10 Actors Who Learned To Play Instruments For Their Roles
3. Nicholas Cage In Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Nicolas Cage has done many crazy things in the movie-making business, but one smaller scale project he took on featured a musical performance with a string instrument. In 2001, he worked alongside British director John Madden to put together a war film in an often-unrepresented side.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin is about the Italian side of World War Two and the close bond that forms between the titular character and Pelagia (Penelope Cruz). As the title suggests, the thematic trappings of the film are heavily tied in with the mandolin, which the lead actor would learn throughout production.
Cage said he had no musical talent before starting the film, but found himself naturally drawn to the mandolin during production. He developed a talent for the instrument quickly, learning with musical director Paul Englishby. Many pieces of footage involved the actor playing in scenes, aiming to heighten the drama.
Nicolas' playing was best represented by "Pelagia's Song", which showed the captain's attachment to his beloved in Italy. Captain Corelli's Mandolin was received poorly on release, but the efforts from Nicholas Cage to learn the mandolin gave it a light amount of credibility. It's the only performance of the actor's massive filmography to include an instrument to this day.