Meet the man who, for 10 years, was the stand-in for superstar actor Nicolas Cage on over twenty films…

We, like most cinephiles, are fascinated by Nicolas Cage.

So much so in fact, that we have tirelessly tried to explore his enigma in live shows, on podcasts and at Nicolas Cage Film Festivals.

Now, we might get some answers from a man who worked as Nicolas Cage’s stand in for a decade, from 1994 to 2004 – Marco Kyris.

For 10 years, Kyris worked with Cage on films such as Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off, Con Air, and even National Treasure. Kyris was an aspiring actor himself, who landed the first gig as Cage’s stand-in through an extras agency.

For those unfamiliar with the role of a stand-in, Uncaged: A Stand-in Story describes it as a person is hired who has a similar look & build to a main actor in order to film minor shots the lead isn’t expressly needed for. For example, in Gone in 60 Seconds, Kyris’s leg is the one seen kicking Christopher Eccleston off the warehouse walkway, not Cage’s. 

Kyris worked with Cage for the first time on Trapped in Paradise, in which he helped Cage by observing how the shots were set up and giving Cage information about how to position himself better. This tactic led Cage to ask Kyris to be his permanent stand-in. For the next 10 years, Kyris worked with Cage on 19 other films! And yes, he was there for the Golden Hat-Trick of The Rock, Con Air and Face/Off!

In the documentary short Uncaged: A Stand-in Story, Kyris reflects back on his career as a stand-in and demonstrates what he learned about Cage from working with him. He mimics his mannerisms, shares anecdotes about his time on set, and describes how Cage worked. You’ll also discover how the two of them ended up parting ways, when Cage hit trouble with his assorted financial woes.

Marco Kyris will be joining us in person to present Uncaged. Marco will discuss his “Cage Wage” years – ask him anything, and if he can answer he will!

This special event includes a screening of the short documentary Uncaged: A Stand-in Story, and exclusive cast-and-crew outtakes from Con-Air. There will also be a 20th anniversary screening of Gone In 60 Seconds that Marco worked on.

Marco has opened his archive of call-sheets, scripts and other mementos of his time with Cage – if your question is good enough, he might just be persuaded to part with some of them!

Marco worked on: Trapped In Paradise, Kiss of Death, Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock, Face/Off, Con Air, City of Angels, Snake Eyes, 8MM, Gone In 60 Seconds, The Family Man, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Windtalkers, Adaptation, Matchstick Men, National Treasure, Lord of War and The Weather Man.

This event is part of the Cage-a-rama: Uncaged tour organised by Matchbox Cineclub, hosts of the UK’s premier Nicolas Cage festival: Cage-a-rama.

Marco Kyris worked as Nic Cage’s stand-in for a decade on 20 films; everything from Cage’s break out role in Leaving Las Vegas to the blockbuster franchise National Treasure. In Uncaged: A Stand-in Story, Marco talks about his early life as an actor, his journey into the entourage of Nicolas Cage, and what it was like working in the shadow for one of Hollywood’s Legends of Cinema.

When: 7.00pm, Saturday 11th January 2020

Location: Bristol Improv Theatre, 50 St Paul’s Rd, Bristol BS8 1LP, UK

Tickets: £9

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“In Cage’s hands, cartoonish moments are imbued with real emotion and real emotions become cartoons. Everything – from individual scenes down to single lines of dialogue – feel like they have been embraced as opportunities for creation. Cage is usually interesting even when his films are not. He is erratic and unpredictable; he is captivating and he is capricious. He is a performer. He is a troubadour. He is a jazz musician.” – Luke Buckmaster, The Guardian

“Pick any random weekend in the year and there’s a pretty good chance that a Cage film has been recently released or will soon be released.” – FiveThirtyEight

“I haven’t seen Left Behind yet.” – Lindsay Gibb, author of National Treasure: Nicolas Cage