One of the best actors to ever grace the silver screen, Nicolas Cage is known for his dedication to his craft and his exceptional performances throughout his illustrious career. Among his notable works is the 2021 drama Pig. The movie follows him as Rob Feld, a former chef-turned-truffle hunter who had to return to his past in Portland after his beloved Pig gets kidnapped. Garnering critical acclaim, the film showcased Cage’s exceptional acting prowess, earning him well-deserved praise.
During a guest appearance on The Stephen Colbert Show, the Oscar-winning actor was prompted to list his top five movies. And the Oscar-winning actor ranked the 2021 film on top, naming it as his favorite movie.
Nicolas Cage’s Favorite Movie Did Not Fair Well At the Box Office
During his appearance on The Stephen Colbert Show, Hollywood star Nicolas Cage offered an interesting list of his five favorites among his own films. He started with the 2021 film Pig and further named movies like Bringing Out the Dead (1999), Bad Lieutenant (2009), Joe (2013), and Mandy (2018) as some of his favorite Cage movies.
And he also mentioned the 2021 film as his all-time favorite. “I’m going to start with Pig. That’s my favorite movie I’ve ever made,” he said. Pig stands out as one of the greatest performances given by the actor. It was initially marked as a John Wick-style revenge film.
However, the 2021 drama defied expectations, revealing itself as a gentle and contemplative exploration of grief and loss. It is a revelation of the actor’s depth and versatility. It has since been regarded not only as one of the best movies of Cage’s career but also as one of the best Independent films of the 21st Century.
Despite its critical success, the film didn’t fare exceptionally well at the box office, earning $3.8 million against an estimated $3 million budget. This places it among some of the lowest-grossing movies in Cage’s career, highlighting a disparity between critical acclaim and commercial success.
Nicolas Cage Expressed Fear of Returning to Disney After Making Pig
In an interview with Variety, Nicolas Cage reflected on the parallels between his character in the 2021 drama film and his own experiences, stating, “I do feel that I’ve gone into my own wilderness and that I’ve left the small town that is Hollywood.”
Throughout his career, the Hollywood A-lister has starred in multiple indie and small-budget projects. During the interview, he also shared his hesitation about returning to the realm of big-budget productions, particularly singling out Disney, stating that it would be “terrifying” for him.
“I don’t know if I’d want to go and make another Disney movie,” he said before adding, “It’s a whole different climate. There’s a lot of fear there.” One of the reasons behind his hesitation could be his preference for artistic freedom, which is often compromised in big productions but could be prevalent in smaller films, prompting him to contemplate his return to larger-scale productions.
Pig is available to stream on Hulu.
