We often look at celebrities and feel as if they have a gifted life. What we don’t realize, however, is that there are often things that go on behind the scenes that can really change their lives if allowed to.
For example, Nicolas Cage may be an actor who was well known for the parts that he plays, but he also has been through some difficult times in his life. Recently, he was being made over for a serial murderer movie, Longlegs.
Cage was excited after he read the script and was ready to get together with a makeup artist. There was a lot that went into him looking the part for the movie, but he did it justice.
In order to get prepared for Longlegs, some intricate sculpting had to take place for the physical makeover. Part of the character’s look was plastic surgery of a very low quality, making him ugly and giving him a specific appearance.
Cage had to go through alterations to his own body and to develop the mannerisms necessary, including the singsong voice. He threw himself into the part and developed the character as no one else could.
This might be a surprise to you but the portrayal of Longlegs came somewhat naturally for Nicolas Cage. He was inspired by his mother, Joy Vogelsang, who struggled with depression and schizophrenia. He can remember seeing her speaking to walls when she was younger and it was something that was difficult for him.
He tried his hardest to understand what contributed to the mental illnesses his mother faced. In the end, he was able to put all of them into his performance for this unique movie.
Although Cage grew up in a middle-class family and had some wealthy family members, he still had to struggle to get to the top. He saw the success of others and decided that he was going to be successful as well.
His uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, also exposed him to a way of life that made him want success even more. It wasn’t all about the money, it was about the accomplishment.
When you watch the Longlegs movie and see how much he throws himself into the character, you can’t help but know that he was the right man for the job. In the strangest way, he owes it all to his mother.
