"Maybe this has something to do with the characters I played" - When Nicolas Cage opened up about him being a funny internet phenomenon

Nicolas Cage's movies and personality have been a source of much amusement in the previous few years. The veteran actor is remembered for the right reasons, but he is also often associated with his larger-than-life roles and presence in the "meme culture."

From audacious products featuring Cage to multiple memes shared on social media platforms, the actor has become one of the most popular faces online. Cage was asked about this in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2022 when the acclaimed The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent was almost released.

When asked about this, Cage seemed to express that he wasn't quite sure why this phenomenon had taken over. He said:

"The main thing that goes through my head is, 'Why?' There are a lot of other actors who are far more famous than I am that don't have this. Maybe this has something to do with the characters I played and the way the internet cherry-picks facial expressions that I made the choice to do in film because I wanted to break free from naturalism."

Cage went on to further explain the expressions he used and why he used them, which possibly went on to become viral internet memes.

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Nicolas Cage breaks down the facial expressions that made him a meme-favorite

As Nicolas Cage pointed out, there are indeed more popular actors at the moment, and the actor is not a comical actor either. However, as we have seen in recent years, the most random things often make their way to the top of viral material available online.

Some Nicolas Cage stills have been converted into other products as well, like a creepy-looking sequin pillow. The product was also shown in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, leading to this particular conversation.

After explaining how he wanted to break away from naturalism while trying to explain why he had the facial expressions that made him such a meme-favorite, Nicolas Cage said:

"I was trying to be abstract. Naturalism is a style, and I wanted to get more expressionistic. In movies like Vampire's Kiss or Face/Off, these characters are larger than life, and all had issues — whether it be mental illness or drug addiction or whatever."

He continued:

"There's an organic engine driving this behavior, and that was why I made the decision to apply myself and experiment....I think the internet's response to it, that they've tapped into it vicariously, is because these characters are doing things we all want to do, but we're too well-behaved to actually do in our own lives."

While Nicolas Cage's explanation seems logical, it is impossible to actually point out why Cage is such an internet phenomenon. Sometimes, memes have also poked fun at Cage's film selection, something which was also discussed in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.

Cage concluded on a positive note, adding:

"In a way, it's gratifying. Ultimately, it meant there's a connection with the audience, and people are getting something from it. That's positive."

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Since then, Nicolas Cage has done a series of serious movies, with his most recent appearance in Longlegs receiving great acclaim.

Nicolas Cage is also slated to appear in multiple projects in 2025, including The Gunslinger and The Prince.