Julianne Moore on Obama's post-Supreme Court ruling statement:
"He essentially said, ‘When we are all more equal, we are all more free,’ and it was a really beautiful thing to say. Because we were all holding our breath, thinking, Come on, this has got to work. If it doesn’t work, what does it say about us as a nation? You don’t want to carry that kind of shame anymore—it’s absurd. ...I think there was a sense of relief, finally, that we did the right thing, as a nation and as a culture.”
WATCH: Behind the Scenes Video of the Shoot
Moore: Hair: Marcus Francis at Starworks. Makeup: Elaine Offers at Exclusive Artists. Manicure: Kylie Kwok at Tracey Mattingly. Hair: Ted Gibson at Jed Root. Makeup: Matin at Ray Brown Productions
Photography by Ruven Afanador. Styling by Grant Woolhead.
Ellen Page on how Stacie and Laurel’s story, the couple at the center of Freeheld, inspired her own personal progression:
“I remember thinking, Ellen, how in God’s name could you make this film and not be out? What’s interesting to me is how long it took to make the movie – for it to finally come together – and how my internal progression toward coming out was naturally in line with it. Stacie and Laurel’s story is incredibly inspiring. It made me go, Dude, just tell people you’re gay. Just get over yourself, honestly, and support those who are not as privileged. It’s like, You have fucking privilege, so do something with it.” —Ellen Page
Dress by Salvatore Ferragamo (Moore). Top by Louis Vuitton (Page).
Market editor: Michael Cook. Prop styling by Kevin Hertzog. Fashion assistants: Gavin Ramiscal, Hidana Rocha, Osi George.
Ellen Page on activism and playing a queer character after coming out:
“For me, lots of stuff surfaced [playing Stacie]. Recreating a sort of closeted relationship in a film caused some stuff to surface, for sure. And then there’s [the matter] of speaking up or potentially owning an identity that I think does require a responsibility of trying to help move things forward. For Stacie, it was more complicated, because her being fully involved in that activism meant accepting that the love of her life was going to die. But when she finally managed, in some way, to accept that idea, I think she could fully give herself to the activist part of it all.”
Shirt and sweater by Michael Kors. Pants by Jil Sander. Shoes by Michael Kors.
Julianne More on working with Ellen Page after she recently came out:
"Ellen had so recently come out, and this is going to sound silly, and hopefully not hurtful, but I don’t think I was aware of how painful it is to be closeted. I have the advantage of being a person who’s never had to hide my sexuality, so I asked her a lot of questions—frank questions—about what that feels like. She said she felt discomfort simply wearing all these dresses, and it was all very eye-opening for me. She was so unprotective [of herself] – I was very touched by that. It definitely made me more sensitive to the nuances of our movie.” —Julianne Moore
Coat by Burberry Prorsum. Shoes by Miu Miu.
Director Peter Sollett on Ellen Page's performance:
"I think what she does in the movie feels like a breakthrough from an artist we’ve come to know and expect certain things from. Not only is she doing something new as an out woman playing an out woman in a mainstream Hollywood film, she’s giving us something that feels entirely fresh—like finding a room in your house that you didn’t know was there, or discovering another verse to your favorite song."
Shirt and pants by Saint Laurent
Julianne Moore on her hopes for the film, and what it could do:
“I would really like it to be a big, mainstream hit, because I feel like it’s an important time in our culture. In the entertainment business, some people say we can effect change. I don’t know that we can effect change, but I do know that we reflect it. When there’s a Supreme Court judgment, generally, it’s because popular opinion has already changed. A majority of people in this country were in favor of marriage equality, and the Supreme Court made that ruling. And look! Suddenly, here is this movie that sort of reflects that back. So we’re ready as a culture to say, ‘Here. Look. Look how far we’ve come, and look what we’ve done.’ ”
Shirt and pants by Anthony Vaccarello. Shoes by Michael Kors. Moore: Top and pants by Céline. Shoes by Calvin Klein Collection
"Here we are today with marriage equality, but we wouldn't have had it without people like Laurel and Stacie," Moore says.
Watch the Exclusive Behind the Scenes Video HERE
Coat by Burberry
In Out's October cover story, Ellen Page and Julianne Moore open up about playing lesbian partners Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree in the movie Freeheld. A feature-length adaptation of the 2007 Oscar-winning documentary short, Freeheld focuses on the couple — putting micro faces to a macro cause. Hester died in 2006 at the age of 49. She was a 23-year veteran of New Jersey’s Ocean County police force when she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. She wasn’t permitted to pass her pension benefits on to Andree, her legal domestic partner. At the time, counties in New Jersey had the option to extend benefits to domestic partners; however, for reasons that seem indisputably tied to antigay discrimination, Hester and Andree weren’t afforded that right by local freeholders. Their battle for justice eventually vaulted them into the national spotlight.
Top and pants by Celine
Shoes by Calvin Klein Collection
READER COMMENTS ( )