Nicolas Cage Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions

Hi, I'm Nicolas Cage,

and this is the Wired Autocomplete Interview.

[upbeat music]

What do I find out when I google myself?

Well, usually something that I know is not true,

and I usually have to call somebody

to let them know that I am not an imposter

who is taking money from someone in England.

Those are the reasons why it's a good idea to do it,

but it is a slippery slope.

You can get your feelings hurt.

[upbeat music]

Oh, so I gotta go like that. Perfect. Yep.

Okay. What is your favorite Nicolas Cage film and why?

My favorite Nicolas Cage film is Pig.

I thought it was like a folk song,

I thought it was like a haiku.

I felt that in that movie I had become seasoned

and I had entered the room.

[Interviewer] What's the hardest role you've ever done?

The hardest role I've ever done

would be the one that I'm talking about.

Massive talent to play yourself,

or some version of so-called Nic Cage in a comedy

was a bit of a high-wire act for me.

What car does Nicolas Cage drive in 'Gone in 60 Seconds'?

In that movie, I was driving a Shelby GT 500

from the sixties.

It's a famous car by the name of Eleanor now.

[Interviewer] And did you do your own stunts in that?

How much did you drive?

I did do my own stunts in that.

I did go to a high performance driving school

and I was working with Johnny Martin on that.

And we were doing the 360s and the donuts

and the whole kit and caboodle. [chuckles]

What does Nicolas Cage want to be called?

You can just call me Nic, or Nicolas, or Nicky, you know.

What is Nicolas Cage,

what is Nicolas Cage's dream role?

I'm gonna add an apostrophe s.

My dream role, I like the idea of playing Captain Nemo

from Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

I love the ocean, he loved the ocean. No acting, please.

What did Nicolas Cage steal in 'National Treasure'?

As Ben Gates, I stole the Declaration of Independence.

Imagine that, hmm. Kaboom.

Why? Why Nicolas Cage?

I don't know why, you tell me why.

Why did Nicolas Cage change his name?

I changed my name because I was doing a little movie

called Fast Times at Ridgemont High,

and I was still Nicolas Coppola,

and people would not stop saying things like,

I love the smell of Nicolas in the morning,

because of Apocalypse Now, and Robert Duvall saying,

I love the smell of napalm in the morning,

and it made it hard to work, and I decided,

I don't need this, so I changed it to Cage.

It's a combination of Luke Cage from Marvel comics,

who was a character I liked, also named Power Man,

and John Cage, the avant-garde composer.

Speaks volumes about everything I've been up to ever since.

Why does Nicolas Cage drink soda in 'Willy's Wonderland'?

Well, you probably know the answer to that better than I do.

I think anything that you think as to why,

is a far better answer than anything I could offer you.

That is your personal connection

with the character in Willy's Wonderland

and your personal connection with what's in the soda can.

It can be whatever you want and it will be right.

Why is Nicolas Cage missing a tooth in 'Moonstruck'?

[Nicolas chuckles]

Well, I did a movie called Birdy.

I still had baby teeth, and I had my teeth pulled

so that the adult teeth could come in.

When I did Moonstruck,

I was still kind of a spring chicken,

and the baby teeth still had not come in yet.

So there's that. Ba-bomb.

Does Nicolas Cage find the pig? I can't answer that.

The answer is actually in the movie,

but you may have another answer for it

that might be more appropriate

for your version of the movie.

Does Nicolas Cage know martial arts?

I started practicing Wing Chun with Sifu Jim Lao

when I was 12 years old, because I wanted to be Bruce Lee.

I've always been fascinated by

the choreography, if you will, of martial arts,

all martial arts, but I don't practice anymore.

Did Nicolas Cage go upstairs at Graceland?

That is not any of your business.

Did Nicolas Cage buy a pyramid?

That is not any of your business.

Did Nicolas Cage win in Oscar for 'Leaving Las Vegas'?

I don't know, did I?

How old were Nicolas Cage and Cher in 'Moonstruck'?

I don't really know.

I think I was in my early twenties,

and I don't know how old Cher was.

How did Nicolas Cage get a two-headed snake?

Yeah, that was very strange.

I had been having strange dreams about two-headed eagles,

and I, this is a true story,

somebody contacted my agency and said,

Oh, there's a person

that found a two-headed snake in Norwalk, the next day.

Isn't that weird?

How is Nicolas Cage related to Francis Ford Coppola?

Well, he's my uncle.

How many tattoos does Nicolas Cage have?

I think about 12.

How is Nicolas Cage doing?

I'm doing great. [crew laughing]

[Nicolas chuckles]

Is Nicolas Cage, is Nicolas Cage

in 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High'?

About that much.

I never lied about my age

when I was auditioning for the part,

but I was auditioning for Judge Reinhold's character,

and he was great in the movie, he's a really good actor.

They thought they couldn't work with me,

the hours they wanted, 'cause I was too young.

They reduced me to Brad's bud number two.

And that's probably a good thing.

Is Nicolas Cage a pilot? I am not a pilot.

I wish I was a pilot, but I am not a pilot.

Is Nicolas Cage a method actor?

It depends upon the method.

Is Nicolas Cage a genius?

I could never answer that.

You answer that, I don't know what I am.

Is Nicolas Cage a nice guy?

I hope so. I try to be.

I aspire to be. And you missed one there.

Oh, I did?

Oh. Is Nicolas Cage goth?

I like a bit of mist in the morning,

and I like being in England when the fog rolls in,

and I like Edgar Allen Poe and I like Mary Shelley,

and I like Gothic architecture.

And so, yeah, there is a strong goth element

in some of my tastes.

Can! Can Nicolas Cage.

Can Nicolas Cage, shall I guess what it is

before I open it?

Can Nicolas Cage sing?

See, telepathy.

Sometimes I sing. I used to go and karaoke and that's fun.

I find it relaxing.

But I wouldn't say I'm a professional singer

by any stretch of the imagination.

Can Nicolas Cage play the mandolin?

Well, I did play the mandolin

in Captain Corelli's Mandolin, however, that was like

an immersion of learning these two songs,

and I have subsequently

forgotten entirely how to play the mandolin.

Can Nicolas Cage speak Russian? I cannot speak Russian.

Can Nicolas Cage swim?

I can swim. I love swimming.

Swimming is one of my favorite things to do.

Yay! Here we are.

It's the final board. Are you ready?

What is Nicolas Cage's next movie?

Right now, I'm currently working on a movie

called Renfield, which is exciting.

Nicholas Hoult plays Renfield,

and I'm supporting him in the role of Dracula.

Movie where Nicolas Cage sees the future,

was called Next.

I also like that movie. I think that movie was pretty good.

Will Nicolas Cage be in the MCU? I have no idea.

How many Nicolas Cage movies have you seen?

Well, I've seen 'em all, because they're all my children,

and I like to view them

and then release them into the world.

As you know, I'm not on any social media,

so this is new for me

and I hope it was as enjoyable for you as it was for me,

and thank you. [chuckles]