Nicolas Cage has avoided the acting profession entirely.
Nicolas Kim Coppola ( born January 7 , 1964 ) , known professionally as Nicolas Cage , is an American actor and producer . Cage received an Academy Award , a Golden Globe , and Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance as an alcoholic Hollywood writer in Leaving Las Vegas ( 1995 ) before coming to the attention of wider audiences with mainstream films , such as The Rock ( 1996 ) , Face/Off ( 1997 ) , Con Air ( 1997 ) and City of Angels ( 1998 ) . He has also appeared in National Treasure ( 2004 ) , Lord of War ( 2005 ) , Bad Lieutenant : Port of Call New Orleans ( 2009 ) , and Kick-Ass ( 2010 ) .