‘Passion Project’: Actor Nicolas Cage Reportedly Preparing to Launch Bourbon Brand

Nicolas Cage attends the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival premiere of ‘Butcher’s Crossing’ at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 9 in Toronto, Ontario. A Nicolas Cage bourbon brand is reportedly in the works. (Photo: Sipa via AP Images)

According to a report from The Sun, Academy Award-winning actor Nicolas Cage has trademarked his name for use in a bourbon brand, which The Sun says is something of a “passion project” for the film star.

“Nic is a whisky and bourbon man and is branching out into that,” The Sun said a source told it. “He has great taste so this will be good stuff.”

Celebrity alcohol brands, and whiskey in particular, are all the rage at the moment, with notable figures such as Matthew McConaughey, Metallica, Bob Dylan, Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning, Scottie Pippen, Brad Paisley and many others having whiskey brands.

Cage is a known fan of booze. In fact, to film the 1995 movie “Leaving Las Vegas,” director Mike Figgis has said Cage got into character by getting drunk.

“He wanted to do the entire film drunk,” Figgis said, according to the Telegraph.

According to Figgis, Cage “drank a bottle of vodka,” before filming a scene — and it didn’t go well.

“I was very angry with him because he didn’t tell me,” Figgis said. “Somebody got injured and he smashed the equipment. The pit boss was furious and was gonna throw us out until the audience, who were all propagandas, started applauding. We were within a hair’s breadth of being thrown out, because Nic had gone bonkers.”

Cage has previously discussed a past of substance abuse. In 2007 he said that he “went through a period of drinking and drug-taking” in his twenties but never went to rehab.

In 2021, Cage was recorded being kicked out of a restaurant in Las Vegas while intoxicated after arguing with the staff.

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