Nicolas Cage: I Wasn’t ‘Dropped’ From ‘The Wrestler’

 
 
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  • Nicolas Cage attends the premiere of ‘Knowing’ at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square on March 9, 2009 in New York City
  • Mickey Rourke in ‘The Wrestler’
  • Mickey Rourke is tux-free on the red carpet at the 2009 Oscars

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    Nicolas Cage attends the premiere of ‘Knowing’ at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square on March 9, 2009 in New York City

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    Mickey Rourke in ‘The Wrestler’

  • Getty Images

    Mickey Rourke is tux-free on the red carpet at the 2009 Oscars

 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: March 10, 2009 3:36 PM EDT
LAST UPDATED: March 10, 2009 5:00 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

After Mickey Rourke’s stunning work as Randy “The Ram” Robinson in “The Wrestler,” it is hard to imagine anyone else playing the tortured sportsman – but the role was first offered to Nicolas Cage.

Access Hollywood caught up with Nicolas at the premiere of his new movie, “Knowing,” Monday night in New York, where the actor cleared up recent rumors that he was let go from the Darren Aronofsky-directed project.

“I wasn’t quote ‘dropped’ from the movie,” the 45-year-old actor told Access. “I resigned from the movie because I didn’t think I had enough time to achieve the look of the wrestler who was on steroids, which I would never do.”

Nicolas said he actually called Mickey when he first got the script, to ask for the actor’s blessing.

“The movie was written for Mickey,” Nicolas explained. “And, for whatever reason, they couldn’t get the financing for the movie back then.”

Mickey received a Golden Globe and a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work in the film.

“Knowing” opens in theaters on March 20.

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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