"I've been pounded to smithereens" - Nicolas Cage says he "could have died" while training for the film 'The Surfer'

Actor and film producer Nicolas Cage opened up about his journey on shooting his latest movie, The Surfers.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly on May 3, 2025, he shared that he had always hoped to recreate a surf scene from Big Wednesday, but he didn’t have enough time to train properly for it.

He also mentioned that the crew never got a shot of him standing on the surfboard. On top of his limited prep time, filming was further complicated by issues like weather and shark sightings.

Nicolas Cage said:

“I have surfed, but every time I've attempted surfing, I've been pounded to smithereens. I surfed down on Sunset Beach. When I was trying to learn, my teacher gave me a shortboard. I said, 'Look, I want a long board.’”

The actor said he was caught in a rip tide. Others later told him they saw his surfboard sticking straight up in the water, a sign surfers call a "tombstone," which can mean someone is trapped underwater. The actor went on:

“I'm climbing up the leash as I'm somersaulting, and I could have died. Now I have a young kid, I don't know if I want to do it anymore.”

Meanwhile, he shared:

“The goal is to retire, surf, drink red wine, and eat spaghetti.”

Nicolas Cage on working with director Lorcan Finnegan for the movie

Entertainment journalist Jake Hamilton recently sat down with Nicolas Cage to discuss his film. Hamilton asked Cage if there was a moment in his career that felt like a wave he had to ride or risk being overwhelmed. Cage responded that he never believed he would be wiped out.

Instead, he felt confident he could ride through the ups and downs, whether doing a Super Bowl commercial or taking small roles in uncertain films. He said he chose to keep going with projects, no matter how risky, with the belief that he would eventually return to where he once was. He never wanted to give up.

Speaking to Chris Bumbray on JoBlo Interviews, the actor reflected on the director, Lorcan Finnegan’s, intention with the movie. He said:

“I think Lorcan wanted to keep it intentionally enigmatic and create a narrative that was not linear and be more surrealist psychedelic dream logic, if you will with the flashbacks and the foretelling and the forward cuts.”

Nicolas Cage went on:

“I think there were places that even I was mystified like, ‘What are you doing, Lorcan?’ ‘Where are we going with this?’ ‘Are you saying that I am the father or am I Nick Cassim's character?’ And I saw the movie twice and I and I loved the movie it's true and I loved it even more the second time.”

Nicolas Cage explained that he had a preference for unconventional films and music. To him, the project felt similar, unpredictable, slow-paced, and different from the usual fast or catchy styles. He appreciated that it took its time and explored unusual paths, which matched his taste.

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Also Read: The Surfer: Release date news, cast details and more

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