Nicolas Cage has starred in over 120 movies, and his influence on the industry and cinema history underscores his everlasting stature. Whether it be his omnipresence in meme culture, his compelling performances in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Pig, Leaving Las Vegas, etc., or the never-ending list of strange, humorous anecdotes that seem to involve the 59-year-old actor—chances are everyone knows a thing or two about Cage.
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Unsurprisingly, even renowned actor Idris Elba, who worked alongside the Mandy alum on Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011), shared a wild tale about Cage’s dedication to the title role. Turns out, the Oscar-winning star is an authentic method actor. Except his methods were… somewhat unconventional. And spooky. And hilarious. Even Elba was stunned!
Nicolas Cage Spent An Entire Night In Dracula’s Castle
To get into their on-screen characters, actors frequently do bizarre things. How often have we heard the most ridiculous tales that resulted from someone’s commitment to acting? Probably hundreds, given how frequently it makes headlines. There are, however, several accounts that illustrate how devoted these people are to their jobs. And if there is anything about actors that should be admired, it is the determination to achieve the seemingly impossible.
But in Cage’s example, the 59-year-old actor took it to an absurdly hilarious level! When Idris Elba, who played the role of Moreau in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011), was requested to share funny stories from his time on the set in a Reddit Ask Me Anything Q&A, his tale included (much to nobody’s shock) Nicolas Cage!
The 2011 superhero film, based on the Marvel comics anti-hero Ghost Rider, was helmed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Against a $57–75 million budget, the Cage–starring production brought in $132.6 million. On the critical front, the endeavor was severely panned. Reviewers detested the lackluster script, grotesque, half-baked CGI, and a cartoonish performance from the leading actor. It received a 19% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Read also: After Superman, Nicolas Cage Lost Another Iconic DC Role!
The filmmakers had hinted at the possibility of a third installment, provided the second one fared well with the audiences. When Cage was asked about his involvement in such plans, he declared that he was done with the role.
The film series may have concluded tragically, but the anecdotes that emerged from its production continue to entertain the masses. One such on-set story involved Nicolas Cage spending the night at Dracula’s Castle to “channel the energy” needed for his role!
Idris Elba’s Hilarious Story About Nicolas Cage
Responding to a user’s request, Idris Elba (via Reddit) shared a bizarre on-set experience involving Nicolas Cage. The Luther star explained the scenario: Cage returned to the set one day and looked slightly exhausted. It seemed like he had been up all night. Concerned, Elba queried, “Hey Nic, how you doing, man?” Cage replied that he was doing just fine. The Beast alum pointed out his co-star’s unnerved disposition, “You seem a little spooked out.”
This is when Nicolas Cage would make a shocking revelation, turning the situation on its head. It went something like this:
“I said, ‘You seem a little spooked out,’ and he said, ‘Yeah man, I went up to Dracula’s castle… the ruins up in the mountains, and I stayed the night,” and I said, ‘What?! Why?’ He said, ‘I just had to channel the energy, and it was pretty spooky up there.’ We were shooting in Romania, Transylvania, and he just went up there to spend the night, as you do. And then he walked away. True story.”
Read more: Nicolas Cage Turned Down $1.7B Franchise for an Emotional Reason
The visual imagery of Nicolas Cage spending the night in Dracula’s Castle to get into his role is unbelievably rib-tickling. Elba’s amusing retelling adds a funnier spin to the tale. We have encountered many techniques that actors use to embody a character. But this, for some reason, takes the cake.
We hope Nicolas Cage’s quirky behind-the-scenes antics continue to be chronicled inexorably.
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011) is available for streaming on Peacock.
Source: Reddit
