Nicolas Cage Explains Why He Fears Hollywood

Nicolas Cage Updates: Actor Nicolas Cage reflects on his journey from Hollywood to become a regular star in indie cinema. Nicolas Cage said why he does not intend to return to Hollywood to make further films.

Pig, his most recent feature, will hit theatres on July 16. The film, directed and co-written by Michael Sarnoski and Vanessa Block, is about truffle hunter Rob (Cage) in the Oregon wilderness. When his foraging pig is taken by unknown assailants, he is forced to return to Portland and confront his past in order to find his stolen pig. Both the film and Cage have received critical acclaim.

Cage’s career has been somewhat varied since making his feature film debut in 1982 in a small role in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He’s been in a number of major Hollywood films and has received numerous accolades for his work, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Academy Award for his portrayal in 1995’s Leaving Las Vegas. His later work, however, centered on the independent film scene, with films such as Pig and the Lovecraftian Color Out of Space. He has a sizable cult following, mainly primarily to his more outrageous performances.

What Nicolas Cage Explained?

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Cage discussed his character’s journey in Pig and how similar it is to some of his own experiences in an interview with Variety. He compared Rob’s departure from the Portland scene to Rob’s departure from the Hollywood scene. Cage discussed his creative freedom as an actor, as well as the pressures of filming a big-budget Hollywood film. Cage’s entire remarks are included below:

“I feel like I’ve wandered off into my own wilderness, away from the little town that is Hollywood. I’m not sure why Rob quit his celebrity. It’s never fully explained, which is one of the things I admire about the film. But, as for myself, I’m not sure I’d want to go back. I’m not sure I’d want to make another Disney film. It’d be terrifying. It’s a completely different climate. There’s a lot of anxiety there.”

“It was a high-pressure game when I was making Jerry Bruckheimer movies back-to-back. There were many enjoyable moments, but there were also some ‘ This line was written by us. It has to be said in this manner. They’d put a camera on you, photograph you, and then tell you to say the roller skate training wheels line. ‘I’ll do that, but I’d also like to do it this way,’ I’d add. Independent films give you greater leeway to experiment and be creative. There is less pressure in the room, and there is more oxygen.”

Not all of Cage’s films have been deemed successful, yet many of them have inspired the creation of memes on the internet. Despite how awful the film is, his portrayal as Edward Malus in the 2006 adaptation of The Wicker Man is still remembered. While he doesn’t appear to be interested in returning to Hollywood films, he is nevertheless a big draw for the films in which he appears. The fact that he draws attention to what would otherwise be minor projects is a significant asset.

Cage gives an incredibly sophisticated performance in Pig, delivering a quiet, controlled performance. This is a part of the actor that some fans may have thought was gone forever, but he’s demonstrated that he can move from “Cage wrath,” as he calls it, to a really intimate performance.

There’s no doubt that he could get back into Hollywood films if he wanted to, but there’s something special about Cage working in indie filmmaking. He can do more than just read lines; he can completely immerse himself in a character on TV. Hopefully, audiences will be able to see Cage’s dramatic range in his future work.