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Ellen Page Gets Emotional Talking About Coming Out With Stephen Colbert: “I Feel So Grateful”

Living her truth. Ellen Page feels like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders since she came out as gay last year. The Tallulah actress got choked up while discussing the powerful moment during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Related: PHOTOS: Stars' coming out stories

“I feel so grateful for it. I feel so grateful to feel how I feel now, compared to [how I felt] when I was a closeted person. It’s not a nice place to be,” Page, 28, said. “[Staying in the closet] is toxic,” she continued, stating that she was “sad” about keeping her sexuality a secret. “I wish that no one had to live that way.”

She added: “As a person I’m a very privileged gay person and those who are affected the most in our community are the most vulnerable. And I feel very grateful to be able to talk about things or share stories and meet incredibly inspiring people and have connections with people.”

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Ellen Page appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Related: PHOTOS: Hollywood's gay power couples

Page came out during an emotional speech at the Human Rights Campaign’s Time to THRIVE Conference in February 2014. She’s currently promoting the drama Freeheld, which is based on the true story of New Jersey police officer Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore). In 2005, Hester tried to pass on her pension benefits to her partner, Stacie Andree (Page), after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

“Incredible activists like Laurel and Stacie — it really changes minds, it touches people’s hearts and makes it shift from seeing something as ‘other’ or ‘different’ to of course realizing that we are all the same and all we’re asking for is equality,” Page said Tuesday. “[We want to] grow up in a society that doesn’t make us feel less than, doesn’t make us feel shame.”

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Ellen Page comes out as gay at the Human Rights Campaign’s Time to Thrive Conference, on Friday, February, 14, 2014 in Las Vegas.

Related: PHOTOS: Out and proud celebs

Page and her girlfriend, Samantha Thomas, made their red carpet debut together at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 13.

Watch the video above.

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