Ian McKellen applauds fellow 'X-Men' alum Elliot Page's coming out as transgender

When actor Elliot Page came out as transgender in November, many fans -- famous and otherwise -- spoke up to applaud them.

One such person is Ian McKellen, Page's "X-Men" co-star from both 2006's "The Last Stand" and 2014's "Days of Future Past." The acclaimed actor, an out and proud gay man, told the UK magazine Attitude that he's "so happy" for Page.

"Everything gets better [after coming out]," the "Lord of the Rings" star said, explaining that those who do often see a boost of confidence. "So you get better in terms of relationships, friends of all sorts, family, if you’re lucky. And in my case, I think in every case, your acting is bound to change and improve."

McKellen recalled difficulty he had shooting a scene with Page, before they found this inner confidence: "I remember Elliot Page [was sitting] as close as we are now. And I had to speak when they'd finished, and I couldn't hear what they were saying."

"So, I said, 'Look, if you can't speak up, would you mind when you're finished speaking, just dropping your hand so I know when you've finished speaking?' And then they came out [as gay] years later and suddenly you couldn't stop them talking. You heard everything," he said.

He said, "And now… they're Elliot. And I’m so happy for Elliot. And so disappointed in myself that I didn’t detect what their difficulty was with communicating."

Page took to Instagram last month to thank everyone for the support they received after their announcement.

"I can't begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self," Page wrote at the time. "I've been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community."