Nicolas Cage says he legally changed his name to avoid being seen as the “clown cousin” of the Coppola family

Nicolas Cage has revealed that he legally changed his name last year and now officially uses Nicolas Cage in both his personal life and professional career. Born Nicolas Kim Coppola, the actor said the decision was meant to distance himself from the well-known Coppola family and avoid being seen as the “clown cousin” of Hollywood royalty.

Speaking to Variety, the 62-year-old Oscar winner said, “I am Nick Cage. I changed my name legally last year,” adding that he is “Nick Cage in life” and “Nick Cage on camera.” He explained that he wanted to become “the patriarch of my own little family” rather than remain on the margins of someone else’s. Cage has long used the surname professionally, but said the name change now makes that identity official.

Cage comes from one of Hollywood’s most famous families. He is the son of academic and author August Coppola and the nephew of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire. His cousins include Sofia Coppola and actor Jason Schwartzman. Between them, members of the Coppola family have won eight Academy Awards, 10 Golden Globes, two BAFTA Awards, a Grammy and two Palme d’Or honors from the Cannes Film Festival.

The actor said the name “Cage” appealed to him for several reasons. He noted that he liked the name because of the Marvel Comics character Luke Cage, and also because of avant-garde composer John Cage, whose experimental work he admired. He added that he wanted something “short and sweet,” similar to James Dean. Cage also said he kept the first name Nicolas, even though he has often been frustrated that people incorrectly add an “h” to the French spelling.

Cage said he feels comfortable being called either Nick or Nicolas, saying, “I’m both.” He has been credited as Nicolas Cage throughout nearly his entire film career, with only a few early exceptions, including a 1981 television pilot and the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

During the same interview, Cage also discussed two major roles he nearly played but ultimately passed on. He said he came close to playing the Green Goblin in Spider-Man, but Willem Dafoe got the part because of creative differences. He also revealed that he nearly starred in Dumb and Dumber in 1994 opposite Jim Carrey, a role that went to Jeff Daniels.

Cage’s comments highlight both his long-standing connection to the Coppola dynasty and his desire to define his own identity on his own terms, even after decades of fame under the name Nicolas Cage.