Internet Memes Inspire Nicolas Cage’s Performance in Film ‘Dream Scenario’

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Veteran actor Nicolas Cage reveals that his personal encounters with internet memes were instrumental in preparing for his recent character in the film “Dream Scenario.” In this film, Cage portrays a nondescript suburban professor and father who inadvertently achieves fame when he begins to feature in people’s dreams.

Cage, renowned for his dramatic performances and animated facial expressions, which the internet often applies to a myriad of images, referred to his latest role as a “completely different kind of role,” in a chat on the red carpet at the Toronto Internet Film Festival.


His character is depicted as a quiet individual, seeking solitude to author behavioural science books. However, the Oscar-winning actor makes use of his personal association with memes and the internet world as his character’s story takes a unique twist.

The film “Dream Scenario” is insightfully scripted as a social satire, and is adorned with the acting prowess of Michael Cera and Lily Bird alongside Cage.

With the direction of Norwegian director, Kristoffer Borgli, the Toronto-based film premiered at TIFF on Saturday and ran another screening on Sunday.

Cage extolled the film as a “masterpiece” and expressed great admiration for Borgli’s genius. “Although I’m by no means unintelligent, it’s captivating to meet someone half my age and doubly intelligent,” Cage spoke of Borgli, “To him I said, ‘this production is your brainchild, your vision. Consider me as a remote-controlled car. Here’s your control pad. You’re in charge, guiding my performance.'”

Borgli commended the “Face/Off” and “Leaving Las Vegas” actor for his impressive ability to embody the absurdity of his character’s life. He added, “The film narrates the story of an average suburban father, seemingly dull and beta, but evolves into a fascinating character—thanks to Nicolas’ acting dynamism.”

Borgli threw light on his inspiration behind the film, remarking that it was our contemporary culture where an individual could attain astounding fame for seemingly trivial, unusual deeds without any deliberate attempt. He mused about the concept of unintended fame, and concluded that it was a dramatic and mystical interpretation of this scenario.