Before he became one of Netflix’s most recognisable leading men, Regé-Jean Page spent years working steadily as a supporting actor. One of those early performances has resurfaced on streaming, offering fans a look at his pre-fame journey.
A little-seen role before worldwide fame
Five years before Bridgerton changed the trajectory of his career, Page appeared in the 2015 spy thriller Survivor, now available on Netflix. At the time, the film seemed well positioned, starring former James Bond Pierce Brosnan and action star Milla Jovovich. Page played Robert Purvell, a member of the Diplomatic Security Service team supporting Jovovich’s character. His role was relatively small and concentrated in the opening section of the film, but it placed him alongside major Hollywood names at an important stage in his development.
Inside the plot of Survivor
Directed by James McTeigue, best known for V for Vendetta, Survivor follows Kate Abbott (Jovovich), a U.S. Foreign Service officer framed for a terrorist bombing. On the run, she must evade a lethal assassin, Nash (Brosnan), while racing against time to stop another imminent attack. The film also featured a strong supporting cast, including Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, and Dylan McDermott, adding to expectations ahead of its release.
A critical and commercial disappointment
Despite its pedigree, Survivor failed to impress critics or audiences. Reviews were harsh, and the film earned a very low approval rating. In the U.S., it received only a limited theatrical run before quickly moving to video-on-demand and home media. Internationally, box office returns were equally disappointing, with earnings falling well short of its reported production budget. The poor performance meant the film had little impact on Page’s career at the time, serving more as another entry on his résumé than a breakthrough moment.
Life after Bridgerton
Page’s fortunes changed dramatically with Netflix’s Bridgerton, where his portrayal of Simon Basset made him an overnight star. Although he exited the series after one season, the exposure opened doors across film and television. Since then, Page has appeared in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, starred in Steven Soderbergh’s 2025 spy thriller Black Bag, and hosted Saturday Night Live. His next project, the romantic comedy You, Me & Tuscany, is scheduled for release in early 2026.
A time capsule for fans
Revisited today, Survivor is less a hidden gem and more a snapshot of a working actor still finding his path. For fans of Page, it offers a glimpse of his journey before fame arrived—proof that even breakout stars often pass through forgotten chapters on the road to success.
