Nicolas Cage On Possible Oscar Buzz For 'Pig': 'Any Kind Of Enthusiasm Is Always Welcome'

Nicolas Cage is reflecting on the praise both he and his latest film "Pig" have received this year.

On Monday, the 57-year-old actor and his "Pig" co-star Alex Wolff walked the red carpet at the Gotham Independent Film Awards 2021 in New York City, where Cage talked about the critical love for his indie drama during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

"Pig" has gotten plenty of recognition, including a nomination for best feature at the Gotham Awards, since it was released in July, with Cage also receiving praise for his naturalistic acting.

"Any kind of enthusiasm is always welcome," Cage told ET of talks that he may get nominated at the next Oscars. "But the reality is, it's all about telling stories that communicate with the people. And I think this movie did, and that's what we brought, and that's good enough for me."

In the film, Cage plays a former chef named Rob who has left the city to live in seclusion as a truffle hunter in the Portland woods. One day, he is attacked, and his prized truffle-hunting pig is stolen. In a bid to get his pig back, Rob drives back to the city and faces the pain and memories that drove him from society in the first place.

"Rob is an epicurean contending with loss, which many people, especially now, know, at a time like this with what we've all been through," Cage said of his character. "I think that's what resonated with some folks."

One person who believes that Cage deserves an Oscar nod for his role in "Pig" is his co-star, Wolff, who plays Rob's friend and business partner Amir in the movie.

"I really, really think and pray that he deserves an Oscar for this movie," Wolff told ET. "Unbiased, I was there watching it. And that fact that it's been 25 years [since he won his Oscar] is a huge, misguided decision on the Academy's part."

Cage previously won best actor at the 1996 Oscars for his role as a suicidal alcoholic in "Leaving Las Vegas."

Days before "Pig" was released back in July, Cage spoke with Variety about the low-budget indie film, sharing that it gave him the freedom that he doesn't usually find in projects led by major studios.

"There’s less pressure and more oxygen in the room on an independent movie to express yourself," Cage said.

In the same interview, he also set the record straight on the rumors that he will be taking on the role of Joe Exotic in a scripted series from Amazon inspired by the Netflix docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness." According to Cage, he read "two excellent scripts," but the project was later shelved by the studio because the material "had become past tense."