Nicolas Cage talks acting opposite a pig
Nicolas Cage talks his new movie ‘Pig’, reveals his favorite fast food and why he’s amazed by Komodo dragons.
Video Transcript
- There's nothing here for you anymore. There's really nothing here for most of us. Buy yourself a new pig.
ETHAN ALTER: "Pig" is nothing if not a great food movie, I think. So it made me think. What's the best meal you've ever eaten.
NICOLAS CAGE: I was nine years old. My father brought home bucket of Colonel Sanders original recipe and, believe it or not, a bottle of champagne. And I had that when I was nine. And I thought the combination of this, sort of, Americanized tempura chicken and champagne was absolutely unforgettable.
ETHAN ALTER: That's a great childhood memory.
NICOLAS CAGE: Yeah. I don't know if I recommend doing that with anyone's nine-year-old but it was fun at the time.
ETHAN ALTER: Are you still the KFC fan today? Do you still partake?
NICOLAS CAGE: Whenever I make a movie, it's my wrap present to myself. At the end of the movie I'll go and get a bucket of original recipe and that's how I celebrate finishing another movie.
ETHAN ALTER: Well, on the flip side of eating, what's the best meal you think you've ever cooked for someone else.
NICOLAS CAGE: I make a pretty good seafood arrabbiata pasta. I'm very careful to make it al dente. I start by producing the calamari and clams in an olive oil base with plenty of garlic and sea salt. And then I throw in the chili peppers so you get that pop. Then I'll get the pasta just right. It has to be al dente, otherwise the whole thing has to start over again. I usually throw that in the strainer and sprinkle it with cold water so it condenses somewhat. Then I'll put it in the tomato sauce into the frying pan with the olive oil, the garlic, and the sea salt, the calamari, the clams, and sometimes I had lobster. I like lobster in the arrabbiata and then I put it all together. And most people have a really good time with my dish.
ETHAN ALTER: I should ask about you-- your co-star in the movie is a pig-- for some of the film anyway. What was your working relationship like on set with the pig? How did you two get along?
NICOLAS CAGE: She was very, not surprisingly, payment-oriented. She wanted to eat. We got the best work-- in terms of her soulful gaze, and meeting the right marks, and whatnot-- when there was a bit of food that she could look at or go towards. She was certainly motivated by that. I really love animals. And it's always a pleasure for me to work with animals, whether it be a pig, or a horse, or a dog. I enjoy those experiences.
Michael and Vanessa were very careful to get the best moments. Her name was Brandy. She no longer with us, sadly. But to get the best moments and to use them in-- sparingly so it didn't lapse into any kind of melodrama per se, but more genuine observations of what this marvelous animal was like on the set.
ETHAN ALTER: I know you used to be a snake owner. I-- we have a ball python in our family. So I appreciate that you're sticking up for snake owners everywhere. They're great pets.
NICOLAS CAGE: There are some very rare exceptions, but they just want to be left alone. Like, please don't pick me up, you know, just go away. And I think there are times when all of us feel a little like that. So there's something quite amazing about reptiles. I mean, you know, the Komodo dragon actually has immaculate conception. There was one, if you can believe it, was actually born in the London Zoo on Christmas Day. And this Komodo dragon was not involved intimately with any other Komodo dragon. It just happened. It's kind of amazing.
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