Ellen Page Comes Out As Gay In Powerful LGBT Conference Speech

Actress Ellen Page has come out as gay at an LGBT conference.

In an emotional speech at the Time to Thrive conference in Las Vegas, the Juno star talked about her sexuality and how Hollywood has affected her decision to speak up about it.

She told the crowd of LGBT teens: "I am here because I am gay".

"I am tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission...I suffered for years because I was scared to be out. My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered and my relationships suffered. And I'm standing here today, with all of you, on the other side of all that pain."

The 26-year-old, who will star in upcoming movie X-Men: Days of Future Past, cited the pressures of Hollywood as a hinderance to her coming out sooner. She explained: "It's weird because here I am, an actress, representing-at least in some sense-an industry that places crushing standards on all of us. Not just young people, but everyone. Standards of beauty. Of a good life. Of success. Standards that, I hate to admit, have affected me.

"You have ideas planted in your head, thoughts you never had before, that tell you how you have to act, how you have to dress and who you have to be. I have been trying to push back, to be authentic, to follow my heart, but it can be hard."

Watch the whole of Ellen's amazing speech below.