Throwback to when Nicolas Cage shared his unique dietary choices based on animals’ ‘dignified’ behavior

Modified Dec 03, 2024 20:30 GMT

"The Surfer" Red Carpet - The 77th Annual Cannes Film Festival - Source: Getty — Nicolas Cage (Image via Getty)

Hollywood A-lister Nicolas Cage has starred in popular films like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Moonstruck, Raising Arizona, Adaptation, Con Air, Face/Off, and Gone in 60 Seconds, among others. He is also known for his work in film franchises like the National Treasure (2004-2007) and Ghost Rider (2007-2012).

Cage, who is the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola, won the Academy Award for his role as a dying alcoholic in the 1995 film Leaving Las Vegas.

In his long career, Nicolas Cage has garnered plenty of attention for his off-screen antics as well. He has frequently made headlines for his extravagant purchases, including a 67-million-year-old dinosaur head, a handful of islands, and the first 'Superman' comic, among others. The actor also once shared his unique and specific diet, which made a buzz among the masses.

What did Nicolas Cage say about his eating habits?

Nicolas Cage with the cast of The Surfer in 2024 (Image via Getty)

In 2010, the Raising Arizona actor revealed to The Sun that he is careful about only eating animals that exhibit 'dignified' mating behavior. He went on to explain:

"I actually choose the way I eat according to the way animals have s*x. I think fish are very dignified with s*x. So are birds. But pigs, not so much. So I don’t eat pig meat or things like that. I eat fish and fowl."

The strange remark was not the first time the actor had showcased his unusual interest in animals. A self-professed animal lover, Nicolas Cage has been fascinated with animals since the beginning of his career.

In the past, he owned a pet octopus, two cobras named Moby and Sheba, and a crow named Hoogan. As reported by The Guardian in May 2010, he also bought a two-headed snake named Harvey to protect him, which was later donated to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.

Furthermore, Nicolas Cage has a tattoo of a lizard wearing a top hat on his back. He also admitted to eating a live cockroach during the filming of the 1988 comedy film Vampire's Kiss.

However, one of his most bizarre animal stories was when he revealed consuming magic mushrooms with his cat, Lewis. Cage recounted the hilarious incident during his appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman in July 2010, saying:

"I had a bag of mushrooms in my refrigerator. My cat used to sneak into the refrigerator and eat them. He [the cat] ate them voraciously. It was like catnip to him. So I thought what the heck, I better do it with him."

He described this experience with his cat as follows:

"I remember lying in my bed for hours and Lewis was on the desk across from the bed for hours, staring at each other... not moving. But he would stare at me and I had no doubt he was my brother.”

Nicolas Cage's latest film got a positive reception

Nicolas Cage seen at the Los Angeles premiere of Longlegs in 2024 (Image via Getty)

Nicolas Cage's latest role saw him play the titular serial killer in the horror thriller film Longlegs. Osgood Perkins wrote and directed the movie, while Cage served as the producer along with Chris Ferguson, Dave Caplan, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and Dan Kagan.

Longlegs was released on July 12, 2024, and was well-received by critics. It was made on a modest budget of less than $10 million, and earned nearly $127 million in its worldwide box office collection, as per Box Office Mojo.

In addition to Cage, the film's cast also included Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Dakota Daulby, Michelle Choi-Lee, Kiernan Shipka, Jason Day, Lisa Chandler, Ava Kelders, Carmel Amit, and Peter Bryant, among others.

Edited by Janhavi Chauhan