It doesn’t matter if Nicolas Cage is talking about his new film “Between Worlds,” his meme-ified action film “Face/Off,” or his love of Prince, whatever comes out of his mouth is gold. An enigmatic, talented, and unusual acting presence on screen, the Academy Award-winning actor is perhaps even more mysterious and thoughtful during interviews, often talking about his craft, inspirations, and film choices. And in a new interview with Collider, we get another glimpse into the man behind the memes, and it’s glorious.
The full interview features more about the new film “Between Worlds,” as well as his previous film work, but really we’re here to focus on some of the more interesting, if not completely odd, things that Nicolas Cage thinks about.
First, and perhaps most interesting of all, Cage is asked about to share an anecdote that might show up in his memoir, if he were to ever write one. And of all the things that the actor has experienced in his life, he had to bring up his unwavering love of the musician Prince. He tells the story of how Prince turned down a picture request that Cage had when they met after the actor won his Oscar. But it’s how he set up the story that is fascinating.
You see, there are plenty of religious folks out there that ask the question “What would Jesus Do?” There are even bumper stickers, t-shirts, and bracelets with the simple “WWJD?” For the “Mandy” actor, however, it’s more like “WWPD?”
Cage says, “It’s no secret that I’ve been, and still am, a huge fan of Prince. I thought, like many of us, that he was a pure artist. I would and still do think about what he would do – like if I have a question about ‘should I do this or should I do that?’ I often think about what his perception would be even though I didn’t know him.”
One of the things that his worshiping of Prince led him to do is act in the beloved, if not completely crazy, John Woo film “Face/Off.” And while time hasn’t been the kindest to the film (there are definitely plenty that doesn’t quite hold up) and memes have flooded the internet, Cage says that the action film isn’t just good, it’s one of his best ever.
“I’m very proud of [‘Face/Off’] and I think it is one of the best movies I’ve ever made because of the challenge and if we had not hit that bullseye, we all would have probably stopped working because it was a big movie and there was a lot of money on the line,” says Cage. “Fortunately, the three of us and everyone else in the movie managed to work together in a way that the alchemy was there so it was fun and exciting.”
And finally, we have to point out a great quote that Cage gives about exactly what term he would use to describe his chosen profession. You see, the actor doesn’t see himself as an actor. No, he’s something more than that.
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“Well I can’t always say that I am this and with the risk of seeming like an arrogant, sanctimonious snot, I would say being a shamanic performance artist is something I aspire to,” explains Cage.
Well said, as always, Mr. Cage.