He was born Nicolas Kim Coppola in Long Beach, California on January 7, 1964. If that name sounds familiar, its because he is the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, director of such Hollywood classics as The Godfather and the over-appreciated The Godfather, Part 2.
By the time he was a teenager, he was already asking his famous uncle to give him a screen test, hoping to show off his acting chops. Then in an effort to avoid the appearance of nepotism, he changed his name to Nicolas Cage, his surname in tribute to the Marvel Comics character Luke Cage. He has since starred in such blockbusters as National Treasure (2004), Con Air (1997), and Face/Off (1997).
From a young age, he would visit his famous family at their property in New Orleans' famed French Quarter. Cage grew to appreciate the gentile, southern town, which he would later call his home. After achieving great success in Hollywood, he bought a number of properties in the area, including the LaLaurie Mansion, purported to be the most haunted house in all America.
Having developed deep ties to the Big Easy, Cage opted to make it his final resting place. In 2010, he purchased space in the famed St. Louis Cemetery #1, just outside the French Quarter, much to the chagrin of local residents. Hoping to be eternally housed next to the city's famed Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, Cage knocked down pre-existing graves that had long since fallen into disrepair. Ironically, he would choose the perpetual care option for his tomb, guaranteeing that it will always be maintained following his death.
Rest in peace. Eventually.
Trivia
- St. Louis Cemetery #1 is the only graveyard that this blogger has ever had to pay to get into. Tours are by appointment only. Interested? Visit the official tour site. Be sure to ask for Zelda. She is a fantastic tour guide who answered all of our questions.
- The Latin inscription "Omnia Ab Uno" translates to "everything from one."
- Other famous internments include civil rights activist Homer Plessy and chess master Paul Morphy. Musician Dr. John is purported to be there as well, but his final resting place cannot be confirmed.
- In recent years, Cage has run afoul of the IRS, who've ceased most of his properties. Under Louisiana law however, his final resting place cannot be claimed.
