Ellen Page has taken to Reddit to speak out about the striking similarities between herself and the lead female character of Ellie in Naughty Dog’s The Last Of Us, going so far as to claim that the makers of the game ripped off her likeness for the character.
Page, who is set to star in her own video game Beyond: Two Souls later this year, noted her claims when answering a Reddit AMA question on whether she was aware of the character of Ellie. Judging from the sounds of it, Page was not too appreciative of Naughty Dog using her likeness without her permission:
“I guess I should be flattered that they ripped off my likeness,” said Page. “But I am actually acting in a video game called Beyond: Two Souls, so it was not appreciated.”
Since the game was first revealed in back in December 2011, many keen observers noted the striking resemblance between Ellen Page and the young fourteen year old secondary lead of Naughty Dog’s masterpiece. The character of Ellie has since undergone some physical alterations since her original incarnation, although Naughty Dog said to Eurogamer that the alterations were made to bring the character more in line with actress Ashley Johnson.
Neil Druckmann, creative director for Naughty Dog, Tweeted earlier this month his praise for Ashley Johnson’s performance as Ellie, stating that she was “perfectly played” by the actress.
Personally, I’m surprised that Page didn’t speak out sooner. The similarities, especially between Page and the first reveal of Ellie, are incredibly close. It isn’t really any wonder that she spoke out. It’s just a wonder that it took her this long to speak out.
The Last Of Us is available now on Playstation 3 and if you haven’t played it yet then I highly suggest you do. Quantic Dream’s latest, Beyond: Two Souls, starring Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe is released exclusively on Playstation 3 and is expected later this year.
Published: Jun 25, 2013 12:56 pm