Wednesday, May 20, 1998
Cage presented with Spencer Tracy Award
AWARD: Academy Award winning actor lauded by university,
swooning fans
By Nerissa Pacio
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Nicolas Cage handles it all – shooting big guns, residing in
state prisons and jumping out of burning Ferarris for his on-screen
roles. But after receiving the 10th-annual Spencer Tracy Award in
UCLA’s Ackerman Grand Ballroom Tuesday, Academy Award winner Cage
may have actually been caught a bit off-guard.
While most students approached the podium a bit hesitantly,
stuttering over questions such as "What has been your favorite
movie to act in?" and "Who have been the best actors to work with?"
one audience member whipped out her camera and asked "Hey, can I
get a picture of you looking at me?" for which Cage, almost as if
on cue, waved his hand with a big smile at her hand-held
point-and-shoot.
Without any qualms, she lamented "I guess I can’t exactly ask to
sit on your lap!" Cage, blushing a bit, laughed as he gave his
characteristic tilt of the head to the eager audience member.
Since 1988, the UCLA Campus Events Commission and Susie Tracy,
daughter of the late actor Spencer Tracy, have presented the annual
Spencer Tracy Awards to actors in recognition of outstanding screen
performances and professional achievement.
The award memorializes the late Spencer Tracy, who received two
Oscars for Best Actor in "Captains Courageous" and "Boys Town" in
addition to nominations for nine Academy Awards.
Past recipients include Michael Douglas, Jodi Foster, Anjelica
Huston, Denzel Washington, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks and Anthony
Hopkins.
The ceremony began with introductions from UCLA Campus Events
commissioner Karen Hernandez and Susie Tracy. Following film
highlights of Cage’s career including clips from "Leaving Las
Vegas," "Face/Off," "The Rock" and his most recent release "City of
Angels," co-starring Meg Ryan, Gilbert Cates, dean of the UCLA
School of Theater, Film and Television (and Academy Awards show
producer) moderated a 30-minute question and answer session.
Audience members jumped at the chance to ask their favorite
actor questions, if not to just give him praise. One participant
swooned, "I really, really love you!" while another confessed that
if he didn’t get into medical school, he wanted to be just like
Cage, because next to Jim Carrey and Mr. Bean, Cage was his
favorite.
Cage had no hesitations entertaining his UCLA fans’ questions,
revealing that his buff build in Face/Off could be attributed to a
very specific diet.
"I basically had to stick to a strict regiment of fat-free
pretzels and Bumblebee Tuna," Cage laughed. "That is, in addition
to running six miles every other day accompanied by light weight
training."
Cage also addressed questions such as, "In which movie did you
have the most difficult role to play?" to which Cage readily
responded.
"We shot ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ in just four weeks, and yet there
was nothing painful in that experience," Cage says. "But that’s
ironic since the man (I played) was in so much pain trying to die.
But if it was a three-month shoot, I don’t know if I’d feel the
same way."
With four of Cage’s past films, "Snake Eyes," "Face/Off," "Con
Air" and "City of Angels," all written by UCLA students, Cates
appropriately joked, "Nick’s coming home."
Looking ahead to his upcoming films, Cage revealed that studios
have indefinitely postponed "Superman" due to lack of funding.
However, both he and Tim Burton will stay on the bill for a hopeful
future for the film.
"I want to show children in this film, that it’s OK to be
different," Cage smiles. "After all, Superman is an alien. So if
children go and say ‘I’m Superman,’ then I’ve done my job."DERRICK
KUDO/Daily Bruin
Nicolas Cage received the Spencer Tracy Award in the Ackerman
Grand Ballroom Tuesday at noon.