Nicolas Cage Had to Eat Live Cockroaches For a Movie (It Tasted Like Regret)

Back in 1988, Nicolas Cage played in Vampire's Kiss. The film tells the story of Peter Loew, a Manhattan literary agent who is convinced that he's turning into a vampire.

As the plot unfolds, we witness Peter's descent into madness, but there is one particular scene that truly steals the show.

Peter, played by Cage, is seen slowly losing his grip on reality. In what appears to be a desperate attempt to prove his vampiric nature, he decides to snack on a live cockroach.

And yes, Nicolas Cage actually had to eat a real, live cockroach. The initial script said he should gulp down a raw egg, but Cage insisted on chowing down on a real live insect.

Cage later commented on his decision. He thought it was a smart choice for marketing because people would react strongly when they see him devouring a cockroach. He believed that this shocking moment would help the viewers remember the scene better.

But now, in a recent conversation with Mediacorp, Cage admitted that he regrets the bug-eating experience. He said it sometimes even traumatizes him when he thinks about it, and he never wants to do something like that again.

Cage recently starred in a movie called Renfield, which is a funny horror movie about Dracula's assistant named R. M. Renfield, played by another actor named Nicholas — Nicholas Hoult. Interestingly, it was Hoult who had to eat the cockroaches this time, not Cage.

Hoult talked to Yahoo and said that the cockroaches he had to eat were actually made of caramel. He had some crickets too, which tasted pretty good because they were flavored with salt and vinegar or barbecue. However, Cage added that Hoult also ate a potato bug.

While Nicolas Cage's decision to eat a live cockroach in Vampire's Kiss may have created a memorable scene in the film, it's something he regrets now. We can understand why, as most people wouldn't want to eat bugs, especially live ones.

And for Nicholas Hoult, well, at least he got to try some caramel-coated cockroaches and flavored crickets instead.

Sources: Mediacorp, Yahoo Entertainment