In a recent interview with long-time actor Nicolas Cage, we found out some things that definitely will give you a more insightful look into Cage. The actor behind many movies, including an unmade Superman film; has been at this movie-business game a long time. Over the years, he’s picked up some things. Like a dinosaur skull. Which he had to return in 2015 to Mongolia.
Cage divulged:
“The dinosaur skull was an unfortunate thing, because I did spend $276,000 on that. I bought it at a legitimate auction and found out it was abducted from Mongolia illegally, and then I had to give it back. Of course it should be awarded to its country of origin. But who knew? Plus, I never got my money back. So that stank. But I went years where all I was doing was meditating three times a day and reading books on philosophy, not drinking whatsoever. That was the time when I almost went on — you might call it a grail quest. I started following mythology, and I was finding properties that aligned with that. It was almost like “National Treasure.” Of course, that didn’t sustain. On top of which, I said, “I’m going to get off philosophy,” because I became like a kite with a string but no anchor. No one could understand what I was talking about.”
On top of a dinosaur skull, Cage has an interesting story about pet cobras. Before reading this section, do know that Cage specified in his interview that he is now clean:
“I did have two king cobras, and they were not happy. They would try to hypnotize me by showing me their backs, and then they’d lunge at me. After I told that story on “Letterman,” the neighborhood wasn’t too pleased that I had cobras, so I had them re-homed in a zoo. The cat — a friend of mine gave me this bag of mushrooms, and my cat would go in my refrigerator and grab it, almost like he knew what it was. He loved it. Then I started going, “I guess I’ll do it.” It was a peaceful and beautiful experience. But I subsequently threw them out.”
Cage also went into fellow actors, such as Johnny Depp and John Stamos. According to Cage, he had gotten Depp into acting in the 80s:
“The true story is that we were already friends. I was living in an old building in Hollywood called the Fontenoy, and I think I ultimately rented the apartment to Johnny, and he started living there. He was at the point in his career where he was selling pens or something to get by. He would take my money and buy cocktails but wouldn’t tell me about it. He admitted it later. But anyway, we were good friends, and we would play Monopoly, and he was winning a game, and I was watching him and I said, “Why don’t you just try acting?” He wanted to be a musician at the time, and he told me, “No, I can’t act.” I said, “I think you can act.” So I sent him to meet with my agent. She sent him out on his first audition, which was “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” He got the part that day.”
As if that wasn’t a crazy enough story, listen to the one where Cage explains that his inspiration for an acting career came from an old pantyhose commercial with John Stamos:
“No offense to John Stamos, because he’s a beautiful man and a lot of fun to watch on camera, but a million years ago he did a commercial for L’eggs pantyhose. In it he said, “I love L’eggs pantyhose!” And the way he went “love” — he expressed it with almost a rock ’n’ roll screech. I saw that commercial, and I had to put it in “Peggy Sue Got Married.” I was playing Charlie Bodell, and I’m with Kathleen Turner, and I said: “I’m in love with you.” I’ve told John about this. He took the compliment.”
There is so much more to this interview that you can find here and I suggest you do. I really, really do.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
