Nicolas Cage legally changes his name from Coppola

Actor Nicolas Cage, born Nicolas Kim Coppola, has legally changed his surname to Cage. The 62-year-old Oscar winner confirmed in a May 2026 interview with Variety that the legal change occurred last year. Cage explained that he sought to distance himself from his famous family, which includes his father, academic August Coppola, and his uncle, director Francis Ford Coppola. He stated that he felt pressure from being compared to the renowned Hollywood family and wished to avoid being perceived as a 'clown cousin' on its periphery. The actor chose the name Cage years ago, drawing inspiration from the Marvel character Luke Cage and avant-garde composer John Cage. He also sought a name that was brief and impactful. While he has used Cage as his stage name throughout his career, this move finalizes the transition on his official identification documents. Cage noted that he is comfortable being addressed as either Nick or Nicolas.