Nicolas Cage did not want to play ‘Nicky’ Cage in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’

Nicolas Cage has graced cinema screens for decades, has become a legend unto himself with his style of acting, and just admitted he initially did not want to play himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a film about his myth.

“I turned it down three or four times. I wanted no part of it. But when I got [director Tom Gormican’s] letter, then I thought, ‘Ok, he’s not just trying to mock so-called Nick Cage; there is a real interest in some of the earlier work.’ His tone was more of a celebration of moments – like being at the bottom of the pool in Leaving Las Vegas or the gold guns in Face/Off. I think the movie is good. I don’t think I want to watch it again. It is a trip man, to watch two versions of yourself acting off of each other.”

The man who turned The Wicker Man into an amazing unintentional comedy made the comments about his upcoming work in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, published today. In the piece, set to release next month, Cage is an egocentric, down-at-heels version of himself who accepts $1 million to party in Spain with a super-fan. While there, Cage discovers the fan is in reality a drug lord, and has to channel his most iconic roles to save the day and his family. Cage is producing, The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal plays antagonist Javi and, though parts of the movie do comment on the Cage the world knows, he made clear in the interview he is not too much like the silly version audiences will see.

“It’s hard to put family life aside – that is the biggest departure in Tom’s movie. I always putt family first, and I turned down some enormous opportunities as a result of that. When I was in a divorce situation [in 2001 from Patricia Arquette], I wouldn’t leave Weston to be in New Zealand for three years shooting The Lord of the Rings or The Matrix. My choice was always wanting to stay in L.A. and be with my son. A version of Nick Cage that doesn’t want to spent time with his kid doesn’t exist.”

The movie will be premiering at South by Southwest Sunday.