Ellen Page savages Mike Pence on Stephen Colbert's Late Show, lashing him to Jussie Smollett's beating

Ellen Page savages Mike Pence over gay rights

last updated 20 February 2019

Actress Ellen Page was Stephen Colbert's guest on Thursday's Late Show, and if you want to know more about her new Netflix show, The Umbrella Academy, this isn't really your late-night clip. She and Colbert discussed her one-year-old marriage, Hollywood's slightly improving record on LGBT issues, and the environment, all issues Page clearly cares deeply about.

"We've been told, as we know it, that by 2030, the world as we know it, that's it," Page said. "That's it. If it was a movie, we'd have Bruce Willis in a suit, like talking about something — please cast me," she deadpanned. "Please, Amy Adams, save us." She said climate change's reality isn't any more of a "debate" than the hate crime against Jussie Smollett.

"Sorry, I'm like really fired up tonight," Page said. "But it feels impossible not to feel this way right now, with the president and the vice president, Mike Pence, who, like, wishes I couldn't be married. Let's just be clear: The vice president of America wishes I didn't have the love with my wife. He wanted to ban that in Indiana, he believes in 'conversion therapy,' he has hurt LGBTQ people so badly as the [governor] of Indiana." Page returned to Smollett, who she said she doesn't know, and laid a trail of bread crumbs back to Pence: "If you are in a position of power and you hate people, and you want to cause suffering to them, you go through the trouble, you spend your career trying to cause suffering, what do you think is going to happen? Kids are going to be abused and they're gonna kill themselves, and people are going to be beaten on the street. ... This needs to f---ing stop."

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The audience, which had been completely silent since booing "conversion therapy," finally clapped. A lot. And Colbert reminded everyone that Page is promoting her new show. Watch below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.