ACTOR · BORN 1964
Nicolas Cage
- Born
- 7 January 1964, Long Beach, California, USA
- Known for
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), Kick-Ass (2010), The Croods (2013), National Treasure (2004)
118 archived facts 6 topics 2 sources Last reviewed Sep 2026
29 Facts About Nicolas Cage's Life and Family
- #001
In the early 1980s, Nicolas Cage proposed to Patricia Arquette the day he met her. Arquette found him quite strange, but she played along and drew up a list of things Cage would have to do to win her. When Cage began working through the list, Arquette became frightened and kept her distance from him. Years later they reunited and eventually married.
- #002
After his first film role in 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' (1982), Cage adopted his stage name. The reason was his desire to prove that his success came from his own talent rather than the fame of his uncle, Francis Ford Coppola. The move was part of his effort to establish an independent identity in his career.
- #004
Nicolas Cage's ancestry includes Italian descent through his father and mainly German and Polish descent through his mother, with some English and Scottish ancestry on her father's side.
- #008
Nicolas Cage attended Beverly Hills High School, an institution known for producing many entertainers, and also studied at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
- #009
Cage took his stage name from the Marvel comic book character Luke Cage. The choice reflected his interest in comic books. It also demonstrated his desire to build an identity independent of his family ties.
- #014
At the age of 15, Nicolas Cage asked his uncle Francis Ford Coppola for a screen test, saying he would show him acting; the request was met with silence in the car.
- #017
In 2006, Cage donated 2 million dollars to Amnesty International to help child soldiers. The donation shows his sensitivity to human rights. Cage has been actively involved in such charitable efforts.
- #018
Nicolas Cage used his stage name throughout his professional life but only legally changed it in 2025.
- #023
Cage listed his five favorite films as 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939), 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1951), 'East of Eden' (1955), '2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968) and 'A Clockwork Orange' (1971). The choices show that his taste in cinema spans a wide range. His interest in classics and the work of auteur directors is particularly notable.
- #025
Cage is the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola and Talia Shire. These family ties gave him a significant advantage when entering the film world. Cage, however, changed his stage name in order to achieve success on his own talent.
- #026
While working on Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Cage was put off by cast members constantly quoting his uncle's films, which led him to change his name.
- #028
Along with his cousin Sofia Coppola, Cage is the third generation of the Coppola family to win an Oscar. His uncle Francis Ford Coppola and his grandfather Carmine Coppola represent the other two generations. The family is the second to achieve this; the first was the Huston family (Anjelica, John and Walter Huston).
- #032
Cage said that the reason he owned many properties in the past was to protect his money without buying stocks or trusting banks. He believed real estate was the safest route. When the property bubble burst, however, he sold most of his properties at a loss and abandoned that belief. He now owns a house in Las Vegas near his friends and a small country house near Glastonbury, England.
- #036
Nicolas Cage is the former son-in-law of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley. His marriage to Lisa Marie Presley drew intense media attention. The union was seen as a merging of two famous families.
- #042
Nicolas Cage became a grandfather for the first time at age 50 when his son Weston Cage had a son named Lucian Augustus Coppola Cage on July 1, 2014. The event marked the start of a new generation in the Cage family. Cage greeted his grandchild's birth with great joy.
- #047
Nicolas Cage met his future wife Alice Kim Cage at a sushi bar, where she was working as a waitress at the time. Alice was only 20 years old when they married. The age difference sparked some controversy.
- #064
Just four days after marrying Erika Koike in Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage filed for annulment, claiming they had 'drunk to the point of intoxication' and did not understand what they were doing. The Blast reported that Koike also acknowledged the marriage was a mistake and would not contest the annulment. Cage also alleged fraud, claiming Koike did not disclose the extent of another relationship and an ongoing criminal matter.
- #070
In 2001, Nicolas Cage announced that he was dating Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. They later married. The marriage drew great attention as a union of two famous families, but it was short-lived.
- #077
Nicolas Cage is a cousin of Sofia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola. These family ties link him to a prominent Hollywood family. Cage, however, built his career independently of those connections.
- #090
Nicolas Cage's father, August Coppola, was previously a professor at Cal State Long Beach and Dean of Creative Arts at San Francisco State University. His father's academic career meant that Cage grew up in an intellectual environment. August Coppola was also interested in literature.
- #092
Nicolas Cage's father was of Italian descent. On his mother's side, his grandfather was about three-quarters German and one-quarter British Isles (English, Scottish) descent. His maternal grandmother was of Polish descent. This multicultural heritage is part of his identity.
- #096
Nicolas Cage is the grandson of Carmine Coppola, a famous composer and conductor. This family connection may also have influenced Cage's interest in music.
- #099
Nicolas Cage is director Spike Jonze's former cousin by marriage; Jonze was married to Sofia Coppola. The connection shows the breadth of Cage's social circle in Hollywood.
- #100
Nicolas Cage is Robert Schwartzman's cousin; inspired by Nicolas, Schwartzman changed his name to Robert Schwartzman-Cage. The name change shows Cage's influence within the family. Schwartzman is also a musician and actor.
- #104
Nicolas Cage is the nephew of the famous director Francis Ford Coppola and the younger brother of Marc Coppola and Christopher Coppola. His family has deep roots in Hollywood; his brother Marc is a radio host and his other brother Christopher is a director. These family ties were influential in his entry into the film world, but Cage chose to build an independent identity by using his own surname, an important turning point in his career.
- #106
While married to Patricia Arquette, Nicolas Cage became the stepfather of her son Enzo Rossi. He was also the stepfather of Riley Keough and Benjamin Keough during his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley. These relationships show that he had a large family structure in his private life; Cage's stepfather roles reflect the importance he gives to family ties and his experience with different family dynamics.
- #109
Appearing on Late Show with David Letterman to promote his 2009 film 'Knowing', Nicolas Cage spoke about his love of paragliding. The remark reveals his adventurous personality and his interest in extreme sports. This hobby shows that Cage is not an ordinary actor but also has a character who likes taking risks; the interview offers rare information about his personal interests.
- #111
Nicolas Cage sold Schloss Neidstein, a castle in the village of Etzelwang in the German state of Bavaria. The castle was one of the many properties he owned, and its sale reflects his decisions about managing his real estate. Such investments by Cage are known as part of his luxurious lifestyle; the sale of the castle is a detail that arouses curiosity about his financial situation.
- #112
As of 2023, Nicolas Cage's four favorite films include 'Juliet of the Spirits' (1965), 'The 400 Blows' (1959), '2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968) and 'Citizen Kane' (1941). These choices show that his taste in cinema is based on classic and artistic works. Cage's fondness for these films may have influenced his understanding of acting and his view of cinema; the list reveals his intellectual depth and his command of film history.
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
Sources for the entries on this page
- Wikipedia Nicolas Cage — Wikipedia
- IMDb IMDb
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