Cage Wasn’T About To Fall Into That Trap

Nicolas Cage is just a regular guy after all.

After winning the best actor Oscar for the quirky independent film “Leaving Las Vegas,” Cage has made a series of mainstream action movies: “The Rock,” “Con Air,” “Face/Off” and now “Snake Eyes,” which opens today.

“Actors can get high on their own importance and snob themselves out of the business,” Cage told the New York Daily News. “That’s why I decided to go into movies that were perhaps more escapist entertainment.

“When I started acting, I was much more of an anarchist,” he added. “I was only interested in doing kind of punk rock, alternative expressions, and I neglected another side of the industry. Then I became aware that I was about to intense or weird myself right out of the business, and that I had to find some balance.”

Loose talk

“Halloween” movie mainstay Jamie Lee Curtis, on slasher flicks: “I loathe these kinds of movies … I don’t like to be frightened. I don’t even like to be tickled.”

He’s getting to be a moldier Mulder

David Duchovny turns 38 today.

Is that where you have to wear a blindfold?

After avoiding the typical British period pieces, English actress Minnie Driver will play the lead in “The Governess,” set in 1840s London. “I wanted to do a period drama, but I didn’t want it to be chocolate-boxy,” Driver told The New York Times. “And sure enough, along came this twisted take on spiritual subterfuge and blind eroticism.”

Sounds like their clocks are standing still

Malcom McDowell, who’ll star in ABC’s “Fantasy Island” remake, still bristles when asked about his best-known role, in “A Clockwork Orange.” As he told one interviewer: “You know, I’m not going to answer that question because it’s really boring to me. That’s 28 years ago. But I will tell you this. I was on holiday in Italy this summer and the No. 1 movie in Italy this summer was ‘Clockwork Orange.”’

But at his age, it’s still just puppy love

Kevin Zegers, who’s played opposite dogs in the first two “Air Bud” flicks, says he’s supposed to get a girlfriend in the next sequel. Any preferences? “I’d love to work with Danielle Fishel (of TV’s ‘Boy Meets World’),” said Zegers, 13. “If she’s not available, I think Christina Ricci or Drew Barrymore would be great! Drew’s sort of my first choice.”

In fact, fancy shoes are her archenemy

Drew Barrymore drew on her own dark childhood for the big-screen Cinderella update “Ever After,” but she’s not really the glass-slipper type. “I’m an Isotoner girl,” she says. “I didn’t even get one of those glass slippers Salvatore Ferragamo made for the movie. Too fussy.”

Lions and tigers and Virginia Woolf, oh my!

And speaking of updates, Rod Steiger, who has written a made-for-TV sequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” reportedly has persuaded Elizabeth Taylor to play an older version of Dorothy.