Raising Arizona, Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation
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$25 Million
"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." No matter when Nicolas Cage first came into your life, you were probably a little blown away by what you saw. You see, Nicolas Cage is more than just an actor, he's a transcendent talent with the ability to go deep in both good and bad directions.
Known as much for his hammy work in Con Air and The Wicker Man as his Oscar-worthy performance in Leaving Las Vegas, Cage has been known as a truly dynamic performer. Born into the legendary Coppola family, Cage chose to hide his last name in order to seek success on his own merits. True to form, Cage has flourished and failed under his own guidance. If you've ever wondered where Nicolas Cage came from, you've come to the right place.
Born Into Entertainment Royalty
Nicolas Kim Coppola was born January 7, 1964, in Long Beach, CA. Cage was born to August Coppola and Joy Vogelsang. August Coppola worked as a professor of literate and his brother, Cage's uncle, was the legendary filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola. Cage's mother was both a dancer and a choreography during Cage's childhood. Cage had two brothers, Marc Coppola and Christopher Coppola, who grew up in the entertainment industry, as well.
From a young age, Cage was fascinated by the entertainment industry. Cage would attend Beverly Hills High School as a kid before going on to attend the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Cage was heavily influenced by the work of James Dean and Cage frequently cites the actor as inspiration for his pursuit of the arts. Cage says of his childhood, "Nothing affected me, no rock song, no classical music, the way Dean affected me in Eden. It blew my mind. I was like, 'That's what I want to do.
As a child, Cage would attend the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco during summer. He would end up becoming so inspired by the work that he would drop out of high school in order to pursue the profession. Over the years to come, Cage would become a Hollywood legend, a cultural icon, and one of the most divisive entertainers on the planet.
A Career for the History Books
After making the decision to pursue acting full time, Cage was quick to immerse himself in the profession. First, Cage would leave behind his surname in order to adopt the name that we know him as, today. Cage wanted to succeed based on his own skill rather than his family name. So, Nicolas Cage would make his debut on the silver screen in the film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Cage would star alongside Sean Penn and Judge Reinhold in Ridgemont High.
Known to be a prolific worker, Cage wouldn't wait long before scoring his next major role. Cage would leap into the industry with all of his efforts, landing roles in Valley Girl (1983) and Rumble Fish (1983). For Rumble Fish, Cage would work for his uncle, Francis Ford Coppola. Cage would go on to score roles in a smattering of films throughout the 80s with personal high points being Raising Arizona (1987) and Wild At Heart (1990). For Raising Arizona, Cage would collaborate with the Coen Brothers in order to create one of the enduring cult comedies of our time. Wild at Heart was a David Lynch picture that also scored high marks along the critical and commercial line.
By the time that the early 90s had rolled around, Cage was reportedly making north of $4 million per film, a huge number at the time. In 1995, Cage would amp up his own value by appearing in the Academy Award-winning film, Leaving Las Vegas. Cage agreed to take the role for just $240,000 due to his own love of the script. For Cage's work as the alcoholic Ben Sanderson, Cage would win both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture. Cage would use his success in Leaving Las Vegas to experience true cross-over appeal in several mainstream blockbusters including The Rock (1996), Con Air (1997), and Face/Off (1997). All of the previously mentioned films featured star-studded casts, huge box office numbers, and commercial acclaim for Cage's work.
After starring in the flop that was 8MM (1998), Cage would land $20 million dollar role in Gone in 60 Seconds (2000). The action-racing film would co-star Angelina Jolie and it would become one of Cage's highest-paid films. Cage would pivot from that performance to a starring role in Adaptation (2002) as Charlie Kaufman. Adaptation was a notable departure from his typical work for Cage and the project would end up landing several Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Cage would do some of his finest work in the con-comedy, Matchstick Men (2003) which also starred a young Sam Rockwell.
Now a decorated actor and A-list performer, Cage would land his first chance at a franchise thanks to 2004's National Treasure. The Indiana Jones-esque project featured Cage as a conspiratorial historian with a penchant for breaking the law. The film would become an instant hit and it would spawn a successful sequel in 2007, National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets. Despite finding his broadest commercial success, Cage would immediately experience a draught in quality roles. Cage also had a mediocre run as Johnny Blaze, also known as Marvel's Ghost Rider (2007). The franchise would get poorly reviewed sequel in 2011, titled Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. After National Treasure 2, Cage would drop out of the Darren Aronofsky picture, The Wrestler, which would land an Oscar for Mickey Rourke. Cage would go on to appear in several blockbuster flops including The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010), Season of the Witch (2011), and Stolen (2012).
Cage has appeared in over 100 projects during his career. His most notable recent appearances include as a voice actor in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), and a starring role in the animated film, The Croods 2 (2020).
Outside of Hollywood, Nicolas Cage is known for his eccentric lifestyle and occasional tabloid headlines. He has been married a total of four times. Cage was most recently married to Erika Koike for a total of four days. Cage refuses to publicly discuss his religious and political views, claiming that his characters are far more interesting than what he personally has to say. Cage is a notable philanthropist, and he has intervened during times of tragedy in order to donate toward special causes. Cage donated $1 million in support of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Cage also has worked as an Ambassador for Global Justice for the United Nations, work for which would net him a Humanitarian Award.
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