Nic Cage's 'Mandy' Character Was Inspired by Axl Rose, Dave Mustaine

To prepare for his starring role in the new horror flick Mandy, Nicolas Cage drew from some of his favorite hard rock and heavy metal frontmen.

The Oscar-winning actor discussed the role in a new interview with Metal Hammer.

"For me, all art is inspired by music on some level," Cage explained. "Even when I come up with ways of speaking dialogue it has a musical intent to it."

The long-time metal head Cage went further offering a specific example from Mandy (which has received rave reviews so far in its limited release). 

"There's one example in Mandy where I say, 'Did you rip my shirt?' I knew I was going to there with the melody and vocalization, and even though I'm a 'film person' and not a singer, I can still hear some of the dialogue as if I'm singing, almost like a metal singer," Cage said.

"The me, the voice is very gravelly and goes almost operatic, from a growl to a scream, which is metal all over."

He continued, shouting out a pair of rock legends who inspired the angle he took on his character.

"I think there is some influence there, from Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, or sometimes Axl Rose's vocalizations come into the process by virtue of osmosis, by being around it."

Directed by Panos Cosmatos, Mandy stars Cage as Red Miller, a man out for revenge after a coven of occultists murder his girlfriend.


Photo: Getty Images

Nic Cage Says His 'Molly' Character Was Inspired by Axl Rose, Dave Mustaine

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