Nicolas Cage Addresses Online Backlash: Acting Wasn't Meant to Be Memed

Article Overview

Nicolas Cage didn't intend to become a meme through his acting career and had no control over it. He hoped it would encourage people to appreciate his movies.

Cage acknowledges the extent of his spoofing and fully embraces his meme status, which is evident in his participation in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.

Although he is often recognized for his roles that have become memes, Cage is an adaptable actor with significant accomplishments in serious projects. Furthermore, he has managed to maintain a balance between action-packed films and independent endeavors in recent times.

Actor Nicolas Cage addresses the abundance of memes derived from his extensive acting career spanning several decades. Recognized for his acclaimed performances in films like Leaving Las Vegas and Raising Arizona, as well as his less well-known works such as Con Air, Renfield, and the 2006 rendition of The Wicker Man, Cage's acting journey has embraced diversity. This year, he takes on the lead role in Dream Scenario, a surreal comedy centered around an individual who unexpectedly pops up in the dreams of countless strangers.

In light of the meme-dominated online reactions to his roles over the years, Cage offers his response. During an interview with The Guardian, Cage expressed that his intention was never to become a subject of memes when he entered the film industry. Regarding the culture of memes that has subsequently emerged from his body of work, Cage asserted that he had no authority over its development. Read Cage's complete statement below:

I pursued a career in acting because I found film performances to be incredibly captivating compared to any other art form. The notion of becoming a meme was never my intention when I entered the world of movies. It was a novel experience, and I eventually became comfortable with it, although it required some adjustment. I had hoped that perhaps these memes would encourage people to revisit my films, but unfortunately, I had no control over how they were perceived. This same lack of control is mirrored in 'Dream Scenario' through the character of Paul, who also faces an inexplicable phenomenon that he cannot manipulate or understand.

Nicolas Cage’s Career Strikes A Unique Line Between Meme and Masterwork

In this interview, Cage exhibits a heightened sense of self-awareness that has become increasingly noticeable in recent years throughout his professional journey. Notably, Cage portrayed a remarkably fictionalized version of himself in the film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a production that unabashedly delved into his own career. As indicated in the aforementioned quote, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent showcased Cage's astute recognition of how frequently he is parodied, prompting him to embrace this notion by playfully satirizing his own persona.

More fascinating than the Cage memes themselves is the intriguing balance between his meme-like roles and his more profound work. Cage's portrayal in films like Renfield, where he energetically channels previous iterations of Dracula, is remarkably over-the-top. However, he is also an Oscar-winning actor (for Leaving Las Vegas) who has delivered a number of incredibly compelling performances, such as in 2003's Adaptation and 1987's Moonstruck.

In recent years, Cage's career has perfectly exemplified the dichotomy between his meme-worthy roles and his masterful work. He has simultaneously embraced the world of action films, as seen in movies like 2019's Primal and 2023's The Old Way, while also exploring more subdued indie projects. In this latter category, Cage has showcased some of his finest performances to date. In Pig, he demonstrates his ability to intimately connect with a complex and troubled character, while in the upcoming Dream Scenario, he portrays an ordinary person bewildered by their baffling claim to fame.

Source: The Guardian

Editor's P/S

Nicolas Cage's acting career has spanned several decades and has seen him take on a wide variety of roles, from the acclaimed Leaving Las Vegas to the more meme-worthy Con Air and Renfield. In a recent interview, Cage addressed the abundance of memes derived from his extensive acting career, saying that he never intended to become a meme and had no control over it. He also expressed his hope that the memes would encourage people to revisit his films.

I think it's great that Nicolas Cage has embraced his meme status and is able to laugh at himself. It shows that he's a good sport and that he doesn't take himself too seriously. I also think it's interesting that he hopes the memes will encourage people to revisit his films. I think this is a great way to introduce new audiences to his work and to show them that he's more than just a meme.