J.K. Simmons says Elliot Page is 'iconic in a new way' after transitioning

J.K. Simmons played a proud dad in 2007 darling drama film Juno, and he's even prouder of his co-star Elliot Page now.

"I had an awesome time working on Juno," the Oscar-winning actor told Yahoo's Kevin Polowy. "Elliot’s been one of my favorite actors to watch since then, and a wonderful actor to work with."

While Simmons hasn't necessarily kept in touch with Page—"most of my friends are people I've known since 1975"—he has been supporting Page's transgender journey from afar.

"It’s been great to watch that happen," Simmons added, and Polowy relayed that Simmons also called Page "already iconic before his transition" but considers him to now be "iconic in a new way" and "a positive influence for a lot of people."

Page announced his transgender status last December: