In a recent interview with TIME Nicolas Cage opened up about his new role as a New Orleans politician whose honorable ambitions to help his constituents in the wake of the BP oil spill is undercut by a sex scandal.
Reflecting on a career that spans decades and a wide range of roles, Cage discussed how the new "TMZ culture" has changed not only the way we evaluate our politicians, but also actors and films themselves.
He said, "personal issues don?t have a place in film commentary."
Cage clarified that critics such as Pauline Kael, Robert Ebert, and Paul Schrader, "were really determining based on the work itself, the film itself, the performance itself."
He also said, in more than 75 movies he's made, he doesn't regret a single character.
The venerable actor said, "they?re all my children. Whether they worked or didn?t work, I grew by taking risks and dealing with critical backlash."
