Nicolas Cage’s Love of Metal Music Is Embedded in His Acting

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As a movie enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of cinema, I can confidently say that Nicolas Cage is one of the most captivating and versatile actors of our time. From his early roles to his recent projects, he consistently delivers performances that are nothing short of electrifying.

Sharing a passion for heavy metal music can be an effective ice-breaker before embarking on a film project, as director Steven C. Miller discovered when working with Nicolas Cage on the action film “Arsenal” in 2017. In a conversation with MovieWeb about his latest action-horror film “Werewolves“, Miller shared an unexpected connection he made with Cage during that collaboration – they both love metal music. As Miller explained to MovieWeb, “I don’t think many people would realize that Nicolas Cage is a big fan of metal.

In our initial chats, it seemed like we were merely discussing metal bands for quite some time. To be honest, I’m not sure we ever got around to discussing the movie project that we were supposed to work on. He had flown me in to meet with him, you know, to gauge if I was the right fit for the role he had in mind.

“We talked about music for the first hour before we even got to the movie. And we just had a blast talking about bands, talking about metal, talking about what he loved about that stuff, and how [heavy metal] sort of is infused into his personality when acting. And you can kind of see it when you think about it. You’re like, ‘Okay, yeah, I get it. I totally get it.’”

It became apparent that Miller and Cage shared a passion for heavy metal music, so we inquired about any specific bands they both enjoyed. “Metallica was one that particularly resonated with me since he also liked it, as well as Black Sabbath,” Miller shared, “and I enthusiastically responded, ‘Man, we’re speaking the same language here. We could chat about this for hours!’ […] There were some lesser-known bands too, such as Darkest Hour, which he was familiar with, and I was surprised to find out because they seemed very underground to me. We had an exciting moment of mutual appreciation for some cool metal bands.

The Many Faces of Nicolas Cage

Switch it up: In various roles portrayed by Nicolas Cage, you’ll find an intense, metallic-like quality. From movies like “Leaving Las Vegas,” “Vampire’s Kiss,” and “Wild at Heart” to more recent ones such as “Ghost Rider,” “Renfield,” “Dream Scenario,” and “Longlegs,” Cage demonstrates exceptional acting skills, often pushing his performances to the limit (particularly when he sports long, flowing hair, as seen in “Moonstruck,” “Con Air,” and his standout role in “Pig”). In “Arsenal” directed by Miller, Cage shared the screen with John Cusack and Adrian Grenier. The narrative revolves around a Southern businessman who is on a mission to save his mobster brother, who has been kidnapped by a ruthless crime boss (played by none other than Nicolas Cage).

Miller expressed that Cage is not only an actor but also someone who enjoys improvising quite a bit. He admitted he wasn’t aware of this side of him earlier. He further mentioned, “Being on set with him, he unexpectedly said, ‘Let’s go in a completely different direction with this scene. Shall we give it a try?’ If Nic had any ideas, I was fully supportive.

In a series of impressive ventures, Miller’s movie stood out as a significant milestone in his filmmaking career, setting the stage for future projects like “First Kill” featuring Bruce Willis, “Line of Duty” starring Aaron Eckhart, and the upcoming action-horror flick “Werewolves,” led by Frank Grillo (known for “The Purge,” “Creature Commandos,” and “Superman”). The movie follows a chilling night where a supermoon awakens a hidden gene in humans, turning them into monstrous beasts. Grillo portrays one of the characters striving to save humanity in what could very well be Miller’s most impressive work (until another collaboration with Cage occurs). “Arsenal” is currently streaming on Prime Video and Apple TV+. “Werewolves” will hit theaters on December 6.

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2024-12-09 06:01