Editing Nicolas Cage (section)

===1981–1988: Early work and breakthrough===
Cage made his acting debut in the 1981 television pilot ''[[The Best of Times (1981 film)|The Best of Times]]'', which was never picked up by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].<ref name="BestOfTimes">{{cite web |last1=Coffel |first1=Chris |title=The Tao of Nicolas Cage: The Best of Times |url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/the-tao-of-nicolas-cage-the-best-of-times-7ef8bea4bcb3/ |website=[[Film School Rejects]] |access-date=April 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228221553/https://filmschoolrejects.com/the-tao-of-nicolas-cage-the-best-of-times-7ef8bea4bcb3/ |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |date=December 16, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> His film debut followed in 1982, with a minor role as an unnamed co-worker of [[Judge Reinhold]]'s character in the [[coming-of-age]] film ''[[Fast Times at Ridgemont High]]'', having originally auditioned for Reinhold's part.<ref name="Fast Times">{{cite web |author=Schutte |first=Lauren |date=February 14, 2012 |title=Nicolas Cage on Turning Down 'Dumb & Dumber,' Winning Another Oscar and the Movie that Made Him Change His Name |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nicolas-cage-ghost-rider-spirit-vengence-dumb-dumber-290688 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501164752/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nicolas-cage-ghost-rider-spirit-vengence-dumb-dumber-290688 |archive-date=May 1, 2012 |access-date=August 24, 2012 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> His experience on the film was marred by cast members endlessly quoting his uncle's films, which inspired him to change his name.<ref name="Fast Times" /> Cage's first starring role came opposite [[Deborah Foreman]] in the romantic comedy ''[[Valley Girl (1983 film)|Valley Girl]]'' (1983), in which he played a [[punk subculture|punk]] who falls in love with the titular [[valley girl]], a plot loosely inspired by ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]''.<ref name="ValleyGirl">{{cite news |last1=Spencer |first1=Ashley |title=When 'Valley Girl' (and Nicolas Cage) Shook Up Hollywood |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/movies/valley-girl.html? |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=April 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315175136/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/movies/valley-girl.html |archive-date=March 15, 2022 |date=May 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The film was a modest box office success and has been branded a [[cult classic]].<ref name="Cult">{{cite magazine |last1=Sollosi |first1=Mary |title=''Valley Girl'' is, like, a totally ironic nostalgia trip: Review |url=https://ew.com/movies/movie-reviews/valley-girl-musical-remake/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=April 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105024348/https://ew.com/movies/movie-reviews/valley-girl-musical-remake/ |archive-date=November 5, 2021 |date=May 8, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> He auditioned for the role of Dallas Winston in his uncle's film ''[[The Outsiders (film)|The Outsiders]]'', based on [[S.E. Hinton]]'s [[The Outsiders (novel)|novel]], but lost to [[Matt Dillon]].<ref name="yv5r9" /> Cage, however, would co-star in Coppola's adaptation of another Hinton novel, ''[[Rumble Fish]]'', in that year.<ref name="s9u79" />

In 1984, Cage appeared in three period films, none of which fared well at the box office. In the drama, ''[[Racing with the Moon]]'' (1984), Cage featured opposite [[Sean Penn]] as friends who are awaiting deployment to the [[United States Marine Corps]].<ref name="RWTM">{{cite magazine |title=Racing with the Moon |url=https://variety.com/1983/film/reviews/racing-with-the-moon-1200426001/ |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=April 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416223214/https://variety.com/1983/film/reviews/racing-with-the-moon-1200426001/ |archive-date=April 16, 2022 |date=December 31, 1983 |url-status=live}}</ref> In Coppola's crime drama ''[[The Cotton Club (film)|The Cotton Club]]'' he portrayed a fictionalized version of mob hitman [[Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll]], earning praise from critic [[Paul Attanasio]] for "artfully [using] his few moments to sketch a brawny, violent thug."<ref name="CottonClub">{{cite news |last1=Attanasio |first1=Paul |author1-link=Paul Attanasio |title='Cotton Club': Coppola's Triumph |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/12/14/cotton-club-coppolas-triumph/068c926c-9d69-4463-bc44-ec4eb1ac152c/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=April 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809180633/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/12/14/cotton-club-coppolas-triumph/068c926c-9d69-4463-bc44-ec4eb1ac152c/ |archive-date=August 9, 2020 |date=December 14, 1984 |url-status=live}}</ref> His final release of the year was [[Alan Parker]]'s drama ''[[Birdy (film)|Birdy]]'', in which he starred with [[Matthew Modine]]. Cage lost weight for the role and had two of his front teeth pulled out to appear disfigured.<ref name="S&S">{{cite web |last1=Dargis |first1=Manohla |author1-link=Manohla Dargis |title=The method and madness of Nicolas Cage |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/features/method-madness-nicolas-cage |website=[[Sight & Sound]] |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] |access-date=April 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826133619/https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/features/method-madness-nicolas-cage |archive-date=August 26, 2021 |date=August 20, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Despite massively underperforming at the box office, the film, and Cage and Modine's performances, received positive reviews, with ''[[The New York Times]]'' critic [[Janet Maslin]] writing, "Mr. Cage very sympathetically captures Al's urgency and frustration. Together, these actors work miracles with what might have been unplayable."<ref name="Birdy">{{cite news |last1=Maslin |first1=Janet |author1-link=Janet Maslin |title=The Screen: Alan Parker's 'Birdy' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/21/movies/the-screen-alan-parker-s-birdy.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=April 16, 2022 |date=December 21, 1984 |archive-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719172340/https://www.nytimesvies.com/1984/12/21/movies/the-screen-alan-parker-s-birdy.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1986, Cage starred in the little-seen Canadian sports drama ''[[The Boy in Blue (1986 film)|The Boy in Blue]]'' and his uncle's fantasy comedy ''[[Peggy Sue Got Married]]'' (1986) as the husband to [[Kathleen Turner]]'s character.<ref name="Tafoya">{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/features/the-whole-parade-on-the-incomparable-career-of-nicolas-cage|title=The Whole Parade: On the Incomparable Career of Nicolas Cage|date=May 25, 2021|first=Scout|last=Tafoya|website=[[RogerEbert.com]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621213622/https://www.rogerebert.com/features/the-whole-parade-on-the-incomparable-career-of-nicolas-cage|archive-date=June 21, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref><ref name="d4cjN" /> He then starred in the [[Coen brothers]]' crime comedy ''[[Raising Arizona]]'' (1987) as a dim-witted ex-con.<ref name="RaisingArizona">{{cite web |last1=Westbrook |first1=Caroline |title=Raising Arizona Review |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/raising-arizona-review/ |website=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |access-date=April 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228221555/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a36287882/why-raising-arizona-has-the-best-opening-scene-of-any-movie/ |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |date=January 1, 2000 |url-status=live}}</ref> Cage's biggest breakthrough came in 1987 with the romantic comedy ''[[Moonstruck]]'', in which he starred alongside [[Cher]] as a hot-tempered baker.<ref name="bio" /> The film was a hit with critics and audiences alike, earning Cage a [[Golden Globe]] nomination for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy]]<ref name="Golden Globes">{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/nicolas-cage|title=Nicolas Cage|publisher=[[Golden Globe Awards]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308151042/https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/nicolas-cage|archive-date=March 8, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref> In his retrospective review, [[Roger Ebert]] wrote that he felt Cage's performance was worthy of an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]].<ref name="Moonstruck">{{cite web |last1=Ebert |first1=Roger |author1-link=Roger Ebert |title=Moonstruck |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-moonstruck-1987 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |access-date=April 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409113023/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-moonstruck-1987 |archive-date=April 9, 2022 |date=June 22, 2003 |url-status=live}}</ref>