It seems like every year, Nicolas Cage drops at least two or three films. With his projects being released theatrically, on VOD or dropped direct-to-video, it's hard not to find Cage's face on some sort of screen. Given how he hops from project to project, the actor seems to love his work and craft and, like many people, the Willy’s Wonderland star isn’t above taking a break from his occupation. But at this phase in his career, one might suspect he’s leaning toward the r-word – retirement, yet that’s far from the truth for the Oscar winner, according to him.
While promoting his new film Prisoners of the Ghostland, Nicolas Cage admitted to needing some time off after he completes two more film projects. It's definitely understandable, given that an actor likely wouldn't want to get burned out. But a long-term (or even a permanent) vacation just doesn't sound like it's in the cards for the seasoned performer.
Nicolas Cage has been one of the hardest-working actors in Hollywood for decades. While the reception to his work has been somewhat mixed, Cage has created a varied body of work that allows him to remain one of the more unpredictable artists in the industry. So one can understand why he wouldn't be eager to hang it up. The Pig star was pretty clear about his views on retirement, telling Entertainment Weekly:
No, no, no. No, no. That can't happen. 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, 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? [Laughs] 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.’
Nicolas Cage's extreme love for his craft really puts his film choices into perspective. And if working on films is what he believes helps to keep him healthy, then who am I to argue with a Hollywood legend? It's also interesting to think that the Oscar winner has worked so much over his decades-long career that he now stands alongside icons like Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. Needless to say, his work ethic and passion for acting are legit.
One of Nicolas Cage's upcoming movies, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, sees the actor playing himself and, in a way, it will sort of serve as a culmination of his body of work. It should be a fitting tribute to a man who doesn't view retirement as a part of his future. While you wait to see that movie and more of Cage's upcoming projects, you can check out Prisoners of the Ghostland, which is currently playing in theaters and available video on demand.
