This Hollywood legend, hailing from one of the industry’s most iconic dynasties, may be a celebrated star on screen, but behind the scenes, he’s facing a personal ordeal described as a “quiet, horrible nightmare.”
The *Family Man* actor, once known for buying a plane ticket for his child’s imaginary friend, now finds himself in a heartbreaking situation. Due to ongoing conflicts with his son’s ex-wife, he’s unable to see his four-year-old twin granddaughters, as a hostile environment has been created, preventing him from having any contact with them.
Wondering who this actor is? Keep reading to discover more, including the superhero who inspired his name change!
At 15, this actor found himself riding in a car with his uncle, one of Hollywood’s most esteemed filmmakers, and made a bold request for a role in one of his films. “Give me a screen test, and I’ll show you what I can do,” he recalled saying. His uncle’s silence was deafening, but this young actor wasn’t discouraged. He was determined to forge his own path, both on and off screen.
At 17, he landed a small role in the 1982 classic *Fast Times at Ridgemont High*. Born in 1962 as Nicholas Kim Coppola, he soon realized that his famous last name was more of a burden than a blessing. “People would joke, ‘I love the smell of Nicolas in the morning,’ referencing *Apocalypse Now*, and it made things harder for me,” he explained.
Frustrated, he changed his last name to Cage, drawing inspiration from Marvel’s Luke Cage and avant-garde composer John Cage. “That name reflects everything I’ve done since,” he noted.
His first lead role under his new name came in the 1983 film *Valley Girl*, and Cage described the experience as freeing. “It felt like a weight was lifted off me,” he told *Hollywood Reporter*. “You can see the difference in *Valley Girl*—I’m completely free. But in *Fast Times* and even *Rumble Fish* (directed by his uncle), I felt constrained.”
From that point forward, Cage’s career skyrocketed. By 1988, he was nominated for Golden Globes for his performances in *Moonstruck* and *Honeymoon in Vegas*. That same year, he welcomed his first son, Weston Coppola Cage, with actress Christina Fulton.
Cage’s personal life has been just as eventful as his career, including an Oscar win for *Leaving Las Vegas* in 1995. He shares a son, Kal-El (named after Superman), with his third wife, Alice Kim, and a daughter, August Francesca, born in 2022 with his fifth wife, Riko Shibata.
Family has always been Cage’s top priority. In an interview with *People*, he emphasized, “There’s no version of Nick Cage that doesn’t put family above everything else.” In fact, he famously turned down roles in *The Lord of the Rings* and *The Matrix* because he didn’t want to spend years filming abroad, away from his son Weston.
Actress Minnie Driver once shared a story of seeing Cage on a plane with his son—and an extra seat reserved for his son’s imaginary friend. This story highlights Cage’s deep connection with his children, which extends to his grandchildren as well. Cage enjoys a close relationship with Weston’s sons, Lucian and Sorin, but tragically, he has never met his twin granddaughters, Cyress and Venice, born in 2020.
Weston’s tumultuous divorce in 2021 resulted in his ex-wife, Hila Arounian, gaining sole custody of the twins, leaving Weston with no visitation rights. Christina Fulton, Weston’s mother, described the situation as deeply painful. “It’s devastating that we haven’t been able to meet the twins,” she shared with *The U.S. Sun*, adding that she and Cage have been kept away from the girls since birth.
Hila, however, shared her side of the story on social media, accusing Weston of infidelity and claiming his behavior had endangered her and their daughters. She also suggested that Weston’s struggles with mental health were worsened by the influence of his family.
Despite these hardships, Christina remains hopeful, saying, “Our family is strong, and we will get through this. We’re committed to bringing back harmony.”
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