9. He Changed His Name From Coppola To Avoid Nepotism
Nepotism is as common in Hollywood as hookers and cocaine. If ever there was a business where knowing or, even better, being related to people in positions of power is advantageous, it's the film business. Cage, as the nephew of the legendary director Francis For Coppola, could have almost certainly been the beneficiary of favourable treatment in Hollywood. But that's not Cage's style, man. Although he did have a role in his uncle's films Rumble Fish and Peggy Sue Got Marries when he was young and was billed as Nicolas Coppola for his debut in Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Cage realised early on that he needed to change his name to carve out an identity for himself. Cage borrowed his last name from Marvel Superhero Luke Cage. He really likes comics, you know. He is still legally Nicolas Coppola but, for all intents and purposes, he is Nicolas Cage.