#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE
In the film Adaptation. (2002), the lead actor is Nicolas Cage, who famously plays the dual roles of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother, Donald Kaufman.
Because Nicolas Cage has one of the most prolific and eclectic careers in Hollywood—with over 100 film credits—it is very likely you have seen him before. His career is often divided into distinct "eras."
Below is a detailed list of his most notable films, categorized to help you identify where you might recognize him from:
1. The Early Breakthroughs (1980s)
Before Adaptation., Cage established himself as a quirky, intense young talent.
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982): His debut (credited as Nicolas Coppola), in a small role as "Brad's Bud."
- Valley Girl (1983): His breakout role as Randy, a punk-rocker from the city who falls for a suburban girl.
- Raising Arizona (1987): A Coen Brothers classic where he plays "H.I." McDunnough, an ex-con who kidnaps a baby.
- Moonstruck (1987): He played Ronny Cammareri, the hot-tempered, one-handed baker who falls for Cher.
- Vampire’s Kiss (1988): A cult favorite known for his "over-the-top" performance as a man who believes he is turning into a vampire.
2. Critical Peak & Action Hero Megastardom (1990s)
This is likely the era where you’ve seen his most famous work.
- Wild at Heart (1990): Directed by David Lynch; he plays Sailor Ripley, a rebel in a snakeskin jacket.
- Leaving Las Vegas (1995): Cage won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as a suicidal alcoholic.
- The Rock (1996): He transitioned to action star as Stanley Goodspeed, a chemical weapons expert teaming up with Sean Connery.
- Con Air (1997): He played Cameron Poe, a paroled convict on a plane full of dangerous criminals.
- Face/Off (1997): A high-concept action hit where he and John Travolta "swap faces." Cage plays both the villain Castor Troy and the hero Sean Archer.
- City of Angels (1998): A romantic drama where he plays an angel who falls in love with a human (Meg Ryan).
- 8MM (1999): A dark thriller where he plays a private investigator looking into "snuff" films.
- Gone in 60 Seconds (2000): He played master car thief Memphis Raines.
3. Blockbusters & Franchises (2000s)
Around the time of Adaptation., he began leading massive Disney and comic book franchises.
- The Family Man (2000): A "what if" drama where his wealthy businessman character wakes up in an alternate life with a family.
- National Treasure (2004) & National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007): He played Benjamin Franklin Gates, a historian and treasure hunter. These are among his most widely recognized roles.
- Ghost Rider (2007) & Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011): He played Marvel’s Johnny Blaze, a stunt cyclist who becomes a flaming-skulled anti-hero.
- Knowing (2009): A sci-fi thriller about a coded message that predicts the end of the world.
- The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010): A live-action Disney fantasy where he plays a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan.
4. The "Meme" and Cult Era (2010s)
Due to financial issues, Cage took dozens of roles in smaller, often direct-to-video action movies, which led to a surge in internet "Cage-rage" memes. However, this era also produced some of his most daring work:
- Kick-Ass (2010): He played "Big Daddy," a Batman-esque vigilante father.
- Joe (2013): A gritty drama where he received high praise for a restrained, powerful performance.
- Mandy (2018): A psychedelic horror-action film that became a modern cult classic.
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018): He provided the voice for Spider-Man Noir.
5. The Recent Critical Resurgence (2020s)
Cage has recently entered a "Renaissance" period, winning back critics with self-aware and soulful roles.
- Pig (2021): He plays a reclusive truffle hunter searching for his stolen pig; widely considered one of his best-ever performances.
- The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022): A meta-comedy where he plays a fictionalized version of himself (Nick Cage).
- Dream Scenario (2023): He plays an ordinary professor who suddenly begins appearing in everyone’s dreams.
- Longlegs (2024): He plays a terrifying, unrecognizable serial killer in this hit horror film.
Other "Leads" in Adaptation:
If you weren't thinking of Nicolas Cage, you might be thinking of Meryl Streep (who plays author Susan Orlean) or Chris Cooper (who plays the eccentric John Laroche and won an Oscar for the role). However, Cage is the definitive "lead" as he is on screen in nearly every scene, often twice!
#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)
[1] Nicolas Cage is the lead actor in Adaptation. (2002), playing both Charlie and Donald Kaufman.
[2] Nicolas Cage has over 100 film credits (sources cite between 120 and 142).
[3] The user requested 'all' films, but the summary provides a 'notable' list. While practical given the volume (100+ films), it technically deviates from the specific instruction.
[4] Cage's feature debut was Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), credited as Nicolas Coppola, in the role of 'Brad's Bud'.
[5] Valley Girl (1983) is widely considered his breakout role.
[6] He played H.I. McDunnough in Raising Arizona (1987).
[7] He played Ronny Cammareri (who has a wooden hand) in Moonstruck (1987).
[8] In Vampire's Kiss (1988), he plays a literary agent who believes he is becoming a vampire.
[9] He played Sailor Ripley in David Lynch's Wild at Heart (1990).
[10] He won the Best Actor Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas (1995).
[11] He played Stanley Goodspeed in The Rock (1996).
[12] He played Cameron Poe in Con Air (1997).
[13] He played Castor Troy and Sean Archer in Face/Off (1997).
[14] He played the angel Seth in City of Angels (1998).
[15] He played Tom Welles in 8MM (1999).
[16] He played Memphis Raines in Gone in 60 Seconds (2000).
[17] He played Jack Campbell in The Family Man (2000).
[18] He played Ben Gates in the National Treasure franchise.
[19] He played Johnny Blaze in the Ghost Rider films.
[20] He starred in Knowing (2009).
[21] He played Balthazar Blake in The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010).
[22] He played Damon Macready / Big Daddy in Kick-Ass (2010).
[23] He played Joe Ransom in Joe (2013).
[24] He played Red Miller in Mandy (2018).
[25] He voiced Spider-Man Noir in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).
[26] He played Rob in Pig (2021).
[27] He played a fictionalized version of himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022).
[28] He played Paul Matthews in Dream Scenario (2023).
[29] He played the titular serial killer in Longlegs (2024).
[30] Meryl Streep played Susan Orlean and Chris Cooper played John Laroche (winning Best Supporting Actor) in Adaptation.
In the film *Adaptation.* (2002), the lead actor is **Nicolas Cage**, who famously plays the dual roles of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother, Donald Kaufman.
Because Nicolas Cage has one of the most prolific and eclectic careers in Hollywood—with over 100 film credits—it is very likely you have seen him before. His career is often divided into distinct "eras."
Below is a detailed list of his most notable films, categorized to help you identify where you might recognize him from:
### 1. The Early Breakthroughs (1980s)
Before *Adaptation.*, Cage established himself as a quirky, intense young talent.
* **Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982):** His debut (credited as Nicolas Coppola), in a small role as "Brad's Bud."
* **Valley Girl (1983):** His breakout role as Randy, a punk-rocker from the city who falls for a suburban girl.
* **Raising Arizona (1987):** A Coen Brothers classic where he plays "H.I." McDunnough, an ex-con who kidnaps a baby.
* **Moonstruck (1987):** He played Ronny Cammareri, the hot-tempered, one-handed baker who falls for Cher.
* **Vampire’s Kiss (1988):** A cult favorite known for his "over-the-top" performance as a man who believes he is turning into a vampire.
### 2. Critical Peak & Action Hero Megastardom (1990s)
This is likely the era where you’ve seen his most famous work.
* **Wild at Heart (1990):** Directed by David Lynch; he plays Sailor Ripley, a rebel in a snakeskin jacket.
* **Leaving Las Vegas (1995):** Cage won the **Academy Award for Best Actor** for his role as a suicidal alcoholic.
* **The Rock (1996):** He transitioned to action star as Stanley Goodspeed, a chemical weapons expert teaming up with Sean Connery.
* **Con Air (1997):** He played Cameron Poe, a paroled convict on a plane full of dangerous criminals.
* **Face/Off (1997):** A high-concept action hit where he and John Travolta "swap faces." Cage plays both the villain Castor Troy and the hero Sean Archer.
* **City of Angels (1998):** A romantic drama where he plays an angel who falls in love with a human (Meg Ryan).
* **8MM (1999):** A dark thriller where he plays a private investigator looking into "snuff" films.
* **Gone in 60 Seconds (2000):** He played master car thief Memphis Raines.
### 3. Blockbusters & Franchises (2000s)
Around the time of *Adaptation.*, he began leading massive Disney and comic book franchises.
* **The Family Man (2000):** A "what if" drama where his wealthy businessman character wakes up in an alternate life with a family.
* **National Treasure (2004) & National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007):** He played Benjamin Franklin Gates, a historian and treasure hunter. These are among his most widely recognized roles.
* **Ghost Rider (2007) & Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011):** He played Marvel’s Johnny Blaze, a stunt cyclist who becomes a flaming-skulled anti-hero.
* **Knowing (2009):** A sci-fi thriller about a coded message that predicts the end of the world.
* **The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010):** A live-action Disney fantasy where he plays a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan.
### 4. The "Meme" and Cult Era (2010s)
Due to financial issues, Cage took dozens of roles in smaller, often direct-to-video action movies, which led to a surge in internet "Cage-rage" memes. However, this era also produced some of his most daring work:
* **Kick-Ass (2010):** He played "Big Daddy," a Batman-esque vigilante father.
* **Joe (2013):** A gritty drama where he received high praise for a restrained, powerful performance.
* **Mandy (2018):** A psychedelic horror-action film that became a modern cult classic.
* **Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018):** He provided the voice for **Spider-Man Noir**.
### 5. The Recent Critical Resurgence (2020s)
Cage has recently entered a "Renaissance" period, winning back critics with self-aware and soulful roles.
* **Pig (2021):** He plays a reclusive truffle hunter searching for his stolen pig; widely considered one of his best-ever performances.
* **The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022):** A meta-comedy where he plays a fictionalized version of **himself** (Nick Cage).
* **Dream Scenario (2023):** He plays an ordinary professor who suddenly begins appearing in everyone’s dreams.
* **Longlegs (2024):** He plays a terrifying, unrecognizable serial killer in this hit horror film.
**Other "Leads" in Adaptation:**
If you weren't thinking of Nicolas Cage, you might be thinking of **Meryl Streep** (who plays author Susan Orlean) or **Chris Cooper** (who plays the eccentric John Laroche and won an Oscar for the role). However, Cage is the definitive "lead" as he is on screen in nearly every scene, often twice!