The Evolution of Ellen Page

Pit Pony (1997)

Born Ellen Philpotts-Page on February 21 1987, her acting debut began at the age of 10 in her native Canada when she took on the role of Maggie Maclean in CBC's television movie Pit Pony . Set in 1904, the plot revolved around the small-town life of men and their families who worked in the coal mines in Nova Scotia.

Page was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a drama. The film's success later spun off into a TV show in 1999, after which Page continued to work in Canadian films and television.

Witty whippersnapper? She's not precocious, adorable is her middle name.

Trailer Park Boys (2001)

Despite being well received by audiences, a second series of Pit Pony ended up being cancelled and Page's next role was as a sweet kid living in a trailer park.

Playing Treena, a girl who becomes friends with the fun loving but dimwitted 'Ricky (a man who grows pot in his caravan) and his crazy mates, the story is more of a mokumentary comedy. Page has a cute turn as a misguided teen looking for friendship in the wrong places.

Witty Whippersnapper? She pawns her bike so she can buy Ricky a T-Shirt. Ahh bless...loveable kid.

Mrs Ashboro's Cat (2003)

Page worked steadily through 2002 including a TV gig on Rideau Hall , a short film and she even won a TV award for her performance in Marion Bridge.

In 2003 she starred in this cute family film as a 15-year-old New York City girl who moves to a small town after the death of her mother, and is haunted by the presence of a ghost cat.

It's hasn't got quite the same magical charm as Mr Disney, but it's still a fun family flick suitable for the youngn's.

Witty Whippersnapper? Umm...She's friends with a dead cat. Enough said.

Going For Broke (2003)

Another film made for TV, although not especially influential in her career it did show off Page in a slightly more grown up role as the tone of the film was quite different to any of her previous projects.

A mother who has a compulsive gambling problem eventually destroys not just her life but also those of her children. Complete with a punk look and an attitude to boot, Page played Laura's disapproving daughter whose relationship with her mother has always been touchy.

She's your classic messed up teenager, anger and angst.

Witty Whippersnapper? Kissing older boys, leather jacket, red streaks in her hair...what a rebel!

Love That Boy (2003)

Slowly but surely Page was building up an interesting CV, impressing TV directors with her ability to handle complex dialogue at such a young age. Straight to video films Touch & Go and Homeless to Harvard followed, but Page was getting less screen time; until Love that Boy came along.

This little gentle comedy showed Page in the first of her quirky character roles as a teen who is madly in love with the boy next door (who himself is lusting after a 21-year-woman). With a slightly funkier look she proved she could carry off edgy and showed off a little comedic talent too.

Witty Whippersnapper? Taking it up a gear wearing tiny shorts, sporting a bird's nest hairdo and aviator sunglasses. Cool.

ReGenesis (2004)

A new look and a new TV show, ReGenesis told the story of a group of crime investigation scientists in a fictional organisation in Toronto.

Page appeared as 15 year-old Lilith, appearing in eight episodes of season 2. The show was a big hit in Canada and ran for four seasons from 2004-2008. Page proved so popular she won the Gemini Award (the Canadian Emmy equivalent) for Best Supporting Actress. It placed her firmly in the spotlight and as a result landed several 'meatier' roles for the next few years.

Witty Whippersnapper? She cut her hair and wore boys style clothes...nows she's a rebel with an edge.

Wilby Wonderful (2004)

After appearing in a pretty lame children's comedy I Downloaded a Ghost (the less said about that the better), Wilby Wonderful documented the lives of a group of people over 24 hours in a small fictional town.

Also starring future Grey's Anatomy star Sandra Oh, Page played a teenager dealing with a strained relationship with her mother while also being pressured by her boyfriend. This indie comedy received great reviews from the critics after being shown at several prestigious events including the Sundance and Toronto film festivals, and was a good solid film to add to her CV.

Witty Whippersnapper? We're beginning to see little pieces of Juno , as she gets some great one liners with her mother.

Mouth To Mouth (2005)

At only 16, Page was now starting to attract the attention of well established directors and her breakthrough role came in the form of this little film shot in London, Brisbane and Berlin.

Mouth to Mouth begins with Sherry, a teenager who meets a group of radical enthusiasts while living on the street of Europe. It's a startlingly mature and raw performance from an actress who up until this point had been completely typecast in Canadian movies and TV roles. It was this role that led her to her next character in Hard Candy .

Witty Whippersnapper? Absolutely. Independent and bolshy, she even shaved her head for this role!

Hard Candy (2005)

In this twisted and disturbing red riding hood retelling for adults, Page's next role was a brave and bold choice especially considering her age at the time of filming.

The psychological thriller saw her star as Hayley, a young girl pursuing Patrick Wilson's assumed sexual predator in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Not one to shy away from more challenging and sinister roles, Hard Candy cemented Page as a serious actress and brought her the recognition she so deserved.

Witty Whippersnapper? A deadly and frightening one. This 14-year-old is not so innocent.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

After two dramatic turns in serious dramas, Page lightened the mood and escaped into fantasy territory in her first big summer blockbuster, taking over the role as Kitty Pride's Shadowcat in the third instalment of the superhero franchise.

The film was poorly received as critics and fans panned the lack of character development in favour of silly CGI, dialogue and explosions. However Page was finally on the map and it was the boost her career needed, introducing her into the mass audiences. It also gave her the chance to flex her action muscles.

Witty Whippersnapper? Unfortunately she spends most of her time caught in a soppy love triangle between Rogue and Iceman.