Nicolas Cage Opens Up About His Quest For the Holy Grail, Both Literal and Metaphorical, and How It Compared to NATIONAL TREASURE

Guys, this is probably not a shock to anyone who knows anything about Nicolas Cage, but in case you ever had any doubt, the guy is a weirdo. Fun, interesting, decent actor, and so weird. In a recent in-depth interview with the New York Times, Cage talked a bit about his acting methods, being brought up in the family business of show business, and his own quest through spirituality over the course of his life.

While chatting about his unfortunate and strange investments, Cage kind of ventured off and began telling the interviewer that he went through a period of time where he was meditating multiple times a day, and spending all his spare time reading philosophy and mythology, which led him to lead his own grail quest. Here’s what he had to say about it:

It was almost like “National Treasure.” Of course, that didn’t sustain. On top of which, I said, “I’m going to get off philosophy,” because I became like a kite with a string but no anchor. No one could understand what I was talking about. And I thought people would rather see me as an orangutan than as an eagle meditating on the mountaintop anyway.

Right. So then the interviewer was like, what do you mean by that?

One thing would lead to another. It’s like when you build a library. You read a book, and in it there’s a reference to another book, and then you buy that book, and then you attach the references. For me it was all about where was the grail? Was it here? Was it there? Is it at Glastonbury? Does it exist?

And the interviewer clarifies, by saying he originally thought the grail quest was much more metaphorical. To which Cage replied:

Yeah, if you go to Glastonbury and go to the Chalice Well, there’s a spring that does taste like blood. I guess it’s really because there’s a lot of iron in the water. But legend had it that in that place was a grail chalice, or two cruets rather, one of blood and one of sweat. But that led to there being talk that people had come to Rhode Island, and they were looking for something as well.

And this leads to the reporter asking if this was why Cage bought property in Rhode Island. He initially says no, but then pretty much says yes. Cage went on to say that he did end up finding that the grail really was just a metaphor for the earth itself, and when asked what his current grail quest is, he responded:

There’s this old sci-fi movie called “Quatermass and the Pit.” In the movie, someone says to Professor Quatermass, “Do you ever find your early career catching up with you?” And he says, “I never had a career, only work.” I feel like that’s where I’m at now. I never had a career, only work. I’m just going to keep working.

So at least we can rely on more Nic Cage movies in our future. And if you have some urge to go looking for the Holy grail, just know that Nicolas Cage couldn’t find it, so your chances aren’t great. Read the whole article at the link above, and enjoy the trip that is Cage.