“I’ve never seen him do a ton of horror.
I know he’s going to be playing a few more horror characters,” Sheen tells The List.
“He’s the quintessential guy who can do that weird, creepy vibe.”
I actually auditioned the first day.
I live in New York.
I loved the script.
I thought “Oh my god.
Of course I’m going to audition for this.”
Then, I didn’t hear anything.
I thought “Ah, well, they gave it to someone else.”
I finally heard back in August [2020] they wanted to see me again.
I went through a few more auditions, and then I got it.
The entire way, I felt like, “This is going to be the last of it.
I’m not going to get better than this.”
Then, it really happened.
It genuinely didn’t feel like a real situation until I got to the set.
I’ve been obsessed with Nic as an actor and as a man.
I’ve been, “The man, the myth, the legend,” forever.
I had done that whole"Caging" thing, putting pictures on people’s lockers in school.
It felt like I weirdly manifested.
It’s so exciting.
It still feels insane.
Nicolas Cage plays your dad in the film.
What was that like, and did he give you much advice along the way?
This is my first real adult movie role, and I was very nervous incredibly nervous.
I wanted everyone to like me and to take me seriously and all that.
I had a whole plan of how I was going to act on set.
He was immediately incredibly warm and incredibly inviting.
Because he is a dad, he has that great dad energy.
We had a really similar interest.
He was incredibly forthcoming, which I didn’t expect.
But he was really sweet.
I was trying to absorb as much of his Cage essence as possible.
He was great about that.
You’re so lucky to have worked with her and [Nicolas] Cage and Pedro Pascal.
Are there any standout moments from the set working with these hilarious people?
It really did feel like working with the masters.
They’re so good.
I’m going to go home and write my script."
She was always incredibly busy, and on it and focused and smart.
Most of her lines were improv because she’s hilarious.
Pedro’s so funny as well.
I learned a lot from watching them play about …
They’re all also the loveliest people alive.
I was very, very lucky.
Are you hoping for a sequel?
I would love it.
I don’t know what they could do.
They could do Cage in space or something, and get [Shaquille O’Neal] involved.
That would be something.
I hope they do.
Tom Gormican, the director, and Kevin Etten, the writer they’re amazing.
They are incredibly hands-on, and it’s clearly a passion project for the two of them.
It really showed through.
I want them to keep working, even if it’s not to do with this.
I want them to keep going.
Picking one favorite Nic Cage film is impossible
Do you have a favorite Nicolas Cage movie?
I like this one, too."
But right now, I’m in a big “Adaptation” mode, which I loved.
I hadn’t seen it until quite late.
When I saw it, I was like “Oh.
Why aren’t we all talking about this all the time?”
It’s really insane.
But I love that.
I loved “Pig.”
Every single one of his performances is completely different.
That’s so true.
He doesn’t always get taken seriously enough.
He should be now.
He’s having such a good year.
Have you seen “Willy’s Wonderland”?
He was amazing in that.
I’ve never seen him do a ton of horror.
I know he’s going to be playing a few more horror characters for certain projects in his career.
He’s the quintessential guy who can do that weird, creepy vibe.
Did they give you any advice before you started work on this role?
To be honest, they’re not super advice-y people.
They’ve been incredible.
The audition process, it’s horrible.
Do you watch everything your parents make?
Do you have favorite films that they’re in?
I love “Alice in Wonderland.”
I think it’s just on DVD or something, but that’s my favorite.
It was really special.
My dad, he pops up in everything turn on the TV, I’ll see him in something.
But they’re amazing.
I’m in awe of their careers.
You go, “That’s not my mom, that’s someone else.”
But I guess that goes to show how good they are.
What was it like growing up in the entertainment industry?
Did you know you always wanted to pursue acting?
It’s always been the world that I was in.
I’m going to be something different."
But I love it; it’s the best thing in the world.
That’s how it was with Addy [Cage in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”].
I want to be taken seriously, and I didn’t feel necessarily like that when I was 16.
But that’s what ended up solidifying it for me.
Who are you hoping to work with next?
Writers, directors, actors?
I say it all the time; I’m a huge [David] Lynch fan.
I love Yorgos Lanthimos I’ve been obsessed.
It’s also such a heightened version of reality.
That, I love.
I love that general unease that you get, and the playfulness …
I’d hope one day, maybe, I can work with him.
Do you have any other aspirations, either in the entertainment industry or outside of it?
Writing has always been my primary passion.
I’ve always been interested in writing short stories and writing essays, personal essays.
It’s very pretentious to say.
That would be amazing.
Would you like to move behind the camera in the future?
I would love to.
I’d love to be creatively working as much as possible.
That’s my goal in any area that I can find.
This interview was edited for clarity.
