What movie did Nicolas Cage win an Oscar for? Role explored as popular star presents Best Actor 2024 award to Cillian Murphy

The recent 96th Academy Awards was attended by multiple celebrities, including Nicolas Cage. The Ghost Rider star presented the award for Best Actor, where Cillian Murphy emerged as the winner for his work in Oppenheimer, as per Yahoo! News.

It must be noted that Cage won the same award many years back in 1996 for his appearance in Leaving Las Vegas. He portrayed Ben Sanderson in the film.

Following his win, Murphy expressed his happiness on stage as he accepted the honor, saying that he was feeling "overwhelmed." He continued:

"Thank you to the academy. Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, it's been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you've taken me on over the past 20 years. I owe you more than I can say."

Oppenheimer has managed to win seven awards at this year's Oscars, including Best Picture.

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Nicolas Cage and his character in Leaving Las Vegas, explained in detail

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Leaving Las Vegas launched the successful career of Nicolas Cage, who played the role of Ben Sanderson in the movie. Time Magazine listed the character in their Top 10 Sloppiest Movie Drunks in 2011.

Ben was a screenwriter struggling with alcohol addiction. He decides to drink himself to death on his way to Las Vegas.

However, he soon develops an attraction towards Sera, a prostitute, and the duo discovers that they are going through the same situation.

Although the film was successful, Nicolas Cage, along with director Mike Figgis once claimed that they did not receive their respective payments worth $100,000 for it. The film itself managed to collect around $49 million at the box office.

According to Mike, Lumiere Pictures told him that the film failed to do business as per expectations.

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Nicolas Cage was accompanied by his wife at the Oscars 2024

The Gone in 60 Seconds star introduced the nominees for Best Actor along with four more well-known faces from the entertainment industry. He was seen attending the event with his partner, Riko Shibata, who opted for a black and grey gown.

The Independent reported that Cage and Shibata went to the Motion Picture & Television Fund's 22nd Annual Night Before on Saturday, March 9. The pair have been married since 2021 and are the parents of a daughter named August Francesca Coppola Cage.