Nicolas Cage Says Acting Is Like Mixed Martial Arts, Which Explains A Lot
I would argue that there are few actors more entertaining to watch than Nicolas Cage. Frankly, I don't care what movie he's in or how good or bad it is. Just watching him act is pure joy and weirdness, and I love every second of it. Admit it; if "Superman Lives" starring Cage had actually happened, you would have done anything to watch it, no matter how bizarre it was. His acting style is certainly not typical, and that's why we love him so very much.
Cage spoke during THR's annual Actor Roundtable (via CBR) about what he does, and compared his approach to acting to martial arts:
"I would say there's no real style of acting. It's almost like a mixed martial art ... It can be whatever you want it to be. You can combine, you can create your Jeet Kune Do with acting. Don't get trapped in a style. Don't get trapped in naturalism, and be open to your dreams. Your imagination is your most important tool, and there are ways to augment your imagination, healthy ways to augment your imagination, so that you're not necessarily doing, you're being. Dreams. Dreams are important."
'Don't Get Trapped in Naturalism'
Jeet Kune Do is the martial arts style adapted and made famous by Bruce Lee. The line about not getting trapped in naturalism explains a whole lot about Cage's acting style.
I love everything about this. You can't watch Cage in things like "Mandy," "Pig," or "The Wicker Man" without falling head over heels in love with this goofy, crazy, absolutely compelling nuttiness. Whatever you think of his acting, you can't argue that no one else in the world is like Nicolas Cage. Not a single person.
I once got to speak to him on the set of "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" and he was a delight. I don't have any memory of what he said about the movie, but somehow we got onto his love for mythology. His intensity about it was everything you could possibly hope for.
His thoughts on his acting style are one of the things getting me pumped to see him play Dracula in Universal Pictures' "Renfield." Watching his wild version of the bloodsucker against Nicholas Hoult's titular Renfield is going to be the movie event of the year. Between Cage's signature delivery and Hoult's clippy wit (watch him in "The Great" if you want to see something really fun), this may be my most anticipated film of the next little while.
You keep following your dreams, Mr. Cage. We will continue to watch you do it with the greatest joy.