NICOLAS CAGE INTERVIEW FOR G-FORCE

How did you get involved in G-Force?
NICOLAS CAGE: On my last day on the set of National Treasure 2, [producer] Jerry Bruckheimer told me about G-Force and asked me if I’d be interested in doing an animation. I was really tired, so I put on a funny voice and said, “Well, can I talk like this in the movie?” Jerry replied, “Absolutely.” That’s how I got involved.

How difficult is it to record your voice for an animated character?
NICOLAS CAGE: I found it very strange to work without a camera. It is very different because you have to rely entirely on your imagination. I would go into a little cubicle with a microphone and I’d just start riffing. It was a lot of fun.

Tell us about your character in the film…
NICOLAS CAGE: I provide the voice of a mole called Speckles – and he’s a bit of an outsider. He’s a loner and he tries to fit in, but he can’t because of the way he talks and the way he looks.

What does Speckles look like?
NICOLAS CAGE: Speckles is a mole with a star nose, long nails, little eyes and goggles on his head. He’s got a really long tail, so he looks a bit like a rat. He’s very different.

How did you end up voicing a mole and not one of the guinea pigs in the movie?
NICOLAS CAGE: I had the choice to play any of the characters in G-Force, but I knew I wasn’t going to play a guinea pig. I didn’t want to be cute and cuddly. I wanted to be a mole.

So what did you think when you first saw a sketch of Speckles?
NICOLAS CAGE: When I saw a picture of Speckles for the first time, I knew he was a character I would enjoy playing. Everything about him was interesting. He’s a wonderful character and he was a joy to voice.

How did you come up with voice of Speckles?
NICOLAS CAGE: Speckles allowed me to go in a whole new direction with my voice. He looks very different and he’s not the hero of the movie, so he needed a different voice. I wanted to create something that people wouldn’t know was me.

What inspired you to create his voice?
NICOLAS CAGE: I’m a big fan of a voice actor called Mel Blanc. He was definitely an inspiration. He did the voices for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam – and I think it’s marvelous that one man did all of these different voices.

Did you have to warm up your voice before you enter the sound booth?
NICOLAS CAGE: No. I’ve been working on this voice for years, so I was fine. Speckles’ voice comes to me when I’m tired or when I don’t want to yell. It’s my stressed-out voice that’s an octave or two higher than my regular voice.

Do you think Speckles sounds funny?
NICOLAS CAGE: Well, this voice always makes me laugh because it’s so ridiculous and so absurd. I thought to myself, ‘Why not use that voice for Speckles?’ I’d had a lot of practice with it over the years, so it was easy.

Are you a fan of moles?
NICOLAS CAGE: I love the way they look with their long tail and pointy face. It looks like they’re saying, “I dare you to pick me up!” They are very interesting.

Are you an animal lover?
NICOLAS CAGE: I love animals. It’s funny, but I can’t stand killing anything – even if it’s just a fly or a cockroach. When I was younger, I didn’t really care about stepping on ants or anything, but now I do.

Is it true you used to own a pet snake?
NICOLAS CAGE: It is true, although I don’t have any pets at the moment. I moved to New York City and I now live in an apartment where they don’t allow pets. I had to find new homes for all my animals, but they’re all being well taken care of.

There are loads of cool gadgets in the movie… What’s your favorite?
NICOLAS CAGE: I’m not a fan of gadgets, so I don’t really know. Technology and computers are not part of my world. I can email, but I don’t know have iPods or Blackberries or anything like that. I don’t have any gadgets.

Don’t you own a cell phone?
NICOLAS CAGE: Oh, sure. I use technology for communication and I do have a cell phone, but it’s a very old cell phone. It’s very simple. That’s the way I like it.

Surely there must be one gadget you like?
NICOLAS CAGE: Well, I do love cameras. I’m not excellent with numbers, so I have to have an auto-focus camera, but I really like taking pictures. I haven’t done any photography in a while because I’ve been working, but I guess cameras are the most interesting of all technological inventions to me.

Do you have any advice for youngsters who want to follow in your footsteps and act?
NICOLAS CAGE: Keep the child in you alive because it’s your imagination that will connect you with audiences. Your imagination is your best tool to be an actor. Don’t let people try to diminish it or make you feel bad for having an imagination. Use it whenever you can.

Do you remember the first time you realized you wanted to act?
NICOLAS CAGE: I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was about six years old. I was trying to figure out how to get inside the television set because I was fascinated by it. My father built a little castle out of plywood in our back yard and I would go in there for hours making up stories and characters.

What kind of characters did you make up?
NICOLAS CAGE: I would pretend to be anything from a knight to an astronaut. You know what? That castle was where I learned to act. That’s where I got a lot done, so I would urge children to play as much as they can and use their imagination as much as possible. It will really help you as an actor.

We’ve got one final question before you go… Why should we buy the G-Force DVD?
NICOLAS CAGE: I’m really proud of this movie because it’s got something for everyone. There are cute talking animals and crazy gadgets, as well as exciting car chases. It’s very entertaining. The movie is designed to put a smile on everyone’s face. Any time I have the chance to make people smile, I go for it.

G-FORCE is Available on Blu-ray & DVD December 15th!