Nicolas Cage revealed what inspired him to name his son, Kal-El. He shares him with his third wife, Alice Kim. He said the name wasn’t particularly chosen because of admiration for the DC superhero Superman, but because he found it beautiful and liked its meaning. Notably, in the 1990s, Cage was cast to play the beloved hero in Superman Lives, directed by Tim Burton, which was eventually canceled.
Nicolas Cage addresses the origin of his son Kal-El’s name
In a recent conversation with Entertainment Tonight, Cage was asked about his youngest son, who is named Kal El, said to be inspired by the Kryptonian. He revealed that his son loved the name, but it wasn’t kept because of a deep admiration for the DC character. Cage said the interesting part about naming him after the superhero is that he wasn’t a big fan of Superman in the first place. Growing up, he mentioned that he was more into reading the “monsters” like Ghost Rider and The Incredible Hulk.
Disclosing why he chose to name his son Kal El, the Longlegs actor added, “The Superman thing that happened, but I liked that it’s a name. It’s a genuine name. It’s actually a Hebrew name. It means the voice of God.” The 62-year-old further said that he always found the name Kal-El “beautiful,” and that’s the reason it was given to his son. However, he clarified that the name didn’t come out of an “enamoration” or “adoration” of Superman.
Back in the ’90s, Cage wasn’t able to star in Superman Lives, as the project never materialized, reportedly due to script and budgetary issues. However, the idea was eventually resurrected in 2023, when he was brought in for a cameo as the superhero in The Flash.
In a conversation, he shared his reaction to his brief appearance in the film and admitted he was surprised by how the makers used his footage. “When I went to the picture, it was me fighting a giant spider. I did not do that. That was not what I did,” The Retirement Plan actor added (via Entertainment Weekly).
