20 Things You Didn't Know About Raising Arizona
15. Nicolas Cage Was Drawn To The Role Because Of Woody Woodpecker
Being an enigmatic actor famed for his unconventional performance methods, it's no surprise that Nicolas Cage would be fascinated by a role he likened to that of a frantic cartoon woodpecker.
The parallels are pretty clear with his crazy hairstyle, and Cage even insisted on a tattoo that resembles Woody (though is actually a road runner logo of Thrush Exhaust), slyly hinting to the connection he'd made between the two characters.
But the resemblance was clear to him immediately upon reading the script. Cage is quoted as saying that he "saw the character as a kind of Woody Woodpecker come to life. An outlaw version of Woody Woodpecker". Given the comedy's oddball nature and the frenzied appearance of H.I. throughout the film, it's clear that Cage took this source of inspiration pretty far.