Songwriter and The Bad Seeds frontman Nick Cave has recalled a time when he was mistaken for Hollywood legend, Nicolas Cage.
The pair may not look alike but their similar-sounding names has led to some awkward situations for both men. Cave has previously mentioned in his Red Hand Files the time he was mistaken for the Ghost Rider and Moonstruck star, while Cage recently confirmed he is sometimes mixed up with the Australian musician. A recent post from Cave to the Red Hand Files saw the veteran of the stage shared an experience from his days living in São Paulo, where he was mistaken for the Hollywood icon. Cave also confirmed he had seen one of Cage’s most recent horror films, praising the 2018 feature, Mandy.
Cave wrote: “There has always been a persistent and somewhat perplexing confusion surrounding our names — I wrote about it myself in Issue #189 of The Red Hand Files. Years ago, while living in São Paulo, I was walking home from a party or something and stopped at a bar for a nightcap. I was pretty drunk, it was very late, and the place was almost empty.
“I sat beside this young Brazilian guy at the bar and ordered a drink. He seemed a bit downcast, and so I asked him if he was alright. He said he was okay, and we started to talk. He was from a town in the north of Brazil and had come to São Paulo with his wife to look for work. He introduced himself to me. ‘I’m Diego,’ he said.
“As he asked me my name, the barman leaned over and said to him, ‘Dude, you’re talking to fucking Nick Cave!’ Diego suddenly became super-animated, jumping around on his stool, saying that he loved me, that he was my greatest fan, and so on and so forth.”
Cave went on to explain the delighted response from Diego was due to a mix-up, with the downcast man at the bar mistaking Cave for Cage. Cave humoured the man at the bar, who had been dealing with marital troubles. He wrote: “After a while, I began to warm to my theme.
“I told him that making Raising Arizona was the most extraordinary experience and a highpoint in my career, that John Goodman was a fascinating and complex character, and how it was a real privilege to work with the Coen brothers and that they were ‘masters of their craft’ and all this bullshit.
“Eventually, Diego decided he should go back home and tell his wife, Ana, that he’d met her favourite actor, and that Nick Cave says he’s not stupid, and that he’s a good guy. Then he suggested that I come home with him and put in a good word. I tried to dissuade him, telling him that it was impossible as I had to be on a movie set early in the morning.
“Eventually, he relented, and instead we got a pen and a piece of paper from the barman, and I wrote – Dear Ana, Diego is not stupid. He’s a good guy. Love, Nic Cage. Anyway, these confusions between me and Mr. Cage happen fairly often. But I don’t mind. I’m a fan. Have you guys seen Mandy? My God. What a film.”
It comes as Cage confirmed he is frequently mistaken for the Australian songwriter. In an interview with The Guardian last week, Cage said: “I don’t think there’s a day that goes by where I’m not mistaken for Nick Cave.
“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.’
