Elliot Page's emotional interview about coming out as a transgender man

Elliot Page during an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Photo / Apple

Elliot Page has revealed the moment he knew he identified as male.

The Oscar-nominated Juno actor, who publicly came out as a transgender man last year, told Vanity Fair that he knew who he was at a very young age.

"All trans people are so different, and my story's absolutely just my story. But yes, when I was a little kid, absolutely, 100 per cent, I was a boy," Page, 34, said.

"I knew I was a boy when I was a toddler. I was writing fake love letters and signing them 'Jason.'

"Every little aspect of my life, that is who I was, who I am, and who I knew myself to be.

"I just couldn't understand when I'd be told, 'No, you're not. No, you can't be that when you're older'.

"You feel it. Now I'm finally getting myself back to feeling like who I am, and it's so beautiful and extraordinary, and there's a grief to it in a way."

The Vanity Fair story, written by trans journalist Thomas Page McBee, came ahead of Page's first sit-down video interview with Oprah Winfrey, which is set to drop on Apple TV+ this Friday.

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In a two-minute preview clip posted to his five million Instagram followers, Page is heard telling the broadcast queen why he decided to come out when he did.

The Umbrella Academy star came out as gay in 2014, before coming out as a transgender male in December last year.

"For me, I think in this time we're in right now, and especially with this horrible backlash we're seeing towards trans people, particularly trans youth, it really felt imperative to do so," Page said.

"And the experience I had closeted so long, you know, I came out as gay right before my 27th birthday, and up until then I had pretty much never even touched someone outside who I was in love with, you know.

"And so I think any kind of sensation of feeling that again, there was just no way I could do it.

"It felt important and selfish for myself and my own wellbeing, and my mental health. And also with this platform I have, the privilege that I have, and knowing the pain and the difficulties and struggles I faced in my life, let alone what so many other people are facing, it absolutely felt crucial and important for me to share that."

Page revealed in an interview with Time in March that he underwent a surgical procedure to remove his breast tissue, also known as a subcutaneous mastectomy.

"It has completely transformed my life," he told the publication.

Page was recovering from the surgery in Toronto when he announced to the world that he was transgender last year.

"I had a lot of time on my own to really focus on things that I think, in so many ways, unconsciously, I was avoiding."