10 Unbelievable Horror Movie Facts That Are Somehow True
8. Nicolas Cage's Performance Was Heavily Inspired By His Own Mother In Longlegs
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From one scary creature to another, this year's truly horrifying thriller Longlegs saw the arrival of Nicolas Cage's sinister titular serial killer.
In Osgood Perkins' hit horror, Cage spends the majority of the film off-screen. But when the pale satanic murderer does occasionally lurch into frame, petrified viewers are left wishing they'd wandered into a different screen instead.
How does one go about crafting such an unforgettable source of terror, then?
Well, according to Cage, you surprisingly look to your mother.
That's right, as the legendary actor would note when talking to Entertainment Weekly about his creepy transformation, Cage clearly remembered a quite startling moment involving his mom back when he was around two-years-old.
Said memory consisted of the star opening the bathroom door and seeing her turn around abruptly whilst her face was covered in Noxzema cold cream. That image of her face staring at him with all this white cream smeared over it "spooked" Cage and ultimately acted as inspiration when it came time to bring Longlegs to life.
Away from the pale, white look of Cage's character, his mother's own schizophrenia and severe depression were also in his thoughts when playing the part. He'd explain he was "coming at it from, what exactly was it that drove my mother insane?", whilst also noting that the performance was "deeply personal" for him after growing up trying to cope with what his own mother was experiencing.
So, there you have it, Cage's indelible work as Longlegs was, in fact, largely inspired by his own flesh and blood.