Nicolas Cage

ABOUT

Nicolas Cage, born Nicolas Kim Coppola on January 7, 1964, in Long Beach, California, is an acclaimed American actor, director, and producer known for his dynamic and often unconventional acting style. Cage has appeared in a wide range of film genres, from blockbuster action films to indie dramas, making him one of Hollywood's most versatile stars. With a career spanning over four decades, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

BEFORE FAME

Cage was born into a family with deep roots in the entertainment industry. His father, August Coppola, was a professor of literature, and his mother, Joy Vogelsang, was a dancer and choreographer. He is the nephew of famed director Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire, which exposed him to the world of acting at an early age. Initially using his birth name, he changed it to Nicolas Cage to avoid the appearance of nepotism and to create his own identity in the film industry. He took the surname "Cage" from the Marvel comic book superhero Luke Cage.

Cage attended Beverly Hills High School before deciding to drop out and pursue acting full-time. His early acting career included small roles in films like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982) before gaining widespread recognition with "Racing with the Moon" (1984).

TRIVIA

Nicolas Cage is known for his eccentric personality and bold career choices. He has a deep passion for comic books and once owned a highly valuable Superman comic. Additionally, Cage is famous for his adventurous lifestyle, including unusual purchases like dinosaur skulls and exotic animals. He also has a reputation for diving deeply into his roles, sometimes adopting unusual methods to better understand his characters.

FAMILY LIFE

Nicolas Cage has been married five times. His first marriage was to actress Patricia Arquette in 1995, but the couple divorced in 2001. He then married singer and songwriter Lisa Marie Presley in 2002; however, this marriage lasted only a few months. In 2004, Cage married Alice Kim, with whom he has a son named Kal-El, born in 2005. The couple divorced in 2016. Cage's fourth marriage to Erika Koike in 2019 was notably brief, lasting just four days. In February 2021, Cage married his fifth wife, Riko Shibata.

Cage is also a father to Weston Coppola Cage, born in 1990, from a previous relationship with actress Christina Fulton.

ASSOCIATED WITH

Throughout his illustrious career, Cage has worked with many prominent industry figures. He starred in "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995), directed by Mike Figgis, a role that earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor. He also collaborated with legendary director Martin Scorsese in "Bringing Out the Dead" (1999). Cage worked with John Woo on the action-packed "Face/Off" (1997) and with the Coen Brothers in the cult classic "Raising Arizona" (1987).

Nicolas Cage's connections extend beyond his professional life to his famous family. His uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, directed renowned films such as "The Godfather" series, while his cousin, Sofia Coppola, is an award-winning director known for movies like "Lost in Translation" (2003). This interconnected web of relationships has undoubtedly influenced his career, solidifying Nicolas Cage's place in Hollywood history.