Nicolas Cage Says He Doesn’t Separate Heroes and Villains When Choosing Roles

Nicolas Cage says he has never believed in dividing characters into simple categories of heroes and villains, explaining that he chooses roles based on depth, unpredictability, and creative potential rather than morality.

The Oscar-winning actor shared his thoughts during the premiere of Spider-Noir at the Regal Times Square in New York City.

According to Cage, limiting himself to a single type of role has never interested him, even when certain characters might offer greater commercial success.

Why Cage Refuses to Be Defined by One Type of Character
The 62-year-old actor explained that both heroes and villains serve equally important functions in storytelling because they reveal different aspects of human nature.

For Cage, variety is essential to maintaining his passion for acting.

He said that constantly exploring radically different personalities allows him to keep discovering new artistic possibilities instead of becoming trapped inside a predictable Hollywood image.

Throughout his career, Cage has become known precisely for that unpredictability — moving freely between action films, psychological dramas, surreal independent projects, and comic-book adaptations.

Why He Turned Down Green Goblin
During the conversation, Cage also revealed an interesting detail about his early connection to Marvel.

According to the actor, he once discussed the possibility of playing Green Goblin with director Sam Raimi during the development of the first Spider-Man.

However, Cage ultimately declined the role and instead chose to star in Adaptation..

He explained that at the time, the more intimate and intellectually unusual project felt like the right artistic decision for his career.

That choice ultimately proved significant: Adaptation. earned Cage an Academy Awards nomination and further reinforced his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most unconventional leading actors.

His Marvel Journey Happened Anyway
Although he passed on Green Goblin, Cage still eventually entered the world of Marvel adaptations.

The actor later portrayed Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider in 2007 before reprising the role in the 2011 sequel.

Those films allowed him to combine his love of eccentric, emotionally intense characters with the spectacle of large-scale comic-book cinema — a space where his highly expressive acting style fit naturally.

Now Entering a New Chapter With Spider-Noir
Public attention has once again shifted toward Cage thanks to Spider-Noir, where he continues exploring darker and more stylized material.

The project builds on the noir-inspired version of Spider-Man he previously voiced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Cage says his approach to choosing roles remains unchanged.

For him, the most important question is never whether a character is “good” or “evil,” but whether the role offers something surprising, emotionally layered, and creatively challenging enough to keep him evolving as an actor.