The movie career of Nic Cage is as diverse as his characters’ sentiments, and he is known for all his wild performances. From Leaving Las Vegas to The Rock, he’s made some obviously wonderful pictures, and he’s also made some awful decisions, such as his 2006 rendition of The Wicker Man. However, regardless of his film selections, he is unquestionably one of Hollywood’s most fascinating figures. Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing facts about Nicolas Cage:

1. Nicolas comes from a long line of entertainers:

Nic Cage was born into the prestigious Coppola family, and his Academy Award triumph for Leaving Las Vegas in 1995 marked the third generation of Coppolas to receive the honor. His uncle, renowned filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who although was famous for being very difficult on set, won an Academy Awards for his work. And so did his and grandpa, talented songwriter Carmine Coppola. Sofia Coppola, his cousin, won the Oscar in 2005, adding to the Coppola family’s illustrious history.

2. Nicolas has a crazy work ethic:

Over the previous 12 years, Nicolas Cage has been in over 30 films. That’s a really incredible work ethic for any performer. There are many performers who take long intervals between films, choose their parts using too much time, and are constantly vying for awards. Nicolas Cage, perhaps more than any other star in Hollywood, is doing everything right. He always soldiers on if he believes there is something to gain from it and is consistent in his work.

3. Nicolas had a $150,000 octopus pet:

And if that doesn’t seem weirdly interesting to you, he said that the octopus made him a better actor, although no one really understood how. Nic Cage also told the Los Angeles Times that watching the baby octopus move about in its tank was relaxing. The actor has also purchased castles, dinosaur bones, and an entire island. Furthermore, he has owned a rare two-headed gopher snake named Harvey Dent and an African pied crow who speaks.

Related: Nicolas Cage’s pet crow calls him “Ass”

4. Nicolas is the reason for Johnny Depp’s acting career:

Cage also revealed in an interview that he and Johnny Depp were buddies when Depp was relatively unknown in Hollywood. Not everyone knows this, but Johnny Depp wanted to pursue a career in music before acting. Nicolas suggested Depp to start acting as the pair were playing Monopoly, but Depp refused, saying, “No, I can’t act”. Cage pressed on, and Depp was eventually scheduled to meet with Nic’s agent. Cage recounted Depp’s early years, saying, “She sent him out on his first audition, which was A Nightmare on Elm Street. He got the part that day. Overnight sensations don’t happen. But it happened with him.”

Related: Some other actors who chose different careers before acting.

5. When Nic dies, he plans to be buried in a pyramid:

After Cage dies, he wants to be laid in a pyramid, and he has already set up a tomb in one of New Orleans’ renowned cemeteries. Cage bought two plots in a nine-foot-tall pyramid-shaped burial emblazoned with the Latin term “omnia ab uno,” or “everything from one”.  Some speculate that the pyramid construction is connected to Cage’s alleged links to the Illuminati. Cage was also spotted visiting the grave with an unknown woman in February 2020.