One of the hardest-working actors in Hollywood is taking a little break. But just a small one, he promises. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Nicolas Cage, Academy Award winner and B-movie icon, suggested after his next two films, he was taking a break. But make no mistake, he is certainly not hinting at retirement. In fact, retirement isn’t in the cards, as Nicolas Cage says he’ll never retire. (Much like treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates, I imagine.)
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While promoting his upcoming neo-noir Western, Prisoners of the Ghostland, Cage suggested he needed some time to recharge after finishing his latest slate of films. But the actor scoffed at the idea of retirement. Sure, Gene Hackman put away his SAG card after Welcome to Mooseport. And Daniel Day-Lewis can allegedly be found in County Wicklow, cobbling for the locals. (Well, maybe.) But worry not, Nic Cage is not joining his fellow Oscar-winners in the retirement villa. Instead, he expressed that retirement actually “can’t happen” and offered up some very poignant thoughts on what acting means to him.
“To do what I do in cinema has been like a guardian angel for me, and I need it. I’m healthier when I’m working,” Cage told EW. “I need a positive place to express my life experience, and filmmaking has given me that. So I’m never going to retire. Where are we now, 117 movies?”
He added that he doesn’t think clocking in at over 100 movies is particularly novel, sharing that among his arguments for those who say he works too much is citing the lengthy resumes of Golden Era actors. Well, before admitting that maybe this particular citation needs a fact check. He said, What’s funny is, my argument with people who go, ‘You work too much,’ was ‘I like working, and it’s healthy, I’m happy when I’m working, and by the way, guys like Cagney and Bogart, they were doing hundreds of movies.’ And then I went, ‘I’d better check that,’ and I went, ‘Oops.'”
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A classic Nic Cage moment. But said with his level of confidence, we’d certainly have no choice but to believe him. Well, that and the idea of counting each of James Cagney’s movies and Humphrey Bogart’s credits seems like a needless task. The truth is, they worked a lot and did their thing, and so does he! I mean, who else but Nicolas Cage could pull off Moonstruck, National Treasure, and Pig? His versatility and ability to get weird and dive into roles are truly admirable. So, we’re glad we get to keep enjoying Nic Cage movies for years to come. And if Nicolas Cage says he never wants to retire, we’re happy for him.
Take that well-deserved break, Mr. Cage. And we’ll be patiently awaiting your next 100 films!