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Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage has collaborated with countless acclaimed directors throughout his decades-long career, from John Woo and Michael Bay to David Lynch and his own uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, to name just a few. Yet, there remain some celebrated filmmakers Cage regrets never having worked with—and, according to him, the chances of those dream collaborations happening in the future are slim.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Cage revealed that he has turned down numerous offers from major directors over the years. However, once rejected, most of these filmmakers never approached him again for subsequent projects. The sole exception, he noted, was David O. Russell, who recently re-engaged Cage for a biographical film about American football coach John Madden, titled "Madden," which was then slated for a year-end release.
Cage recounted, "A long time ago, David O. Russell offered me a movie. It was a good film, he offered it to me, and I turned it down. He’s the only director who, after I said no, came back and offered me another movie. Most directors get very hurt and never call you again. I’ve had that happen many times. Christopher Nolan, Woody Allen, Paul Thomas Anderson—they never called me back."
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Cage clarified that Nolan had initially approached him for "Insomnia," though he didn't specify which role. As for Paul Thomas Anderson, Cage only recalled it being for one of the director's very early works but couldn't remember the specific title.
Expressing his appreciation for Russell's persistence, Cage added, "So, David called me, and for him to reach out again and offer me a part, it just shows what a classy guy he is. I didn’t want to say no again, because I admire his talent so much. It was a wonderful experience. I really enjoyed working with David, and I enjoyed working with Christian Bale and John Mulaney. It was also a huge challenge for me, because I couldn’t relate to John Madden, so I thought, 'Okay, how do I get out of my comfort zone?' David Bowie told me something similar once. I asked him, 'How do you keep reinventing yourself?' And he said, 'I’m never satisfied with what I’m doing.' That always stuck with me."
via： The New York Times