During Hollywood Reporter round-tables, awards hopefuls discuss their work. They always lead to an interesting mix of people and unexpected topics always come up – especially when Nicolas Cage is involved.
While Cage was supposed to be discussing Pig, his thriller movie, he segued off into an anecdote about a Western that he has just finished filming called Butcher’s Crossing. And a particularly troublesome horse named Rain Man.
“Rain Man kept trying to knock me off and would try to run my head into roofs, and then I’d get off and try to be nice to him, and he would headbutt me. It was not fun. I’ve always had good experiences with animals. I always had great experiences with horses, but Rain Man wanted to kill me” said Cage. “I’m good with animals. I mean, seriously, it was a clear decision on Rain Man’s part that he wanted to kill me.”
Later on in the same discussion, Cage talked about a movie he would have loved to have been in, but wasn’t allowed to; “This is a very embarrassing answer to your question, OK, because it involves family. So Uncle [Francis Ford Coppola] was doing Godfather III, and I said, ‘I really think I ought to be in your movie, Uncle. I really think it’s a good idea if you would cast me. I think I could play this part.'”
He continues; “He was going to cast Andy Garcia, and I said, ‘But I just see myself more as James Caan’s son, and he’s playing Sonny’s son. He’s not playing Michael’s son. He’s Sonny’s son. I just feel a little more James Caan.’ It just wasn’t going to happen. Nope, not going to happen. So that was a movie I didn’t get let in that I really wanted to be in. There.”
The discussion also included Cyrano’s Peter Dinklage, Tick Tick Boom’s Andrew Garfield, The Harder They Fall’s Jonathan Majors and Red Rocket’s Simon Rex. Both Cyrano and Tick Tick Boom are musicals, a genre which has had something of a resurgence this year.
Now, check out our guide to the best drama movies.