Nicolas Cage Recalls Near-Death Surfing Experience While Training for ‘The Surfer’

May 4, 2025: Nicolas Cage had a terrifying brush with danger while preparing for his role in The Surfer, now in theaters. The actor shared his harrowing experience of nearly encountering a shark and getting stuck in a rip tide during surfing lessons for the film, describing the ordeal as life-threatening.

According to Variety, despite having some surfing experience, Cage found the waves more challenging than anticipated and was “pounded to smithereens.” He recalled the moment when he got caught in a rip tide, saying, “I’m climbing up the leash as I’m somersaulting, and I could have died.”

The close call has made Cage reconsider his approach to extreme activities, especially with a young child now in his life. “Now I have a young kid, I don’t know if I want to do it anymore,” he admitted. However, the actor jokingly mentioned that his future goals include “retiring, surfing, drinking red wine, and eating spaghetti.”

The Surfer explores deep themes of obsession, trauma, and the human psyche, with Cage playing a businessman determined to buy back his childhood home in Australia, only to face resistance from a group of mysterious bullies.