In Defense of Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is one of the hardest working and most famous actors in Hollywood. He had a successful career, spanning 40 years, a string of box office blockbusters, a string of box office bombs. Although he has a variety of acting options, he has made a name for himself in each role.
In the early ’80s, he began starring in classics like “Fast Days at Ridgemont High,” “The Cotton Club,” and the acclaimed Vietnam War drama “Little Bird,” in which the removal of two front teeth would make him Looking emaciated and disfigured. Classic roles like Peggy Sue Got Married and his Golden Globe nominated role in Moonstruck. Other notable films include Honeymoon in Las Vegas, which earned another Golden Globe nomination, and the romantic comedy It Could Happen to You.
He then worked his way up through the mid-1990s until 2011, winning an Oscar for “Leaving Las Vegas” and starring in a string of box-office successful action films such as “The Rock,” “Air Wars” and “Face Changing” ,” “8mm,” and “Gone in 60 Seconds,” the hit “National Treasure” and its sequel. Then he hit the rocks, starring in a string of high-profile flops and memorable films, and Hollywood couldn’t hold back anymore.
Still, he’s got millions and is considered Hollywood royalty, so things aren’t bad for him, right? We were all wrong. “Tragedy” hit his life in the form of massive debt and the IRS. He burned $150 million in property and owed the IRS $7 million in property taxes. Nicolas Cage then took on just about every movie, good, bad, or worse, even the direct-to-video movies that were offered to him to get out of the debt trap.
Public perception of Cage changed. It doesn’t help that he’s become something of a running joke for his over-the-top performances, and it doesn’t help that a plethora of memes and viral videos of his more outlandish personas and imagery have taken the Internet by storm.
People started seeing him as “the past”; worse, young people who didn’t know him in his prime saw him as a meme. While it touched him emotionally, he seemed to have taken responsibility, patiently keeping his eye on the whetstone, and calmly getting the job done.
In recent years, Cage has experienced a professional renaissance. He has paid off all his debts in full and is set to land a string of high-profile roles in highly anticipated independent and traditional films. While many film critics have been saying that he is a severely underrated actor, many fans now feel that way.
His “energy” is palpable. Even when he says “yes” to any role, you can tell he’s totally invested and never asks for a performance. A tribute to Nicolas Cage over 30 years of varied but always unforgettable performances. You are a true Hollywood legend and all the memes make you even more legendary.
Directed by: Zane Whitener
