“Only one letter separates us” — Nicolas Cage says he gets mistaken for Aussie musician Nick Cave quite often

Actor Nicolas Cage revealed that he often gets mistaken for Australian musician Nick Cave. In an interview with The Guardian, which was published on May 8, the actor was asked about his meeting with the musician. Cage then shared that the mishap happens almost daily.

"I don't think there's a day that goes by where I'm not mistaken for Nick Cave. People also say, "Hey, Nick, you were great in The Hunger," which is this great David Bowie movie," the actor stated.

For the unversed, in March 2022, Nick Cave shared on his Red Hand Files website that he regularly gets mistaken for the actor. Cave then stated that he met Nicolas Cage and the two briefly interacted. The actor told the media outlet about their interaction and said the musician was "very nice."

"I do remember that Cave was very nice. We were at an animal sanctuary, I believe – I think Sealy Animal Hospital in Texas – and he was terrific. I said hello and wanted to shake his hand. I said: 'Only one letter separates us – G. Nick Cave, Nick Cage,'" Cage said.

Nicolas Cage's latest film, The Surfer, explored

Nicolas Cage's latest release, The Surfer, is written by Thomas Martin and directed by Lorcan Finnegan, known for directing the 2019 film Vivarium. The psychological thriller stars Julian McMahon, Nic Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, and Cage.

In an interview with Nerdist on May 2, Cage said he chose to act in The Surfer because he felt pity for his character and could relate to him. He stated that in the movie, his character, an eponymous surfer from Australia, went through the universal experience of thinking that a particular situation would eventually get better.

"I related to the character. I felt bad for the character. His situation is something we can all, in this human experience, relate to. Where we think, 'This house/that childhood memory/this place is going to make everything all right.' Or, 'If I just work a little harder I'll be able to get it all back.' That kind of Sturm und Drang and pathos spoke to me," the actor stated.

In the film, Cage's character and his teenage son, played by Finn Little, surf on an Australian beach and then conflict with locals, who wish to protect the beach from outsiders and non-residents.

Nicolas Cage told the media outlet that the non-linear script impressed him and was "unusual." The actor said his first impression of the script was good, and he expressed that he had wanted to write something like The Surfer for quite some time.

"Also that it was unusual storytelling. When I read this script, I thought, 'Well, this is different. This is weird. This is the kind of story I aspire to write.' It was a non-linear narrative. I couldn't believe the whole thing took place on a beach in a parking lot. That was new," Cage said.

The Surfer premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2024, and was released in theatres on May 2, 2025.