What happened to Nicolas Cage, the actor who won an Oscar for ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ and looks unrecognizable in his new film?
From Oscar glory and box office extremes to a dramatic transformation as John Madden, Nicolas Cage is positioning himself as a major 2026 headliner.
Nicolas Cage is once again chasing a leading-man moment, this time with his sights set on 2026. The Oscar-winning actor is back in the spotlight and looks almost unrecognizable in his latest role.
Thousands of actors have passed through Hollywood, but only a select few leave a permanent mark. Some are remembered for their golden years, others for their personal lives, and some disappear from the big screen only to return years later. Cage fits squarely into that last category.
A career shaped by great filmmakers
Over the years, Cage has worked with some of the most influential directors of the modern era, including his uncle Francis Ford Coppola, David Lynch, the Coen brothers, Ridley Scott, Martin Scorsese and Brian De Palma. His career has been filled with award recognition, nominations and bold creative swings.
Cage won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for his performance in “Leaving Las Vegas” in 1995. He earned a second Oscar nomination for “Adaptation” in 2002, cementing his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most fearless performers.
Nicolas Cage: Life after the Oscar
After his Oscar win and second nomination, Cage dove headfirst into every kind of project imaginable. He appeared in mainstream blockbusters and offbeat independent films, sometimes with massive budgets and sometimes with almost none. While some movies failed at the box office despite strong performances, others were chosen largely for financial reasons.
Cage also faced serious financial trouble. In 2009, multiple outlets reported that he owed more than $6 million to the IRS. He was later sued by East West Bank and Red Curb Investments over multimillion-dollar loans that went unpaid.
Box office highs, lows and cult favorites
In 2002, Cage made his directorial debut with “Sonny,” which was poorly received and quickly disappeared from theaters. Two years later, he starred in “National Treasure,” which remains the second highest-grossing film of his career. In 2007, he took on the lead role in the heavily criticized “Ghost Rider.”
A year later, Cage delivered one of his most respected performances in “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” directed by acclaimed German filmmaker Werner Herzog.
The following decade brought mixed results. “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” in 2010 and “Drive Angry” in 2011 both flopped commercially. In 2012, he returned for “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” which earned a Razzie nomination, the awards that spotlight the worst of cinema.
Critical acclaim returns
In 2019, Cage starred in “Pig,” a quiet, emotionally grounded film that earned him a Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nomination. In 2022, he co-starred with Pedro Pascal in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” playing a fictionalized version of himself. The film was well reviewed and praised for its performances, even though it struggled at the box office.
His recent work includes “Butcher’s Crossing,” “The Old Way,” “Renfield,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Dream Scenario,” “The Retirement Plan,” “Arcadian,” “The Surfer,” “Longlegs,” “Guslingers” and “The Carpenter’s Son.”
In 2022, Cage confirmed he had fully paid off his debts and planned to be far more selective with his future roles. Several new projects are now in development, including the highly anticipated “Madden.”
Cage’s unrecognizable transformation as John Madden
After watching the trailer for “Madden,” it is clear why Cage is being talked about as one of the defining actors of 2026. In the film, he portrays legendary Raiders coach and iconic NFL broadcaster John Madden.
Cage reportedly spent hours in the makeup chair to fully transform into the larger-than-life football figure. The result is striking and nearly unrecognizable, signaling yet another reinvention for an actor who has built a career on unpredictability.
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