Ellen Page is back on the big screen in Smart People. Needless to say, Oscar-nominated Page holds her own in the all-star cast which includes Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Haden Church.

The teenager you play in Smart People is a lot more difficult and less lovable than Juno.

“But I got where she’s coming from completely. Her widowed father has sort of dropped out and all she does is cook, clean and study for her SAT’s. So she’s not exactly getting to be a normal kid. I think that’s what makes her such an arrogant and angry person. She doesn’t feel loved.”

It sort of seems like everybody in this film is in the same boat.

“Sometimes that’s part of life. I think in the end, as cheesy as it sounds, everybody does really just want a little bit of love and to be able to connect. I think it just makes us feel alive, as human beings, because it feels honest and true. In the end, that’s what these people are missing and what they’re striving to get back to.”

This role will sort of continue your reputation as the kind of teen you played in Hard Candy and Juno who isn’t afraid to stand up for themselves.

I’ve been really, really lucky because whole, honest roles for young women don’t often exist. But now people are like, ‘Whoa, you’re such a feminist! You play such young, strong women.’ It’s like, if I were a guy, you wouldn’t be saying that to me. If I was a guy you wouldn’t be saying, ‘ Wow, you play such strong young male roles. The question wouldn’t exist.”

You recently posed for Teen Vogue which was a surprise because you don’t seem like the cover girl type.

“It wasn’t a big deal. A lot of teenage girls identified with ‘Juno in kind of a new, unique way because we hadn’t really seen a female lead like her before. So I understood why they wanted me to do it. I had the opportunity to work with a great photographer in a beautiful location, and I got to play with these awesome, little Husky puppies. So I actually had a really great time.”

Anything that was left out of Juno that we’ll be seeing in the DVD?

“I don’t know whether it will be on the DVD but there was one scene. It’s kind of embarrassing and it makes me sound like a hick. Back in Nova Scotia my friends and I would get in the back of a pickup truck and go down the street and yell at someone, ‘You dropped something!’ And they’d look around and you’d yell at them, ‘No you didn’t, just kidding,’ and then drive off. I told Jason Reitman, the director, and he thought that was really funny so we shot a scene where I do that but it didn’t make it into the movie.”

Is it true that you use music to help you create a character?

“Yeah, I’ll create a playlist and now certain songs are hard for me to listen to. I get way too emotionally connected to music after playing the character.”

So what’s on your iPod?

“I love Patti Smith. Lately I’ve been listening to Coco Rosie’s new album. And I’m also a huge Moldy Peaches fan. Jason Reitman asked me, ‘What do you think Juno would listen to?’ And I said, ‘Oh, the Moldy Peaches.’ I played him some songs and next thing you know they were in the film. I think I deserved a soundtrack credit.”

Related Links

• Dennis Quaid Gets Smart
• How in the know are you? Take the Celebrity News Quiz
• Get the scoop on all Your favorite stars