series of beloved characters is the potential to explore the roles and stories still on the horizon, whether it’s as an iconic American outlaw or as Soderbergh’s agent of influence.
“Yes, we’re playing make-believe and sometimes it’s light and sometimes it’s not,” he says. “But you are always representing a piece of truth from the real world. From the real place. You are offering that to everyone who you expect to come into a cinema. And a lot of these projects, that’s on a global scale. So, you have to think about what you are offering.”
Regardless of what the role entails, Page’s consideration for the audience is what guides his creative choices. Throughout his childhood, his parents imprinted the importance of service to a community. Years later, that idea manifests in the stories he chooses to tell. Amidst the distractions that come with being a sought-after Hollywood talent, Page grounds himself with a single goal: being in service to the audience.
“No matter how important you think your work is or how smart it is or what you want to take from your career [...], all of that is in service of who it is you’re talking to. And as long as you keep that target in sight, as long as I’m entertaining people or thrilling people, or scaring people or making people feel good, it’s still about people.”
SHARPMAGAZINE.COM
WINTER 2025 105
FEATURE