Nicolas Cage not only knows about the memes — he embraces them. In fact, he got one written into the script for another movie.
Many people enjoy the memorable performances of Nicolas Cage. He has appeared in all kinds of films, from “wild” ones like Prisoners of Ghostland to the well-known National Treasure franchise.
But it’s the former that tend to inspire those ubiquitous Nicolas Cage memes. Naturally, the actor knows how the internet feels about him, and he incorporated one line into a 2022 film.
Nicolas Cage inserted a meme into ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’
Nicolas Cage attends the premiere of “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals at The Paramount Theatre on March 12, 2022 in Austin, Texas. | Rich Fury/Getty Images for SXSW
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent stars Cage as a fictional version of himself. The plot of the dark comedy focuses on Cage, who needs cash. He accepts when a fan offers him $1 million to do a birthday gig.
However, it doesn’t turn out the way he expected. Fans can expect callbacks to Cage’s previous films.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cage initially didn’t want to do the film. After he accepted, he worked hard to ensure a great product. During an interview, Cage explained that he added in a “not the bees” reference — a callback a popular meme.
“I put “not the bees” in there,” Cage explained. “That wasn’t in the script. I was sending that up. This was an opportunity to play with the memeification that has transpired around that. [Fans have] created this other persona [of me] that has a life of its own,” he added.
Where does the ‘not the bees’ meme come from?
Toward the end of the film, the group sacrifices Cage’s character to increase their land’s honey production. They pour bees around his face after placing a trap on his head. The character then shouts, “Not the bees!”
While the horror film is considered one of the worst Halloween movies of all time, fans found it somewhat amusing due to Cage’s performance. A cult following formed as a result, and they made a meme of the bees line. In the following years, people made dozens of jokes about the scene on the internet.
While some actors may not embrace memes about themselves, Nicolas Cage isn’t one of them. “It’s like their Frankenstein’s monster,” he said of how his persona has been adapted by so many. “I’m playing with that.”
Why Cage thinks people make memes of him
Like the “not the bees” meme, Cage is aware of other running jokes among internet users. There are even products referencing them like the sequin pillow Cage uses in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. He figures people pick his facial expressions since the actor likes to deviate from a natural appearance.
“I think the internet’s response to it, that they’ve tapped into it vicariously, is because these characters are doing things we all want to do, but we’re too well-behaved to actually do in our own lives,” Cage added. “Ultimately, it meant there’s a connection with the audience, and people are getting something from it. That’s positive.”
News
Reacher’s Alan Ritchson on the effects training for the show had on his body
Reacher star Alan Ritchson has talked about the effects that getting so jacked for the show has had on his body. Reacher star says show “f**king wrecked” his bodyAmazon Prime The actor went on an intense training regime to achieve the physique of…
10 Reasons Why Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Would Be The DCU’s Perfect Batman
Alan Ritchson is one of the leading fancasts to play Batman in James Gunn’s DC Universe, and a few factors explain why the casting would work. Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury SUMMARY Alan Ritchson’s experience with DC heroes like Aquaman and…
Alan Ritchson Is the Ultimate Dad as He Tells a Road Trip Vomit Story
The ‘Reacher’ star gleaned some parenting wisdom from a very messy moment. ALAN RITCHSON MIGHT have become synonymous with the character of Jack Reacher in the pop culture sphere, but at home he’s better known as “Dad,” and is far more likely…
Reacher Season 3 Adds New Cast Members & Reveals Exciting New Character Details
The third season of Reacher has added several cast members, with one character sounding like an evil version of Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher. Prime Video SUMMARY Amazon’s Reacher season 3 welcomes new cast members. Actor Brian Tee joins as Quinn, a ruthless…
“Nobody really cares about acting”: Alan Ritchson’s Dismissive Attitude Cost Him 2 of the Biggest Franchise Roles in History
Alan Ritchson’s carelessness cost him Thor, while an unjustified age concern led to missing The Hunger Games SUMMARY Alan Ritchson’s fans feel let down by his missed chances in major roles in Thor and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Ritchson’s…
Alan Ritchson’s Quest To Achieve Reacher’s Proper Weight Sent Him To The Hospital
By now, any fan of Jack Reacher will know the story of how Prime Video’s “Reacher” series came to be. Once the Tom Cruise-led films were out of the way, fans demanded a more physically imposing leading man, which they…
End of content
No more pages to load