UMVA has learned that Nicolas Cage made a shocking revelation about his interactions with some of Hollywood's most influential directors, claiming they've 'hurt their feelings' by turning down roles in their films.
The Spider Noir star specifically name-dropped acclaimed directors Sir Christopher Nolan, Woody Allen, and Paul Thomas Anderson as high-profile filmmakers who he says have been left with 'hurt feelings' after he declined their offers.
One of the films in question was Nolan's 2002 psychological thriller Insomnia, which came on the heels of his breakout film Memento. Cage also revealed that Paul Thomas Anderson had offered him a role in an early film, after showcasing a short film starring Philip Baker Hall, who also appeared in Anderson's Hard Eight.
In a recent interview, Cage, 62, praised David O. Russell for being 'the only director that I ever said no to who actually came back.' He contrasted this with his experiences with other directors, stating, 'Most of them, they get their feelings hurt and don't call you back. It's happened a million times to me.'
Cage didn't specify which films he might have wanted the directors to call him for, but revealed that O. Russell had offered him a 'good movie' years ago, which he turned down. However, when O. Russell approached him for his upcoming film Madden, Cage almost turned down the role again.
The Amsterdam director ultimately won Cage over, and the actor explained that he took the role to 'get way out of my comfort zone.' He cited advice from David Bowie, who told him, 'How can I get way out of my comfort zone? Which is what David Bowie said to me. I asked him, “How did you keep reinventing yourself?” He said, “I just never got comfortable with anything I was doing.” That's stayed with me.'
Madden follows the life of real-life NFL coach and commentator John Madden, who passed away in December 2021. Cage will star as the American football legend, with a cast that includes Christian Bale, Kathryn Hahn, John Mulaney, and Sienna Miller.
The film's production was reportedly tumultuous, with some cast members walking off set due to disagreements over the use of a sensitive word in an 'impromptu monologue' suggested by Cage. However, O. Russell didn't publicly comment on the incident, and the film continued shooting.
