Nicolas Cage
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Nicolas Cage reminds us of that goofy cousin you only see at family reunions. You know, that guy who’s far more successful than he probably should be. We’re not saying that Nic Cage isn’t a good actor. He just gets the kind of work we can’t imagine he deserves. Never really getting any respect as a young actor trying to break through, it’s hard to imagine that the same guy from “Vampire’s Kiss” is now a multi-award winning celebrity. Born in California in 1964, Nic grew up amongst a family of talent. The nephew of infamous director Francis Ford Coppola, the aspiring actor could’ve been Pauly Shore and still received enough film roles to line his pockets for life. Nic began his acting studies under the supervision of the Young Conservatory, but soon dropped out and returned to Southern California to attend high school at Beverly Hills High.
After appearing in a number of small TV roles, Nic was initially cast as a goofball in a slew of teen genre films like “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Valley Girl.” In fact, Nic wasn’t offered a single serious role until Uncle Francis cast him in his own film, “The Cotton Club,” two years later. Cage still wasn’t the talk of the town after his numerous film appearances, but singer/actress Cher enjoyed his work so much that she requested that he play her romantic lead in the film “Moonstruck.” Cage received critical attention for his role in the film, as well as the oddball H.I. McDonnough in “Raising Arizona” that same year, but he wouldn’t become an A-list actor for another eight years.
In 1992, Nic hit Oscar gold with his amazing performance alongside Elizabeth Shue in “Leaving Las Vegas,” and has since become one of the most popular male actors in the industry. His star continued to rise throughout the following decade with a number of much cooler roles in box-office blockbusters like “Face/Off” and “Gone in 60 Seconds,” and a near Oscar win in 2002 for "Adaptation." Nic’s love life has been less extravagant than his film career, with numerous failed marriages (including Patricia Arquette and Lisa Marie Presley), but his latest marriage to sushi bar waitress Alicia Kim looks as thought it might finally work out.
Nic On The Web
IMDB
An online database of Nic's film career.
TV Guide: Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage Videos, Interviews and More on TV Guide's Online Video Guide
Yahoo! Movies
A decent actor's page with tons of photos.
Cage Factor
An excellent fan site with access to news, articles and cool downloads.
Cage By Page
A cool fan site with updated news, gossip and pictures.
The Cage Perspective
Another fan page with more articles and multimedia.
Nic on the Screen
Nic has been a staple in Hollywood since the early 80's in goofy roles for films like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "Valley Girl," and "Raising Arizona." He got his first serious role alongside Cher in the award-winning film "Moonstruck" before winning his own statue for his performance in "Leaving Las Vegas." Following his win, Nic suddenly became an action hero, with roles in "The Rock," "Con Air" and "Face/Off" becoming some of his best-known performances. Nic has also appeared in "Gone in 60 Seconds," "Adaptation," "Matchstick Men" and "National Treasure."
Latest Buzz
Nic has a very busy schedule for the next few years, highlighted, of course, by the upcoming adaptation of the Marvel comic book character Ghost Rider. Also in the works is the sci-fi action thriller "Next," the 2007 comedy "Time Share" with Will Smith, a follow-up to the Disney hit "National Treasure," and the drama "Electric God." He'll also cameo in Rob Zombie's portion of the intermission festivites of "Grindhouse" and just finished filming "Time to Kill" for the Pang Brothers.
Speaking in Pauses
On his fantasies: "I am not a demon. I am a lizard, a shark, a heat-seeking panther. I want to be Bob Denver on acid playing the accordion."
On stunt work: "I try to do as many stunts as they'll let me do. I think it's important for an audience to feel that the actor's really doing it."
On his heritage: "It's a family that's loaded with grudges and passion. We come from a long line of robbers and highwaymen in Italy, you know. Killers, even."
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