Nicolas Cage is feeling the brunt of maintaining an NFL player’s physique. For his portrayal of the NFL legend in a John Madden movie, Cage recently doubled down on his weight gain journey.
The 62-year-old is playing the former head coach of the Oakland Raiders in Madden. Speaking with People at the movie’s Los Angeles premiere, Cage detailed how he gained 25 pounds for the role. “I just enjoyed my pasta and my sourdough bread, which I don’t normally do. I mean, it’s pretty brutal. Two Premier Protein shakes and one meal a day. It’s usually a Caesar salad.”
The Ghost Rider star continued, “But with that, I got to enjoy the pasta, and then I added — look, I’m 62, so I’m not going to gain 60 pounds. That’s dangerous. But I added the other 30 with [prosthetics].”
Cage collaborated with the well-known makeup artist Adrien Morot for his transformation. Interestingly, Morot also worked with Brendan Fraser in The Whale, which earned him an Academy Award back in 2023.
What is Nicolas Cage’s John Madden movie about?
Madden will narrate the life story of NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden. Coach Madden served as head coach of the Oakland Raiders and worked closely with the Raiders’ owner, Al Davis. However, his life took an unprecedented turn when he developed a bleeding ulcer that developed from intense stress. The movie explores his life and larger-than-life personality. The story also highlights his loving bond with his wife, Virginia Fields.
The synopsis for Madden, per IMDb, reads, “John Madden’s remarkable journey—from a Super Bowl-winning partnership with Al Davis and the Raiders, to creating Madden NFL, and becoming one of the most iconic voices in football history.”
Directed by David O. Russell, the football biography stars Christian Bale, Kathryn Hahn, Sienna Miller, John Mulaney, Shane Gillis, Simms May, Luke Klein, Chad Gall, Matt Medrano, and others. Cambron Clark co-wrote the project with director David O. Russell. Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Matthew Budman, Jonathan Shukat, Steve Tisch, Colin Wilson, and David O. Russell produced it.
Madden is slated for theatrical release on November 11, 2026.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
