Nicolas Cage plays himself in new movie, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

NEW YORK - Nicolas Cage is known for his classic films like Faceoff and The Rock and Gone in 60 Seconds. From playing a romantic in a rom-com, to an action hero, Cage even won an Oscar for his performance in Leaving Las Vegas.

But now, one of the unique actors in Hollywood is taking on his most challenging role: playing Nicolas Cage.

In The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Cage plays Nick Cage, who is offered a million dollars to go to a super fan’s party. Sounds like a sweet deal until super fan Javi (Pedro Pascal) ends up being one of the most wanted criminals on the planet. 

So can Cage help to take him down or is the eccentric actor’s new-found bromance with Javi too strong to turn him in?

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Cage initially turned down the role three or four times before co-writer and director Tom Gormican wrote him a letter, ensuring that the film would not be a parody of Cage’s life, but rather add layers of "heart" to the story.

In our conversation, Cage confirmed that he has had conversations of a Faceoff sequel, but not a reimagining. It would have to be a continuation of the original film.  

Cage also opened up and told us what he learned about Nicolas Cage while playing Nicolas Cage.

"The film was more of an affirmation, a reaffirmation of one of my beliefs that the very thing you're afraid of (within reason, as long as you're not hurting yourself or somebody else) is the very thing that one should move towards. Because the chances are you will grow and you will learn something.

And as a student of film performance, doing something like this, playing so-called Nicolas Cage in a movie is unlike anything I've ever done before.

"And I did learn from the experience. I learned that I can still use the same criteria what I need to develop a character in a movie. What that means is from the ridiculous to the sublime, it's all by design. I can infuse it with heart and with imagination and genuine emotion that I could also apply that criteria in playing myself in a movie. And that was that was a relief," said Cage.

 The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent premieres exclusively in theaters this Friday.