Nicolas Cage Once Revealed Stars Who Shaped His Legendary Acting Style

Nicolas Cage has always been known for his bold and unusual acting choices, but few know the actors and performers who inspired him.

In a 2022 Reddit AMA, Cage talked about a compliment he received from his Lord of War co-star Ethan Hawke. Hawke reportedly said that Cage was “the only actor since Marlon Brando that’s actually done anything new with the art of acting.”

Cage responded with humility, saying, “It’s very kind of Ethan to say so, as you may well know, I’ve worked with Ethan in Lord of War and have always been spellbound by his talent. I think many of the choices I’ve made have been inspired by film stars from the silent era as well as cultural expression of performance like Kabuki and some of the Golden Age actors like [James] Cagney so I don’t know how to say I’ve done something new because those elements are always on my mind.”

Looking back at Cage’s career, it’s easy to see the influence of traditional Japanese theatre in his more expressive and unusual performances.

His connection to James Cagney, a Hollywood star from the Golden Age, may be less obvious, but Cage says he has drawn inspiration from Cagney’s style and energy throughout his career.

Cage has also looked to pop culture icons for inspiration. While preparing for his role as Big Daddy in the 2010 superhero film Kick-Ass, he took cues from Adam West, the actor who famously played Batman.

Cage admitted, “I met Adam West once and I said ‘did you see I was channeling you?’ He said, ‘I saw you TRY to channel me!’”

These influences show how Cage blends classic film techniques, cultural performance traditions, and quirky pop culture references to create his unique style. According to Cage, his work is always a mix of different inspirations, which is why his performances often feel unpredictable and larger than life.

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