Nicolas Cage has delivered one of the great performances of his career in his latest release, “Longlegs“. The respected actor portrayed a serial killer in the horror film written and directed by Oz Perkins.
The star shared the spotlight with Maika Monroe, who is already a genre veteran, having appeared in multiple successful productions like It Follows and Watcher. In the movie, she played FBI agent Lee Harker.
During an event for the dramatic thriller, he explained that he used a specific moment from his life with his late mother, Joy Vogelsang, as inspiration for the role, which he described as “androgynous“.
Nicolas Cage was inspired by his mother for Longlegs’ role
Undoubtedly, Nicolas Cage has caused a great stir with his latest role on the big screen. The actor was chosen to bring to life the fictional serial killer, Longlegs, in the most terrifying movie from acclaimed filmmaker Oz Perkins.
To add even more authenticity to his character, he drew inspiration from personal experiences, such as the tone and movements of his mother, who suffered from schizophrenia and severe depression for most of her life.
There is a particular moment from Nicolas’s childhood that has stayed with him to this day and it’s related to his mother Joy Vogelsang, who passed away at the age of 85 in 2021 due to multiple health problems.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the star, also known for hits like National Treasure and Dream Scenario, expressed that he drew on memories of his mother to perform the chilling role in “Longlegs“. There, he said:
“My mom put on Noxzema cold cream. I was 2 years old, and I opened the bathroom door [to see] what she was doing. For no reason, she turned her face really fast and stared at me after [putting on] the cold cream. The whiteness of the cold cream just really spooked me“.
