Nicolas Cage is clarifying a shocking claim that he was left “homeless” after a sinkhole severely damaged his oceanfront Malibu mansion.
The 62-year-old actor made headlines over the weekend after saying he was “currently a little bit homeless” and “just sort of living in hotels” because of the damage caused to his home by Mother Nature.
However, while attending the premiere of Madden, Cage sought to explain his comments, emphasizing that he was “fine” and not “destitute.”
“I went to Comic-Con and I was riffing with a very good interviewer, and he just had to ask, because it was Halloween night, ‘What are you doing for Halloween?’ Now, when I said that, I meant my house is not available for trick-or-treaters,” he told AP.
“Now, I have to watch my words so much to the letter. We’re content. We’re fine. We’re not destitute. We’re okay,” he continued. “I was just meaning that the house is not available for decorations and for candy to hand out to the children, which I like to do because I like Halloween.”
Cage’s clarification came several days after he told attendees at Los Angeles Comic-Con that he was “currently a little bit homeless” while discussing his Halloween plans.
Nicolas Cage has clarified that he is “fine” and not “destitute” after saying a sinkhole that devastated his Malibu mansion left him “a little bit homeless”
Mother Nature caused extensive damage to Cage’s luxurious home in September, swallowing part of the front driveway; pictured September 9
“Something happened to my house in Malibu, so I’m just sort of living in hotels, so I don’t have normal trick-or-treaters I would like to enjoy tonight,” he said.
The property has been the subject of widespread attention since a sinkhole partially swallowed the home and surrounding land.
Firefighters discovered the collapsed driveway in early September after responding to a suspected gas-main break. The 30-foot-by-30-foot sinkhole also consumed a fence, a portable restroom and part of the neighboring street.
Cage has since taken steps to protect the property from further damage. According to Page Six, the actor filed three permits with city officials just days after the sinkhole appeared, including an emergency building permit.
The approved permit authorized the placement of sandbags along the beach and outside the residence to shield the property from ocean waves and further coastal erosion.
The other approved permits covered the removal of asphalt debris linked to the sinkhole ahead of shoring work, as well as excavation to collect soil samples.
Cage purchased the home for $10.5 million in 2024. The property now looks markedly different from the luxurious, multimillion-dollar residence it once was.
Set in a highly sought-after oceanfront location, the home features a rooftop deck with a jacuzzi, expansive glass walls and multiple bedrooms. It was described by the previous owner as their “happy place.”
Cage addressed his comments while attending the premiere of Madden in Culver City on Wednesday
The residence also includes access to a secluded beach, a chef’s kitchen and a garage with elevator access.
The home was built in the 1990s by the late Jose Liberman, co-founder of Liberman Broadcasting, and remained in his family until Cage bought it.
Born Nicolas Kim Coppola, Cage is the son of the late American academic and author August Coppola. He is also the nephew of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire.
His extended family includes filmmaker Sofia Coppola and actor Jason Schwartzman.
Firefighters found the property’s collapsed driveway in early September after responding to a suspected gas-main break. The 30-foot-by-30-foot sinkhole also swallowed a fence, a portable restroom and part of the adjacent street; pictured September 8
Cage’s grandparents were composer Carmine Coppola, who wrote music for many of Francis Ford Coppola’s films, and Italia Coppola, who appeared in her son’s Godfather movies.
Over the course of his career, Cage has built an acclaimed filmography with roles in Moonstruck, Raising Arizona, Gone in 60 Seconds and National Treasure. He won an Academy Award for his performance in Leaving Las Vegas.
In 2021, Cage married for the fifth time, wedding his much-younger wife, Riko Shibata, who is now 31. The couple welcomed their daughter, August Francesca, in 2022.
The actor also has sons Kal-El, 21, with ex-wife Kim, and Weston, 35, with former girlfriend Christina Fulton.