Adam West once made fun of Nicolas Cage’s acting

Nicolas Cage has probably grown a thick skin when it comes to criticism about his acting. Despite his undeniable talent, he’s had his share of questionable roles over the years. One piece of criticism that stands out for him, however, comes from the legendary Adam West, who jokingly poked fun at Cage’s performance in the action flick Kick-Ass.

In a Reddit AMA, a fan asked Cage if Adam West’s take on Batman was a big influence on his character Big Daddy in Kick-Ass. The question seemed to bring back some not-so-great memories for Cage, as he recalled West’s playful jab at his performance when he tried to channel the iconic actor’s heroic style.

“I would give it all to Adam West. I grew up watching him on the ’60s Batman show, and he is where it begins and where it ends as Big Daddy,” Cage said, highlighting his admiration for West and how it shaped his approach to the role. However, West’s response wasn’t quite as flattering. “I met Adam West once, and I said, ‘Did you see I was channelling you?’ and he replied, ‘I saw you TRY to channel me,’” Cage recalled with a chuckle. Guess that’s a classic case of “never meet your heroes,” right?

Of course, West was likely just joking around, and both actors seem like genuinely nice guys. The fact that Cage built his entire performance around West’s portrayal is probably something that West appreciated, even if he had to tease Cage a little about it. Given the overall quality of Kick-Ass and Cage’s performance, it’s tough to imagine many people really criticizing it anyway.