Nicolas Cage, born Nicolas Kim Coppola, is a renowned actor of Italian, Polish, and German descent. He is the son of August Coppola, a comparative literature professor, and Joy Vogelsang, a dancer and choreographer. August Coppola is the brother of renowned film director Francis Ford Coppola.
Nicolas Cage initially pursued his passion for theatre at Beverly Hills High School, but he dropped out at the age of seventeen to focus on his acting career. His early experiences included a minor role in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982),although most of his scenes were cut from the final version. He then worked as a popcorn vendor at the Fairfax Theater, believing that this would be his only chance to break into the film industry.
However, Cage's fortunes changed when he landed a role in his uncle Francis Ford Coppola's film Rumble Fish (1983) after reading lines with actors auditioning for the project. This was followed by his breakout role in the romantic comedy Valley Girl (1983),which marked the beginning of his successful acting career.
Nicolas Cage is known for his intense method acting approach, which sometimes led to unusual behaviors. For example, he smashed a street vendor's remote-control car to get into character for his role in The Cotton Club (1984).
In his personal life, Cage has been linked to several women, including Jenny Wright, with whom he had a two-year relationship in his early twenties. He later dated Uma Thurman and had a long-term relationship with model Christina Fulton, with whom he shares custody of their son, Weston Cage, born in 1990. Cage also has a son with his ex-wife, Alice Kim Cage.
