Nic Cage plays Nick Cage in new movie: ‘It was terrifying’

Is it strange to play a version of yourself written by someone else? Ask screen icon Nicolas Cage that question and the movie geek in him comes out.

“What was that line Jeremy Irons said in that movie?” he posed in Austin, Texas, during the SXSW premiere of his new film, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.”

“Yes, it was in ‘Reversal of Fortune’ when someone says to Jeremy, ‘You’re a very strange man.’ And he looks back at him and replies, ‘You have no idea how strange I am,’ ” Cage said.

In a red and black plaid suit, perhaps the most interesting actor ever to hit the big screen admitted that the crazy-funny action-comedy in which Nic Cage plays Nick Cage … wasn’t a no-brainer.

“It was a high-wire act. It was terrifying,” the 58-year-old Las Vegan said. “No muscle in my body told me how to play any version of me. And because of that, it scared the crap out of me.

“And because of that I knew I had to do it,” he added.

In the movie, a struggling, fictionalized Cage, who was at the top of the box office, is now known for taking on many roles. Audiences find him spending his money and dealing with his agent (Neil Patrick Harris), who says he can make a million bucks just by showing up at a Spanish billionaire’s birthday party.

He’s in because he owes $600,000 to a hotel. At the same time, the man who says “I didn’t go anywhere” needs a comeback.

In Spain, he meets his biggest fan, his host Javi (Pedro Pascal), who just wants to spend time with Cage — and for the star to read his screenplay. Enter two CIA agents (Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz) who also need to see Cage. They want his help to find the kidnapped teen daughter of a Catalan presidential candidate. Meanwhile, Cage plays all Cages.

The film debuted with a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Next up for Cage is a frontier epic called “Butcher’s Crossing,” about a team of buffalo hunters on a journey that puts their lives and sanity at risk.

Review-Journal: You’ve always been an eclectic dresser. Where did you find the plaid suit?

Nicolas Cage: I’m a big fan of shortbread, so I wanted to wear my shortbread plaid tin can in suit form. In fact, I was looking to break out my plaid, and I couldn’t think of a better time to do it than here.

Is this film life imitating art, or vice versa, in your new film?

It was just life imitating art or art imitating life. It was just bizarre.

What were some of your first thoughts when you heard the plot about … you?

It’s interesting. They were doing all of this without my knowledge. When I first heard about it, I said, “No, I’m not doing it. I’m not interested. Get somebody else.” Then Tom (writer Tom Gormican) wrote me a very thoughtful, very enthusiastic letter. I realized he wasn’t trying to do an Andy Samberg “Saturday Night Live” sketch. He was actually interested in some of the earlier work and showcasing it. He had references to some of the other movies. I thought, “OK, this guy is serious and intelligent. Plus, he wrote some really beautiful vignettes, some of which you’ll see in the Blu-ray version. Those were so cool and why I wanted to do the movie.

What did the real Nic Cage think of the character Nick?

I thought he was intelligent.

What was the funniest thing you had to do in this movie?

For me, I genuinely enjoyed my conversations with Pedro Pascal, who plays Javi. They were really funny because so many of our mutual interests are cinema-related. He was really interested in Spanish horror films, and I love Spanish horror. We gave each other recommendations. That part wasn’t acting, but genuine conversations.

What inspired the younger character of Nick in the film?

One of the main reasons I wanted to make this movie is I loved the Nicky character, or young Nick Cage. I was inspired and looked at an old interview I did in England on “The Logan Show.” There I was in real life doing front handsprings while promoting “Wild at Heart.” I was also doing karate kicks and throwing money around the audience. That guy was a real obnoxious, arrogant madman. I knew he needed to be in the movie. That was the inspiration for young Nick. He was that guy from “Con Air.” I’m so glad I’m nothing like that person anymore. But I was glad to bring him back.

You’ve done every film genre. What’s the plan now?

I’ve been trying to get back into my dramatic roots. I hope you noticed. I’m always going to go back to that idea of drama. In fact, I was thinking the other day a lot about Tony Curtis and how he could play the Boston Strangler and then be in “The Sweet Smell of Success” or “Some Like It Hot.” That guy had range.

Comedy?

Of course, I’d like to get back and do comedy. Most of all, I want to flex a bit and do both the comedy and the drama. I was allowed to do both with this film.

Is there anything you haven’t done in your career?

I have never done a musical. I guess in some ways I was singing in “Wild at Heart.” I’d like to try something bigger.

Was there anything that got cut or left out of the new film?

I made sure we had some references to “The Wicker Man.” How can you make a movie about Nick Cage and not have it? I wanted to throw in the bit reminiscent of Bugs Bunny kissing everyone. I said, “I should have Nick kiss Nicky.” That wasn’t in the script, but that was fun. And it’s just a thing you get with me. I’ll say, “Hey, I’d like to French kiss myself in a movie.” It’s so symbolic. I was making out with myself in the weirdest way. Then I went to the monitor after it happened and said, “Oh, I like that.”

How does living in Las Vegas figure into your life?

From the start, Vegas played into it. Tom told me he wrote a script. He said, “There is a guy who lives in Las Vegas who wears leather jackets and big gold rings.” I said, “You mean me? I do live in Vegas and I like to wear some gold jewelry.” The rest of it is Tom’s interpretation of me.

Where can we find you in Vegas? What do you like to do?

I’m a regular guy. You might find me at dinner or at home reading scripts. I just want to keep entertaining you.