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Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage named himself after a Marvel character, but the actor himself has no aspirations to ever star in a Marvel movie. In an acceptance speech for his Legend and Groundbreaker award at the Miami Film Festival recently, Cage plainly said, “I don’t need to be in the MCU, I’m Nic Cage,” according to Variety.
Cage nearly starred in a DC movie, Superman Lives, and there are even pictures of Cage in the Superman suit available online. But it didn’t work out in the end.
During his speech, Cage said he would never put Marvel movies down, given his personal history with the series. But he understands how some people are upset about the state of superhero movies today.
“I’ve gotta be nice about Marvel movies, because I named myself after a Stan Lee character named Luke Cage. What am I going to do, put Marvel movies down? Stan Lee is my surrealistic father. He named me,” Cage said. “I understand what the frustration is. I get it. But I think there’s plenty of room for everybody. I’m seeing movies like Tár. I’m seeing all kinds of artistic and independently driven movies. I think there’s plenty of room for everybody.”
Cage, the nephew of iconic director Francis Ford Coppola, was born Nicolas Kim Coppola before changing his name to Nicolas Cage in honor of the Marvel character Luke Cage.
Cage won an Oscar for 1995’s Leaving Las Vegas, though he was never paid for that movie. He later starred in the blockbuster National Treasure series and popular films like The Rock and Face/Off. He will be seen next as Dracula in the movie Renfield.
