Who would have thought the slacker from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, credited as Nicolas Coppola, would grow into one of the most revered actors of all time? After five decades in the business with 107 acting credits under his belt and more along the way, Nicolas Cage has directors and writers who work with him going gaga.
Cage’s first acting gig was The Best of Times in 1981 when he was still known as Nicolas Coppola because he is related to the great film director, producer, and screenwriter, Francis Ford Coppola, known for his work on The Godfather in 1972, Apocalypse Now in 1979, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula in 1992. Why would Nicolas Coppola change his name when his uncle has won five Academy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, and a British Academy Film Award?
Because Nicolas Cage is that good on his own and he doesn’t need nepotism to be brought up in any conversation about him. Just ask writer Robert Kirkman and director Chris McKay of the recently released box office hit Renfield in which Cage takes the character of Dracula a totally different way. In an interview with Collider, both Kirkman and McKay gushed over the idea of getting to work with the great actor.
When asked about having Cage in his movie, Kirman said, “I mean, he’s one of the greatest living actors, like, ever. You know, you can’t list the stunning, memorable, impressive, amazing performances that he’s done over the years. And being able to work with him, you see why he has such longevity, and why he’s been in so many amazing projects.”
Director McKay added, “He’s a movie fan. I mean, he’s a movie fan, he’s a horror movie fan. He’s enthusiastic about the filmmaking process. He loves acting, he loves being on set, he loves creating characters, he loves creating these worlds, and things like that. He is the same person that he is now as when he was a kid, when he was making super eight movies with his cousins and his friends. He’s that enthusiastic about it.”
How ironic is it that his uncle was the producer of Dracula and now he’s playing the role of the possessive narcissist who comes across as a horrible boss more than a romantic vampire? In a film about vampire familiar Renfield who is trying to get out of his toxic relationship with the most famous vampire of all time and using a 12-step self-help program, Cage steals the show—even if he’s not the titular character in a Dracula-based Dracula movie.
