When Juno became a breakthrough hit in late 2007, Ellen Page seemed to have all the qualities of a true Hollywood star. However, despite a few high-profile roles here and there, most recently in 2013’s The East, the actress has kept relatively quiet. Now, Page is looking to get back in the spotlight as she’s signed on to play Judy Belushi Pisano, the wife of the late John Belushi, in an upcoming untitled biopic that stars Emile Hirsch as the beloved comic actor.
The Promotion‘s Steve Conrad is on board to write and direct while Pisano will help produce as well as provide the source material for the script, which comes in the form of a biography she wrote entitled “Belushi.” The film will explore the actor’s “rise to fame in the late ’70s, from Saturday Night Live to his starring turns in Animal House and The Blues Brothers.”
As for Page, this is the first role she has signed on for since her much-publicized coming out speech in February. Being cast here could be a big step in both re-igniting the young actress’ career and further silencing the argument that gay actors cannot play straight romantic leads (you would think Neil Patrick Harris had muted this debate, but supposedly not).
Page can next be seen in X-Men: Days of Future Past, ironically a series that you can argue is an allegory for LGBT rights. Just swap the word “mutant” for “gay” and Bryan Singer, Sir Ian McKellan and Page’s involvement in the franchise makes complete sense. She will also start work on the gay rights drama Freeheld (opposite Julianne Moore and Zach Galifianakis) and the action-thriller Queen & Country this year.
The untitled Belushi biopic will begin shooting in New York in late 2014. We’ll keep you posted when we hear more.
