Nicolas Cage has revealed that the acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad significantly altered his outlook on working in television.In an interview with Variety, Cage explained that during the Covid-19 pandemic he spent time watching the drama and became struck by what he described as the “luxury of time” that television storytelling offers compared with film.This experience led him to reconsider his long-standing reluctance to take on television roles.

Previously, Cage had avoided TV projects because he felt they risked being overly “homogenised” and lacked the creative freedom he associated with cinema.However, his perception shifted after engaging with the depth and narrative structure of Breaking Bad.Following this change in mindset, Cage has since moved into television work, including a leading role in Marvel’s Spider-Noir series.

In the show, he plays an ageing private investigator and a version of the superhero Ben Reilly, revisiting a character he had previously voiced in animated form.

Cage has also discussed the artistic influences behind his performance, citing classic Hollywood actors such as Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney as key inspirations for shaping the character’s tone and style.Spider-Noir is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

Cage’s comments highlight a broader shift in how high-profile film actors view television, particularly as long-form storytelling continues to evolve and attract major talent from the film industry.