Nicolas Cage Says It’s ‘Always a Good Thing’ When His Late Father Appears in His Dreams (Exclusive)
"I always like it when my father shows up,” Cage exclusively told PEOPLE at the premiere of his new film 'Dream Scenario'
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(711x187:713x189):format(webp)/Nicolas-Cage-091023-1-9f848de91424447ca5fff37c8ba13806.jpg)
Nicolas Cage says it’s “always a good thing” when his late father August Coppola appears in his dreams.
At the Toronto International Film Festival world premiere of his new film Dream Scenario — which sees Cage’s character star in other people’s dreams — the actor exclusively told PEOPLE which recurring figure he looks forward to seeing in his own dreams.
“I always like it when my father shows up,” Cage said at the event on Saturday. “I haven’t seen him in person since he passed on. So when he shows up, that’s always a good thing.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1067x0:1069x2):format(webp)/August-Coppola-Nicolas-Cage-091023-d03d73a67b0b4d439453fd873cfd176a.jpg)
Nicolas Cage (center) and his father August Coppola and mother Joy Vogelsang attend his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 1998.RON GALELLA, LTD./RON GALELLA COLLECTION VIA GETTY
Coppola, whose younger brother is The Godfather trilogy director Francis Ford Coppola, died from a heart attack at age 75 in 2009, according to his obituary.
Cage named his 1-year-old daughter, August Francesca Coppola, after his late father. The actor and wife Riko Shibata welcomed their little girl on September 7, 2022, a rep for the couple exclusively confirmed to PEOPLE.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent star joked with PEOPLE at the Dream Scenario premiere that he was “transported” to TIFF the day after celebrating his daughter’s first birthday.
“It’s becoming a tradition. She had her first, one-year birthday party yesterday. And here I am today. I’m just like sort of transported,” he said.
“I think it’s a good tradition. We had a nice time together yesterday,” added the Renfield actor, who is also dad to sons Weston, 32, and Kal-El, 17, from previous relationships.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x166:751x168):format(webp)/Nicolas-Cage-TIFF-090923-1-1035779184d74d6e8f6287af6e438bde.jpg)
Nicolas Cage attends the world premiere of ‘Dream Scenario’ on Sept. 9.
GEOFF ROBINS/AFP VIA GETTY
Cage, who previously shared with PEOPLE that his little girl’s birthday festivities included her wearing “a Supergirl cape,” left home after celebrating the milestone birthday to promote the new A24 film — which comes from the minds of writer-director Kristoffer Borgli and co-producer Ari Aster.
According to a summary on the TIFF website, the feature follows an anonymous-feeling professor who starts showing up in other people’s dreams, making him an “overnight celebrity.”
TIFF and A24 shared a first look at the film last month, with Cage appearing unrecognizable in the role as he rocked a balding head of hair, gray beard and glasses. A24’s website notes that Michael Cera and Julianne Nicholson also star in the cast.
Dream Scenario is set to hit theaters on Nov. 10.
