‘Longlegs’ Cast on Working With Nicolas Cage: “Visceral Experience”

In the upcoming thriller ‘Longlegs,’ Nicolas Cage takes on the chilling role of a serial killer, with Maika Monroe starring as the determined FBI Agent on his trail. Also joining the cast is Alicia Witt, who plays Monroe’s mother. Recently, the cast shared their experiences of working with the enigmatic Cage.

Speaking to Metro, Alicia Witt opened up about her initial reaction to Cage’s transformation for the role. “I had no idea how scary it was going to be,” she confessed. “I mean, it was so scary that you need a new word to describe what he looks like!” Witt added that Cage’s appearance was not only terrifying but also instrumental in shaping her performance. “It’s so twisted and certainly helped with my work because of my interaction with him in the movie, all you have to do is look at him and you know that man’s not right – like, deeply not right.”

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Maika Monroe echoed Witt’s sentiments, recounting her intense first encounter with Cage as Longlegs. “When I walked in and saw Nicolas Cage for the first time as Longlegs, that was a visceral experience I’ll never forget,” she said. The film even captured Monroe’s genuine reaction in a video, showing her heart rate spiking to an astonishing 170 bpm upon seeing Cage in full costume.

Cage delved into his unique approach to the character, revealing that he drew inspiration from his mother. “Channeling my mother for this role was constructive,” he explained. “Not that she was satanic, but her vocalisations, the way she would move.”

Cage shared a vivid memory, imitating his mother’s voice: “She would talk, like, ‘Oooh, Nicky, you looked just like a little bird when you were born’.” He noted that while his mother did her best in difficult circumstances, her mannerisms were undeniably eerie. “So I thought, O.K., I want to make this character as a sort of homage to my mother.”