The fun part of following Nicolas Cage’s career is that you can always count on the Academy Award winner to surprise you with whatever new project he’s working on. During the Toronto International Film Festival, Cage stopped by the Collider Supper Suite and Media Studio at Marbl to talk about his most recent film, Butcher’s Crossing. Collider’s own Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub talked to the cast and producers to highlight the important message of the movie.
Butcher’s Crossing is about hunting and other cruel practices that took buffaloes to the brink of extinction in the 19th century. The species only survived with the help of Native American tribes. This is wrapped in the story of a man called Miller (Cage), who leads a group of buffalo hunters who chase massive herds in Kansas and beyond. They are joined by a young enthusiast who soon realizes his role model is not who he thought he was.
Aside from Cage, the interview features director and screenwriter Gabe Polsky (The Motel Life), up-and-coming star Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus), and Ervin Carlson, the Buffalo Program Director of the Blackfeet Tribe and someone that has fought long and hard to keep buffaloes alive. During the interview, the group talked about the gritty nature of the project, Cage’s distinct, shaved-head look, how much of what’s on the screen is based on real events, the way Cage based influenced his performance on Michael Jordan and Marlon Brando, and more.
In the video above, you can check out the full interview and learn a lot more about Butcher’s Crossing, including all the topics below:
- Director and screenwriter Gabe Polsky reveals what drove him to want to tell this story;
- Nicolas Cage reveals how the script stood out in the pile of projects he receives;
- Fred Hechinger talks about working with Cage, who is one of his favorite actors;
- Hechinger also reveals what he takes away from the experience of such an intense project;
- Cage dissects what his experience has taught him when approaching new movie sets;
- Ervin Carlson reveals how the movie is a rude awakening and the importance of watching it;
- Polsky comments on how long it took for the movie to get into production;
- The director also reveals how the team worked through an insane 19-day filming schedule;
- Cage reveals how Michael Jordan and Marlon Brando influenced his performance;
- Cage talks about his character's steadfast obsession with buffaloes;
- Polsky explains the creative decision of inserting real-life photographs in the final movie;
- Cage and Carlson talk about killings and the risk of extinction of the buffaloes;
- Hechinger dissects his character Will Andrews’ realization that his role model is not who he thought he was, and the importance of not taking too long to learn a lesson.
Special thanks to our TIFF 2022 partners A-list Communications, Belvedere Vodka, Marbl Toronto, COVERGIRL Canada, Tres Amici Wines, Toronto Star, and Blue Moon Belgian White beer.