Few actors in Hollywood are as recognizable and beloved by moviegoers as Nicolas Cage. From making box office blockbusters like The Rock to Oscar-winning dramas such as Leaving Las Vegas, Cage has been a cultural mainstay for decades.
Despite his popularity, there are many things about the eccentric Nicolas Cage you probably didn’t know. Below are some of the more fascinating facts about the Con Air star!
Cage Isn’t His Real Name
While he may have one of the coolest names in Hollywood, Nicolas Cage is only a screen name and not his given name. Cage was born Nicolas Kim Coppola, which makes him part of Hollywood royalty.
His uncle is legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, known for the iconic The Godfather film trilogy, Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, and many more critical and commercial hits. Knowing the famous name would follow him his entire career, he changed it to Cage early on.
He Loves Classic Cars
Many people know Cage for his spending habits, and those habits extend to his classic cars. As owner of one of the world’s most outstanding celebrity classic car collections, Cage has collected classic models from Porsche, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and many more iconic brands. You could say his car collection is a true national treasure!
Related: Cars Owned By Your Favorite Actors
He Also Collects Exotic Animals
Along with collecting some of the most exotic cars in the world, Cage also has a penchant for collecting exotic animals. Over the years, Cage has said he’s owned many animals, big and small, exotic and mundane, including crows, a pet octopus, a two-headed snake, and multiple king cobras. Cage has said the animals are inspirations for his acting.
Related: The Best Animal Movies on Netflix
He Once Helped a Shooting Victim
Before his role as an overworked paramedic in the 1999 Martin Scorsese film Bringing Out the Dead, Cage wanted to get real-world experience by riding along with paramedics. He mostly observed and didn’t perform any paramedic duties, but he did lend a hand occasionally.
There was one instance where Cage helped a shooting victim by taking the gum out of his mouth to keep him from choking. The victim recognized Cage but assumed he was hallucinating—understandably!
He’s a Dedicated Philanthropist
While we’ve talked about some of the odd things Cage has bought with his fortune, he’s also helped those less fortunate by supporting many causes and charities worldwide. Over the years, he’s supported charities such as Amnesty International, Ocean, and Chrysalis. Some of the other causes Cage has devoted financial support to include animal conservation, disaster relief, women’s rights, and many more.
Nicolas Cage is such an eccentric character who has lived such a whirlwind of a life that we could probably list another 20 things you probably didn’t know about him! The next time you watch Face/Off or National Treasure, remember that after filming, the Coppola descendant likely drove back home in a priceless Ferrari to feed his exotic pets!
Our Favorite Nicholas Cage Movies
- The Rock
- Leaving Las Vegas
- Con Air
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- Face/Off
- National Treasure
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