Nicolas Cage, who has one of the most diverse filmographies in Hollywood, shared which big-name directors stopped calling him after he rejected roles that were offered to him. While discussing his upcoming movie, “Madden,” the actor commended director David O. Russell for having class, despite having turned him down once before.
Cage is known to have passed on some big roles, instead choosing to work on projects he’s passionate about. The actor admitted to cultivating a mysterious mythology about his persona in the past, but now lives an “extraordinarily boring” life.
In an interview with The New York Times, Nicolas Cage discussed his upcoming projects, past roles, and his Hollywood persona. At one point, he was asked about portraying football coach John Madden in the upcoming biographical movie “Madden,” directed by David O. Russell.
The actor explained that he didn’t know much about the legendary NFL coach, but said Russell approached him for the role. Cage mentioned that years before, the director offered him a movie, but he turned it down. “He’s the only director that I ever said no to who actually came back and offered me another movie,” the actor said.
He candidly shared that some directors “get their feelings hurt” and don’t call back, adding that it’s happened to him “a million times.”
The Actor Specified Which Directors Won’t Call Him
Cage mentioned some names, saying, “It’s happened with Christopher Nolan, it’s happened with Woody Allen, it’s happened with Paul Thomas Anderson. They don’t call me back.”
Cage said Nolan offered him a role in the 2002 psychological thriller “Insomnia,” which focused on two homicide detectives investigating a case in Alaska. It featured big-name stars, including Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank.
The actor didn’t mention which films he declined from Anderson and Allen, but said they were “early movies.”
Nicolas Cage Said David O. Russell Showed Class
Cage didn’t go into much detail about the roles he rejected from the directors he mentioned. Instead, he praised Russell for approaching him for “Madden” despite turning him down years before.
“David did call me, and it showed a lot of class that he would call me back and invite me again, and I didn’t want to say no to him again because I have great respect for his talent,” Cage explained. Russell is a critically-acclaimed director, having worked on films such as “The Fighter,” “American Hustle,” and “Silver Linings Playbook.”
Cage shared that filming “Madden” was a “beautiful experience” that he enjoyed with his co-stars, including Christian Bale and John Mulaney, adding that it was challenging for him and he had to get out of his comfort zone to portray the NFL coach.
Notable Roles The Actor Rejected
Cage has turned down many major movie roles, some more notable than others. According to reports, the actor was tapped to play Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings” movies, but he refused, citing that he didn’t want to spend so much time away from his family. The fantasy trilogy was shot simultaneously in New Zealand, and it took about nine months to complete.
The actor also rejected the role of Neo in “The Matrix,” again prioritizing family time. “The Matrix” was shot in Australia, and it meant being away from his family for months.
Another big role Cage turned down was Shrek. Comedian Chris Farley was originally cast to voice the character. However, he passed away before the project was completed, prompting DreamWorks to find a replacement. Cage rejected the role, saying he didn’t want children to associate him with the green ogre. In 2013, however, he said, “Maybe I should have done it.”
Nicolas Cage Lives A ‘Boring’ Life Now
Elsewhere in the interview, Cage admitted that he was impulsive in the past, purchasing homes and properties on a whim and always looking for interesting roles. Now, however, he said he lives an “extraordinarily boring” and “monastic” life and is more averse to taking risks.
His days are spent raising his youngest child, August Francesca, whom he and his wife, Riko Shibata, welcomed in 2022. The actor said that his vices are now caffeine, energy drinks, and doom-scrolling on the internet, adding that apart from those, he isn’t doing any “unexpected things” for now.