Nicolas Cage, during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, expressed his preference for being referred to as a “thespian” rather than an “actor.” The Hollywood superstar clarified that he sees acting as storytelling, a pursuit aimed at discovering the truth of a character and conveying it authentically to the audience.
Cage explained, “What I was saying was: I see acting as storytelling. It’s trying to get to the truth of character.” He delved into the historical aspect of acting, mentioning Thespis, the first actor in Europe, who broke free in ancient Greece and started telling stories truthfully. Cage’s perspective on acting aligns with the idea of finding the truth within a story.
Cage then shared the etymology of the word “actor,” revealing that it literally means hypocrite. He expressed his desire not to be perceived as a hypocrite, which led to his preference for the term “thespian.” While acknowledging that his perspective might sound pretentious, Cage emphasized his commitment to the art of storytelling and truth-seeking in acting.
In the same interview, Cage disclosed his top five favorite movies from his extensive filmography. The selected films were “Pig,” “Mandy,” “Bringing out the Dead,” “Bad Lieutenant,” and “Joe.” These choices reflect some of the standout performances in Cage’s career, reaffirming his status as one of the most acclaimed actors (or, in his preferred term, thespians) of his generation.
