Ellen Page makes first red carpet appearance with girlfriend

After revealing earlier this month that it was her starring role in new LGBT drama Freeheld that inspired her to come out to world, it seems only fitting Ellen Page used the film’s debut at the Toronto International Film Festival last night as a chance to introduce her girlfriend Samantha Thompson to the public.

The couple, who have reportedly been dating for the last few months, rocked complimentary tuxedos at last night’s red carpet event in Canada, and Page admitted to waiting reporters that she was very much “in love” with the 33-year-old artist.

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“Walking down the carpet holding my girlfriend’s hand is pretty special,” she told E! Online. “It’s pretty awesome”.

Asked why she’d chosen that particular night to debut the relationship to the world she answered simply: “I’m in love.”

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Page was supported at last night’s premiere by Orange is the New Black‘s Ruby Rose, who took to Instagram to heap praise on her “best friend”.

“When your best friend is the most talented, funny, beautiful, generous, humble human being it’s hard to not smile until it hurts. Ellen, I am so proud of you and will always be grateful for everything you are and will always be to me,” the Australian actress wrote.

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After years of keeping her sexuality a secret from the public, Page has been quickly made a name for herself as an outspoken LGBT rights advocate in the month since her highly publicised coming out i February 2014. The X-Men star was praise for attending the inaugral Pride Jamaica in a country where homophobia violence remains endemic, and for publicly confronting anti-gay Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz at a recent state fair.

Page recently took aim at those who call straight actors “brave” for playing gay roles; pointing out that the same would never be said for her if she were to play a heterosexual character.

Based on the true story of New Jersey couple Laurel Hester (Moore) and Stacie Andree (Ellen Page), Freeheld recounts the pair’s battle for same-sex pension benefits in 2005 after Hester – a long-serving Police Lieutenant – was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Written by Philadelphia producer Ron Nyswaner, the film hits US screens on October 2, with a UK date still pending. Check out the trailer below:

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