{"id":14058,"date":"2020-05-15T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/?p=14058"},"modified":"2024-03-02T21:19:14","modified_gmt":"2024-03-03T05:19:14","slug":"cage-match-nicolas-cages-character-names-ranked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/cage-match-nicolas-cages-character-names-ranked\/","title":{"rendered":"Cage Match: Nicolas Cage\u2019s Character Names, Ranked"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Nicolas Cage has commanded the screen, for better or worse, for nearly 40 years. The Oscar winner has delivered brilliant, subtle performances in movies like Joe<\/em>, Adaptation<\/em>, and Bringing Out the Dead<\/em>, but  the majority of his work is tied to being the man behind the \u201cOh no, not the bees\u201d<\/a> meme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those zany performances show Cage\u2019s need to overcommit rather than underperform. Acting choices aside, there\u2019s always something memorably off in a Cage movie \u2014 be it his hairline in Bangkok Dangerous<\/em>, his white jumpsuit in Kiss of Death<\/em>, or his Alabama accent in Con Air<\/em>. Past the first impressions, you\u2019ll notice something more mind-boggling \u2014 the character\u2019s name.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the actor has signed on to play Joe Exotic in an upcoming TV mini-series<\/a> (because, of course), now is a good time to check out the most memorable\/outlandish names on his resum\u00e9. Here, we can wonder what would happen if these characters would face off (sorry) in a cage match (really sorry). Rest assured, no character will get\u2026 left behind (that was a stretch, but sorry).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE ELITE EIGHT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Castor Troy \u2014 Face\/Off<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the first 15 minutes of John Woo\u2019s 1997 action hit, Cage plays a villain who headbangs in a priest costume, brags about how he \u201ccan eat a peach for hours,\u201d and slurps on a soft drink before sniping a kid riding a carousel. Such an iconic villain can only be named Castor Troy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjamin Franklin Gates \u2014 National Treasure<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cage doesn\u2019t have to do much because this movie gives him the immortal line, \u201cI\u2019m gonna steal the Declaration of Independence.\u201d It doesn\u2019t hurt that his Indiana Jones-lite is named after one of the Founding Fathers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Memphis Raines \u2014 Gone in 60 Seconds<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Muscle cars, Angelina Jolie in dreads and Cage shaking off the nerves before calmly sighing, \u201cOK, let\u2019s ride\u201d <\/a>\u2014 this is a Jerry Bruckheimer production after all. Memphis is a cool name that\u2019s wasted in a movie that never shifts into second. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stanley Goodspeed \u2014 The Rock<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cage plays a good-natured biochemist named Goodspeed. How good-natured is he? He sings Elton John\u2019s \u201cRocket Man\u201d while launching a rocket at Tony Todd\u2019s chest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little Junior Brown \u2014 Kiss of Death<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to steal a movie from David Caruso, play an asthmatic bodybuilder\/mobster. If that\u2019s not enough, cement that character\u2019s stature with a repetitive double-adjective nickname. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Red Miller \u2014 Mandy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A movie made for midnight screenings, Mandy<\/em> builds tension before letting Cage run wild with a chainsaw. His character\u2019s name isn\u2019t that<\/em> memorable. However, out of context, playing a lumberjack named Red living in a secluded cabin in the woods sounds about right for Cage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

H.I. McDunnough \u2014 Raising Arizona<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Coen Brothers movies, the devil is in the details. As his career was getting started, Cage had all the gonzo ingredients laid out on a silver platter, including the dopey name H.I. Raising Arizona<\/em> proved how the actor could make absurdity relatable and worth repeated viewings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cameron Poe \u2014 Con Air<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cage upstaged John Malkovich, Ving Rhames and<\/em> Steve Buscemi by turning on the Southern charm and growing out his hair. Such a character could not be named anything cliche like Billy Bob. No, Cameron Poe has a folkloric ring, which is necessary for a movie that tosses the dead body of a young Dave Chappelle out of a plane into city traffic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner: Castor Troy, <\/strong>Face\/Off<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What the hell does Castor mean? In Spanish, it means \u201cbeaver.\u201d To astronomers, it\u2019s a star in the Gemini constellation. In Greek and Roman mythology, Castor is the mortal twin brother to Pollux, and together, they protected warriors and sailors. In Face\/Off<\/em>, Pollux (played by Alessandro Nivola) is the younger brother to Castor, and both are slimy terrorists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever the intended meaning, Face\/Off<\/em> is Woo\u2019s American masterpiece, due in large part to John Travolta and Cage having a blast as the alternating hero and villain. Castor Troy is a ruthless criminal, armed with golden handguns and a box of Chiclets. In short, it\u2019s the penultimate Cage role. The epic name matches the hilariously bloated beats of a movie that is just another action blockbuster without those details. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

THE SWEET SIXTEEN MEMES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behmen \u2014 Season of the Witch<\/em>, Balthazar \u2014 The Sorcerer\u2019s Apprentice<\/em>, Gallain \u2014 Outcast<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, Cage appears as other-worldly sages, wizards and warriors. Given his inability to attempt an Old English accent, his aura is understood and given an equally baffling name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big Daddy \u2014 Kick-Ass<\/em>, Johnny Blaze \u2014 Ghost Rider<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a career voicing Superman and<\/em> Spider-Man Noir, Cage has also starred in not-so-great comic book adaptations where he\u2019s given nothing to do except \u201cbe weird.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fu Manchu \u2014 Grindhouse<\/em>, Acid Yellow \u2014 Sonny<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you write cameo roles that are \u201cloco,\u201d there\u2019s only one man for the job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ara\u00f1a \u2014 Kill Chain<\/em>, Yuri Orlov \u2014 Lord of War<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When in doubt, cast Cage as someone whose name has an international ring to it, that will always work. (Looks for nearest window to jump out of.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seth \u2014 City of Angels<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine Cage as he gets the call to play an angel who falls in love with Meg Ryan. 
\u201cSounds great,\u201d Cage says to his agent. \u201cBut what\u2019s the angel\u2019s name?\u201d 
\u201cSeth,\u201d the agent replies. 
\u201cBrilliant, book it,\u201d Cage exclaims. He hangs up and polishes his Oscar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milton \u2014 Drive Angry<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine Cage as he gets the call to play a vengeful father who has escaped from hell to rescue his daughter. 
\u201cSure. I need something more down to Earth,\u201d Cage says, mid-gulp of a Red Bull. \u201cYou know, my last movie? Season of the Witch<\/em>? They had me playing a guy named Behmen. Me, Nic Cage as Behmen\u2026. So, what\u2019s this demon dad\u2019s name?\u201d
\u201cMilton,\u201d the agent replies. 
\u201cMilton…huh, well, that sounds like a dad! Book it,\u201d Cage exclaims. He hangs up and chugs the rest of Red Bull. \u201cI\u2019m gonna be a Milton. Woo.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cook \u2014 Running with the Devil<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cage gets a call from his agent. 
\u201cBook it. I gotta pay for this T-Rex skull,\u201d Cage yells. 
\u201cDon\u2019t you want to know his name?\u201d The agent asks. 
\u201cTo hell with names, what is the character\u2019s occupation?\u201d Cage asks. 
\u201cHe\u2019s a cook,\u201d the agent says. 
\u201cCall him The Cook then. Sounds great. I gotta polish this skull,\u201d Cage says, slamming his thumb on his iPhone 5. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smokey \u2014 Rumble Fish<\/em>, Stone \u2014 The Trust<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing someone with a mysteriously cool, one-word name is so very Cage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sailor Ripley \u2014 Wild at Heart<\/em>, Rayford Steele \u2014 Left Behind<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On one hand, you have a David Lynch movie that\u2019s a subversive mix of black comedy, crime drama and dark romance film. On the other hand, you have a movie based on a faith-based bestseller. The fact that Cage is in a faith-based movie warrants frustration, then you see he\u2019s named, not Raymond, but Rayford\u2026 Steele. Now, you\u2019re allowed to scream into a pillow with rage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner \u2014 Seth, <\/strong>City of Angels<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was Gabriel taken? There are so many better names for angels \u2014 Michael, Francis, John \u2026 City of Angels<\/em> is a sappy movie with a soundtrack that doubles as a perfect Mother\u2019s Day gift. The premise of an angel falling in love with a human isn\u2019t original or that<\/em> ridiculous. But an angel named Seth…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BONUS ROUND: THE JOES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joe \u2014 Between Worlds<\/em>, Joe \u2014 Joe<\/em>, Joe \u2014 Bangkok Dangerous<\/em>, Joe Enders \u2014 Windtalkers<\/em>, Joe Exotic \u2014 Upcoming Joe Exotic miniseries<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cage is like all of us: a regular Joe! If you don\u2019t believe me, just look at how often he\u2019s been cast as a guy named Joe throughout  his 100+ acting credits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner \u2014 Joe, <\/strong>Joe<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like the Coens, Lynch and Spike Jonze before him, director David Gordon Green knows Cage is better when toned down. For those quieter roles, the actor will never be remembered for playing \u201ca regular Joe.\u201d With Green, Cage moves past eccentric habits. It\u2019s subversively genius casting, and unlike other directors, Green delivers a character study free of distraction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nicolas Cage has commanded the screen, for better or worse, for nearly 40 years. The Oscar winner has delivered brilliant, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":591,"featured_media":14061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1381],"tags":[162],"class_list":["post-14058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-movies","tag-movies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/591"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14058"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22834,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14058\/revisions\/22834"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}