“The Force” VW Commercial: Where is Mini-Vader now?
You may remember the 2011 Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial, in which then-seven-year old Max Page used what he thought was “the Force.” Walking around his home, he attempted to use his special powers on random objects, including the washing machine, a doll, and even the family dog, without any success. Eventually, the boy tries out his Star Wars-skills on his parents’ new Volkswagen, and to his surprise, he’s able to magically start up the car, proving to himself he possesses the power of “the Force” after all. “The Force” commercial was an immense success, but where is Mini-Vader now?
Multiple Heart Surgeries
In June 2012, shortly after Max Page achieved celebrity status with his portrayal of Mini-Vader, he underwent an eighth heart surgery to fix a congenital disorder called Tetralogy of Fallot. Patients who have this disorder are born with it and typically suffer from a hole between the right and left chambers of the heart, an enlarged aortic valve, a narrowing of the pulmonary valve of the heart and a thickening of ventricular walls, making it harder for the heart to pump blood. Fortunately that 2012 operation was his final operation for the foreseeable future, and his prognosis is good.
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Acting Career
Despite his surgery, Page still maintains his love of acting and has been steady at work. He’s had roles on shows like FX’s border drama The Bridge, Special Agent David Oso: Three Healthy Steps, NBC’s short-lived drama Prime Suspect, Extant, Sketchy, Disney Channel sitcom I Didn’t Do It, and the long-running soap The Young and the Restless. Page also has a role as a reporter for Hasbro, covering events like The Guardians of the Galaxy’s red carpet premiere.
Children’s Hospital Advocate
In realty, Page doesn’t need to be Darth Vader to do remarkable things, for he’s an advocate for children’s hospitals, making appearances at children’s hospitals across the country, raising money for uninsured kids and cheering up patients. He’s helped raise over $75,000 in proceeds as a junior ambassador at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where all of his heart surgeries were performed.
In an industry in which child actors often face a host of problems as they age, it’s certainly inspiring that in the face of a serious and life-threatening disease, Max Page continues his acting passion and does valuable work as an advocate for children’s hospitals. For more news and information on Volkswagen and VW models, be sure to follow us on the Capistrano Volkswagen Blog.