Nicolas Cage Outbid Leonardo DiCaprio for a $276,000 Dinosaur Skull

Us Magazine - November 9, 2009 10:29 PM PST
Story photo: Nicolas Cage Outbid Leonardo DiCaprio for a $276,000 Dinosaur SkullDaniel Novisedlak/WireImage.comUs Magazine

Actor Nicolas Cage's films have grossed a collective $3.9 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Today, though, the Oscar winner owes $6 million in back taxes; in October, he sued his former money manager for $20 million, saying he was led "down a path of financial ruin," according to court documents.

See photos of stars having their day in court

How did he do it?

Bad financial advice or not, Cage, 45, lived a super-sized life. While most of his possessions are now for sale, already sold or in foreclosure, the star once owned a staggering -- and bizarre -- array of, well, stuff.

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Among Cage's many, many expenditures -- as tabulated by New York magazine -- were the following:

One jet and two yachts.

In 2007, he outbid Leonardo DiCaprio for a dinosaur skull, shelling out $276,000 for the artifact.

His homes included three castles -- plus two islands in the Bahamas. Among his "dozen or so" mansions, one Bel Air home, purchased in 1998, features a billiard room with a 1955 Jaguar parked inside plus an array of "shrunken heads."

Out of his 50 cars, the most Cage ever shelled out was $495,000 on Lamborghini -- used. (Its former owner was the shah of Iran.)

Look back on these star scandals

Obsessed with superheroes (he was once set to star in a Superman sequel), he sold his comics collection in 1997 for $1.6 million.

While portraying an alcoholic in Leaving Las Vegas (his Oscar-winning role) in 1995, he hired an "on set drinking-consultant-poet."

He's not merely a big spender when it comes to himself, either. He proposed to Patricia Arquette upon their first meeting in 1987. The actress refused, and Cage suggested he go on a "quest" to prove his love. Arquette challenged Cage to track down a laundry list of odd items: an autograph from author JD Salinger, a "Bob's Big Boy" statue and a Tibetan wedding dress. Cage fulfilled his "quest," but it took him another eight years to convince Arquette marry him in 1995. (They divorced six years later.)

Cage and his third wife, Alice Kim, have a four year-old son, Kal-El (named, naturally, after Superman.)

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comments 1-10 of 185  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Randy
    Everyone makes mistakes Nick is only one of many people who have. He"s still a great Actor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and always will be.
    report abuseposted December 26, 2009 10:31 PM PST
  • deedee
    money can really make people crazy. who needs 50 cars, a dozen mansions and 2 islands? but its kind of interesting that he went on a scavenger hunt to prove his love for his ex-wife. he might learn how to manage his money better now that he is going broke. i dont think nic has ever saved for a rainy day. poor guy. its raining cats and dogs now.
    report abuseposted November 16, 2009 2:13 PM PST
  • ßèè†lèjµî¢è
    Leonard just didn't have the change on him to win, must have been in the other pants.
    report abuseposted November 15, 2009 11:36 PM PST
  • jazzy g
    if you can't handle large amounts of money then maybe you don't need it..
    report abuseposted November 15, 2009 4:58 PM PST
  • Iceman77
    Holy shirt, what dumb logic. Depp left high school and is much smarter than most actors who are college grads. It's not about book smarts, it's about Cage lacking the street smarts to keep track of his own money.
    report abuseposted November 15, 2009 4:33 PM PST
  • Iceman77
    Natalie, creeps ? Why so bitter ? How have they wronged you in any way ?
    report abuseposted November 15, 2009 4:30 PM PST
  • Iceman77
    Natalie, the public make movie stars, the public do not make artists. Cage is an oscar winner. Real actoprs don't care about the public going to see their stuff.
    report abuseposted November 15, 2009 4:30 PM PST
  • Iceman77
    Albert, your handout mentality is why people are in so much trouble. It's Cage's money, he should spend it however he likes, he should not have hired the money manager and kept track of things himself.
    report abuseposted November 15, 2009 4:29 PM PST
  • Janice
    Guess what? Who cares??? If he has enough credit left, he can buy my house, which was foreclosed in October. I have a year to redeem it, and I owed less than $30,000 when I lost it. He can buy it from me for a measly $250,000, and have a beautiful early 1900's house, complete with high ceilings, a pantry, butler's pantry, tin-roofed back deck, and a rough log handmade queen-si
    report abuseposted November 15, 2009 2:41 AM PST
  • MAINEY
    Nic got the most important thing family.
    report abuseposted November 15, 2009 2:08 AM PST
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