He’s the first to admit that in the past, despite successes like “National Treasure,” Hollywood critics haven’t always viewed him as a serious actor. That changed drastically with the action comedy “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” in which Nicolas Cage played himself. What many consider to be his best career performance is now followed by a real dream role for the star. Or better: a nightmare role.
In the science fiction comedy “Dream Scenario” you can only recognize the 59-year-old as university professor Paul Matthews with a stomach and a bald head at second glance. He is a lonely loner with no connections to other people – until he suddenly appears in seemingly everyone’s dreams and becomes a celebrity overnight. And this time too, critics are praising Cage and the film, which has just been released in the USA (it has an incredibly high 93 percent on the rating website Rotten Tomatoes).
COURIER: Your face has been popping up as a meme for years – online or even on T-shirts. Your character in the film feels the same way because he suddenly seems to be everywhere.
Nicolas Cage: That’s why I didn’t have to act, I could just put my own life experience into my role (laughs). I think I’m the first actor who woke up in the morning and had to watch a damn montage of various temper tantrums and panic attacks from films of himself online. I think it was called “Nicolas Cage Goes Away”. (Original: “Nicolas Cage loses his shit”)
Hardly recognizable: Nicolas Cage in a scene from his new film “Dream Scenario”A24/AP
Did that upset you because you didn’t give consent?
You feel helpless because you simply have no legal means to stop it. It went around the world overnight and got bigger and bigger. And then came the so-called meme-fication with Photoshop. As you said, this is how my digitally manipulated image ended up on T-shirts and I don’t know where. There was a lot building up inside me…
…what were you able to put into your role?
Exactly. When I read the script for “Dream Scenario,” I knew: I can now turn all my negative experiences into gold and invest it in Paul Matthews. I was able to include other personal aspects.
Which ones were they?
My father August was also an academic and taught as a professor at the university in the 60s and 70s. I noticed firsthand the pressure he was under. He always had to expect that the students would band together against him and that he could lose his job. I immediately thought of that when I was offered the Paul Matthews role.
You play a loner who is suddenly famous and recognized everywhere. What is your personal relationship with fame?
For me, fame is like gambling. When you win, you feel like the best in the world – at the top. But when fame conspires against you, the feeling of loss is profound. You feel like you fall deeper than you previously rose. The sad thing about Paul is that he never wanted to be a rock star or a movie star, he just longed for a quiet life with his family. He was a normal guy – which is what makes this film so relevant to everyone.
Elisabeth Shue and Nicolas Cagewho won an Oscar for his performance.Picturelux/Imago
Because nowadays anyone can easily become famous through social media!
Correct. And often completely unintentionally. Everyone has a cell phone with a camera these days. And with that you can make some stranger on the plane or the guy in the supermarket go viral. And that’s exactly why it was so important to make this film a reality. I’ve been in the business for 45 years now and “Dream Scenario” is one of the five scripts where I immediately said, “The movie just has to be made!”
What were the other four films?
“Leaving Las Vegas,” “Raising Arizona,” “Vampire’s Kiss,” and “Adaptation.” I just had to be a part of these, come what may. I said to the director of “Dream Scenario,” “This movie is just too important not to make. I know exactly how to play the role!”
Have dreams already played an important role in your life?
In any case. I get acting tips in my dreams. If I’m stressed and nervous before a scene because I don’t know exactly how to act it – then I sleep on it. And I dream about it. I then apply the content of my dream, the feeling I got.
What was the craziest dream you’ve ever had?
I had some wonderfully crazy dreams that even turned out to be premonitions. I once dreamed of a two-headed eagle. And the next day I got the opportunity to buy a two-headed snake. Of course I couldn’t say no.
Does she live at home with you?
No, it was too much effort to keep the two heads from attacking each other at dinner. I donated them to a zoo! ■
2023-11-10 14:54:43
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