NEWSNicolas Cage Apologizes to Chris Rock After Crashing His Howard Stern Interview: 'I Felt Terrible'
Nicolas Cage apologized to Chris Rock for crashing the comedian's 2002 Howard Stern interview.
Oct. 26 2026, Published 12:14 p.m. ET
Nicolas Cage is looking back on an awkward celebrity encounter, admitting he wishes he had handled it differently.
On October 10, the 62-year-old actor opened up at New York Comic Con about unexpectedly interrupting Chris Rock during a 2002 appearance on Howard Stern's radio show. He then revealed that he later apologized to the comedian.
Cage admitted that cutting others off while speaking had been an issue for him in the past, but said he has since made an effort to change that habit.
Nicolas Cage admitted that he regretted interrupting Chris Rock during a 2002 appearance on 'The Howard Stern Show.'
“I don’t interrupt people anymore. I had a problem with that in the past,” he said. “I feel very bad about it. And I’ve actually apologized.”
The Face/Off star explained, “Chris Rock was on The Howard Stern Show, and I just crashed the show. I felt terrible. I didn’t know it was Chris. I just showed up. I didn’t want to give Howard time to think about questions to ask.”
‘The Coolest Human in All of Hollywood’
The actor said he didn't realize Chris Rock was being interviewed when he unexpectedly entered the studio.
Cage eventually had the chance to speak with Rock about the unexpected interruption. During their conversation, he made sure to let the comedian know how highly he thought of him.
The Oscar winner recalled telling Rock, “You’re probably the coolest human in all of Hollywood.”
He also made it clear that he appreciated Rock's reaction to the incident and still holds him in high regard.
“I love Chris and he was nice about it. But yeah, I probably shouldn’t have interrupted,” Cage shared.
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Inside Cage's Surprise Appearance on 'Howard Stern's Show'
Nicolas Cage later apologized to Chris Rock and praised the comedian as one of Hollywood's ‘coolest’ people.
The incident took place in 2002, when Cage made an unannounced appearance during Rock's live interview on The Howard Stern Show. His arrival caught both Rock and Stern by surprise as they were in the middle of their conversation.
Cage explained that he could only stay for a short time, prompting Rock to joke that the actor was the bigger star between them.
Cage disagreed, leading Rock to deliver a memorable comeback about their respective careers, saying, "He’s got an Academy Award. I’ve got a Source Award.”
Cage Remembered His Friendship With Sean Connery
During the original interview, Chris Rock joked about their different career achievements.
During the panel, Cage also shared memories of his relationship with the late Sean Connery, including how the legendary actor tried to get him interested in golf.
Cage recalled that the two had different interests when they spent time together, with Cage preferring to be out on the water.
He told Stern and Rock: "I was all about fishing [at the time], and I like being on my boat. And Sean wanted to get me on the golf course."
Cage shared that he enjoyed a "great relationship" with Connery, though he added: "I never went on the golf course because I just didn’t have time for that."
