Why Nicolas Cage Agreed to Play Himself in a Movie Parodying His Career

Nicolas Cage just landed the role of a lifetime: playing himself in the upcoming "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent."

In the film, the 55-year-old actor has to "become a version of some of his most iconic and beloved characters in order to extricate himself from an increasingly dangerous situation," according to Deadline.

Cage first agreed to be attached after one of the screenwriters — Tom Gorminan — sent him the script with a note explaining the film was "a love letter to the actor, not something that made fun of him," sources report.

The meta movie tells the story of Cage — who is desperate for a role in the next Quentin Tarantino flick — attempting to fix his strained relationship with his daughter while he occasionally talks to an "egotistical 1990s version of himself," according to THR.

In attempts to settle his mounting debt, Cage accepts a gig to appear at the birthday party of a Mexican billionaire super fan, who ends up being a drug kingpin, which Cage must then help the CIA take down.

Fans will recognize the similarities to 1999's meta flick "Being John Malkovich" where a puppeteer (John Cusack) discovers a portal that leads to the mind of real-life actor John Malkovich. It is also reminiscent of "Adaptation", which Cage starred in.

Cage looks to be on a role-landing kick as he has worked on six films in 2019 so far. He can be seen next as a big game hunter in "Primal" and a murderous husband in "Grand Isle."

Got a story or a tip for us? Email TooFab editors at tips@toofab.com.