Nicolas Cage is Back! Not that he ever left. But the Con Air star had faded from stardom in the last decade as he’s been chiefly starring in direct-to-streaming videos that few people have seen.
One more for the evening crowd: Nick Cage is finally out of debt & writing a new chapter of his life. I visited him in Vegas & New Orleans to meet the man behind the myth—& to hear some stories that could not have happened to any other person on the planet.https://t.co/xzsv92Nl7R
— Gabriella Paiella (@GMPaiella) March 22, 2022
But why did Cage sink into the world of cheap video on demand and direct-to-video films? He went on one of the most lavish spending sprees in history.
How Nicolas Cage Lost $150 Million
There was a time when Nicolas Cage was one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. He earned $40 million in 2009 and was regularly starring in blockbusters.
When you think Nic Cage you might think of his best like Moonstruck, Leaving Las Vegas, and Raising Arizona or his thrillers like Face/Off and Gone In 60 Seconds, or even family classics like National Treasure and The Family Man.
A noted eccentric, Cage began to spend his money, mostly on homes extravagantly. At one time, he owned property 15 properties, including:
- An 85-acre island in the Bahamas
- A German medieval castle worth $2.5 million
- A $6 million castle in English castle
- Twenty-four thousand sq. ft manor in Rhode Island called “Grey Craig.”
- The LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans known as the “The Most Haunted Mansion in America.”
Nicolas Cage Goth Fact:
In 2007 Nicolas Cage bought the famous LaLaurie mansion in New Orleans. He shortly sold it afterwards. Whether it was due to being scared or just going bankrupt, nobody knows. But you can definitely tell how much he loves New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/9sxw41qsHR— ????? ???? (@gostcvlt) January 28, 2022
In addition to his properties, Cage also owned a “flotilla” of yachts, a Gulf Stream jet, 9 Rolls-Royces, and a stolen dinosaur skull. Cage also details in GQ his purchases of an $80,000 two-headed snake, a talking crow, designer clothes, and a massive tomb in New Orleans.
The aftershock of the Hard Rock crane demolition in downtown New Orleans cracked Nick Cage’s tomb. pic.twitter.com/YwKJ2MHvpp
— Paul Oswell (@Shandypockets) October 21, 2019
Cage is fascinated with snakes, from snake pants to owning albino cobras and having this great quote.
Nicolas Cage is quoted as saying, “Every great story seems to begin with a snake”.
Many herpetologists and snake enthusiasts will agree! Lifelong careers and passions for these amazing animals have been inspired by a childhood experience with a snake.
What’s your snake story? pic.twitter.com/UT0eRZnADD
— Save The Snakes (@savethesnakes) November 18, 2021
It’s a wonder he didn’t fight Samuel L. Jackson to play lead in Snakes on a Plane.
Nicolas Cage Plagued By Tax And Legal Trouble
During this spending binge, Cage didn’t pay over $6 million in taxes and had multiple liens placed on his property by the IRS.
This, coupled with his dwindling star power, led to Cage filing a lawsuit against his business manager for negligence. His manager then counter-sued him, alleging that Cage ignored the manager’s advice to stop purchasing such extravagant items.
Wanting to avoid bankruptcy at all costs, Cage began accepting as many movie roles as possible.
The once in-demand A-lister has made over 40 films in the last decade. While most stars will make 1-2 movies a year, Cage regularly makes four films.
Back On Track
The good news is that Cage steadied his finances and reclaimed his acting career. According to Cage, he has settled most of his debts.
Responding to reports that he “phoned-in” his VOD performances, the Academy Award winner insists he gave everything he could to each role.
“They didn’t work, all of them. Some of them were terrific, like ‘Mandy,’ but some of them didn’t work. But I never phoned it in. So if there was a misconception, it was that. That I was just doing it and not caring. I was caring.”
Nicolas Cage is now experiencing a career renaissance of sorts.
After garnering acclaim for his role in the meditative thriller Pig, Cage is now starring a semi-autobiographical parody of his life called The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, where he plays a version of himself taking strange acting roles to get out of debt.
You can watch the trailer for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent here:
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