For two decades, the world assumed it knew the origin story of Kal-El Coppola Cage. But his father, Nicolas, who nearly wore the cape, says everyone got it wrong.
In a recent interview, the Oscar-winning actor set the record straight about his now 20-year-old son’s famous name. Despite the actor’s deep ties to comic book culture and a career “what-if” that saw him cast as the Man of Steel, Cage insists that his son’s name, identical to Superman’s birth name, was never meant to be a tribute to Krypton’s favorite son.
Why Nicolas Cage Really Named His Son Kal-El
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Cage said, “A lot of people think I named my son Kal-El because of Superman, but that’s not true.” He pushed back against a pop culture assumption that has followed his family since 2005.
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Instead, the ‘Longlegs‘ star pointed to etymology rather than comic panels. He explained that the name has deep spiritual roots that predate DC Comics. “Kal-El is actually a Hebrew name. It means ‘voice of God.’ And I thought that was beautiful,” Cage told the outlet.
The actor added that while the public often views the name through the lens of fandom, he viewed it through the lens of fatherhood. “I always thought Kal-El is a beautiful name. So I gave him the name, but it wasn’t because of some sort of adoration of Superman,” he said.
The Evidence That Made the Rumor Stick
To understand why this clarification is so surprising, one has to look at the evidence that has long convicted Cage in the court of public opinion.
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First, there is the matter of his own last name. Born Nicolas Coppola, the actor chose his stage surname as a tribute to the Marvel superhero Luke Cage. Then there is the matter of his wallet. Cage is an avid collector. In 2011, he sold a rare copy of Action Comics No. 1, featuring the debut of Superman, for over $2.1 million.
Finally, there is the matter of the movie that never was. In the late 1990s, Cage was set to star as the titular hero in Tim Burton’s ‘Superman Lives‘. The project was famously canceled, but footage of Cage in the ill-fated black-and-silver supersuit remains a legendary piece of film lore.
What Nicolas Cage Actually Loved Growing Up
Given that history, why wouldn’t Cage name his child after the superhero who almost defined his career? Cage argues that people have misjudged his reading habits.
“What’s interesting is I wasn’t a Superman enthusiast; I grew up reading the monsters, like Ghost Rider and the Incredible Hulk,” he explained. For Cage, the appeal of the name was purely phonetic and spiritual, not patriotic to the American way.
He also wanted to quell any rumors that his son, whom he shares with ex-wife Alice Kim, resents the unique moniker. “My son likes his name,” Cage confirmed. While the elder Cage may not have intended the name as a tribute, a 2011 backstage encounter suggests the younger Cage enjoys the legacy. At six years old, Kal-El met the star of ‘Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark‘ and reportedly declared, “I’m Kal-El… I was named after Superman.“
Whether dad intended it or not, the cape fits.
You might also want to read: “That Was the Right Choice”: Nicolas Cage Explains Why He Rejected the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man
