‘My guardian angel’: Nicolas Cage explains why he accepted ‘crummy’ straight-to-VOD movie roles

Actor cleared up misconception people have about the movies

Nicolas Cage has defended his many straight-to-VOD films, explaining why he accepted the roles.

The actor, who starred in the acclaimed Leaving Las Vegas and Face/Off, has also racked up dozens of credits in films that skipped a cinema release, which instead became available to rent at home without fanfare.

Cage has now explained why he accepted these roles, stating: “I was over-invested in real estate. The real estate market crashed, and I couldn’t get out in time.”

He told 60 Minutes it was a “dark” time in his life, but thanks to these roles, he “never filed for bankruptcy”. Cage said he had to pay back “about $6m ($4.8m)”.

The actor, who reportedly blew his $150m (£120m) fortune on real estate, previously said the money earnt from the straight-to-VOD roles also helped him keep his mother out of a mental institution”.

“Work was always my guardian angel,” he continued. “It may not have been blue chip, but it was still work”.

Cage also acknowledged that while the films may have “ultimately” been “crummy”, he didn’t “phone it in” as he “cared” about every role.

He previously told GQ: “When I was doing four movies a year, back to back-to-back, I still had to find something in them to be able to give it my all”.

“Some of them were terrific, like Mandy, but some of them didn’t work. But I never phoned it in. So if there was a misconception, it was that – that I was just doing it and not caring. I was caring.”

Nicolas Cage has explained why he accepted ‘crummy’ VOD movie roles (Getty Images)

Cage’s recent roles iclude Renfield, in which he plays Dracula, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, in which he plays a fictionalised version of himself.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.