Max Page (actor)
Encyclopedia
Max Page plays Reed Hellstrom on the American TV soap opera
The Young and the Restless
. At age six, he appeared in his first national commercial, a spot for Volkswagen
which aired during The 2011 Super Bowl
, in which he appeared as a boy in a Darth Vader
costume.
Max joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as Reed Hellstrom November 24, 2009.
The ad for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat
, booked by Donny Deutsch
Advertising Inc., features Max as a young boy in "full Vader regailia" attempting to use The Force
to start a washer
and dryer
, and to wake the dog
and a doll
. After he is unsuccessful in those attempts, he is startled to discover he can start the car, though his father actually did it using a remote control
.
Max had never seen any of the Star Wars
movies, saying he was too scared.
The Passat ad appeared on YouTube
the week before its TV debut on February 6, 2011. By the next morning, the video had received one million views; the number reached 8 million before the commercial aired on TV. As of February 7, the video had more than 15 million views. Max's mother Jennifer Page said the reaction was "overwhelming. ... I can't even keep up with the messages and the calls."
James Rainey of the Los Angeles Times
said the ad "will get inside people’s heads and stay there because it combines the iconic 'Star Wars' character and a classic sentiment—a child’s desire to be larger than life." Of all the Super Bowl ads, Rainey said, "the one you’ll actually want to see again is Volkswagen's, powered by the force of a tiny Darth Vader who tells a simple story, with a little body language and nary a word."
Max met James Earl Jones
, the voice of Vader in the Star Wars movies, in New York City
on February 7.
On May 24, Max appeared in costume, with the Star Wars Darth Vader music
playing, at the inauguration of the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
. The previous night, the Passat ad won an online competition on the CBS
special Clash of the Commercials: USA vs. the World, in which people were asked to "choose the greatest commercial of all time." The second-place finisher was Heineken
's "Walk-in Fridge".
, and soon after that received a pacemaker
to treat a heart
disorder called Tetralogy of Fallot
. Children's Hospital Los Angeles
cardiology
chief Michael Silka said, "He can essentially have normal activity and with careful care, a full life is a reasonable expectation."
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
. At age six, he appeared in his first national commercial, a spot for Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
which aired during The 2011 Super Bowl
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
, in which he appeared as a boy in a Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
costume.
Acting career
Max has appeared in local commercials, and has acted "since he was barely able to walk".Max joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as Reed Hellstrom November 24, 2009.
The ad for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...
, booked by Donny Deutsch
Donny Deutsch
Donald “Donny” Deutsch is an American television personality and advertising executive. He is also the former host of the CNBC talk show The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. The television audience first became familiar with him on February 11, 2005 when he appeared on NBC's The Apprentice with Donald...
Advertising Inc., features Max as a young boy in "full Vader regailia" attempting to use The Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
to start a washer
Washing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...
and dryer
Clothes dryer
A clothes dryer or tumble dryer is a household appliance that is used to remove moisture from a load of clothing and other textiles, generally shortly after they are cleaned in a washing machine....
, and to wake the dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
and a doll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
. After he is unsuccessful in those attempts, he is startled to discover he can start the car, though his father actually did it using a remote control
Remote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
.
Max had never seen any of the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
movies, saying he was too scared.
The Passat ad appeared on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
the week before its TV debut on February 6, 2011. By the next morning, the video had received one million views; the number reached 8 million before the commercial aired on TV. As of February 7, the video had more than 15 million views. Max's mother Jennifer Page said the reaction was "overwhelming. ... I can't even keep up with the messages and the calls."
James Rainey of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
said the ad "will get inside people’s heads and stay there because it combines the iconic 'Star Wars' character and a classic sentiment—a child’s desire to be larger than life." Of all the Super Bowl ads, Rainey said, "the one you’ll actually want to see again is Volkswagen's, powered by the force of a tiny Darth Vader who tells a simple story, with a little body language and nary a word."
Max met James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
, the voice of Vader in the Star Wars movies, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on February 7.
On May 24, Max appeared in costume, with the Star Wars Darth Vader music
The Imperial March
"The Imperial March " is a musical theme present in the Star Wars franchise. It was composed by John Williams for the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
playing, at the inauguration of the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant is an automobile assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee that began production in April 2011, was formally inaugurated in May 2011 and is expected to employ approximately 2,000 once fully operational...
. The previous night, the Passat ad won an online competition on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
special Clash of the Commercials: USA vs. the World, in which people were asked to "choose the greatest commercial of all time." The second-place finisher was Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
's "Walk-in Fridge".
Personal life
When he was three months old, Max had life-saving surgerySurgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, and soon after that received a pacemaker
Pacemaker
An artificial pacemaker is a medical device that uses electrical impulses to regulate the beating of the heart.Pacemaker may also refer to:-Medicine:...
to treat a heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
disorder called Tetralogy of Fallot
Tetralogy of Fallot
Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect which is classically understood to involve four anatomical abnormalities...
. Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Children's Hospital Los Angeles, formerly Childrens Hospital Society, is a private, non-profit teaching hospital in Los Angeles. The hospital provides multidisciplinary care to over 93,000 children each year, with physician expertise in over 100 pediatric specialties and subspecialties.The hospital...
cardiology
Cardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
chief Michael Silka said, "He can essentially have normal activity and with careful care, a full life is a reasonable expectation."