Celebrity quirks: Nicolas Cage recalls ‘fearing’ surfers during childhood

In The Surfer, Nicolas Cage plays a man confronting past fears while surfing with his son. Photo / Getty Images

Nicolas Cage “feared” surfers during his younger years.

The 61-year-old actor stars in the new psychological thriller film The Surfer and Cage has explained how the movie relates to his own childhood in California.

Recalling spending weekends at Santa Monica Pier, Cage told Extra: “I was quite young, but I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to get past the group that was surfing, or, you know, the line, if you will. It was quite intimidating.

“I had a lot of admiration for surfers and for what they do, but I also feared them as a young man because they were pretty jacked up, both mentally and physically.”

In the new movie, Cage plays a man who revisits his childhood beach to surf with his son. The actor’s character is pushed to his limits amid an escalating conflict at the beach.

Cage said: “It’s a human condition, it’s a human story to think that you can repair things if you just work hard enough and buy back that house or it’ll fix my marriage or it’ll repair my relationship with my son ... and that desire to belong, to belong to something, to belong to anything.”

Meanwhile, Cage previously claimed to have a student-like approach to acting.

The movie star has achieved huge success during his time in the film business – but Cage acknowledged that he’s still developing his skills.

Cage – who has previously won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe, among other accolades – told Entertainment Tonight in 2023: “I certainly can’t think in those terms like I’ve done it all.

“I’ve always had the mantra that I’m a student. I’ve viewed my path and film-making as a student. I would never call myself a master.”

The veteran star also revealed that he’s always had an inquisitive mind.

He said: “I always have something to learn, always want to learn. So, 60 is coming up for sure, so my goal is to read more. I’ve been lagging in that department. I’d like to read a book a week.”