Nicolas Cage On Gun Violence: 'It's Going To Happen Whether Movies Are There Or Not'

Veteran actor Nicolas Cage recently added his two cents to the ongoing debate on the impact of violent movies on real-life violence.

Cage, who began his interview with The Independent by shooting down rumors that he stars in the upcoming Jim Carrey film "Kick-Ass 2," addressed Carrey's recent words on the violence in the film. Carrey spoke out last month, saying he could no longer support the level of violence in "Kick-Ass 2," even though he appears in the film.

“Jim’s going to do what Jim’s going to do," Cage told The Independent. "That is his right and his business. But I’m not blaming the violence that happens in my country on movies. I’m not doing it.”

Cage went on to compare today's violent films to a classic movie. “When 'A Clockwork Orange' came out there was that whole thing with hooligans and Stanley Kubrick pulled the movie,” Cage added. “I believe in freedom of speech and I’ll still rather live in a world where 'A Clockwork Orange' exists then it doesn’t. I feel horrible about the gun violence and I feel it inside. I don’t think movies are the reason why this violence exists, I think it’s going to happen whether movies are there or not.”

Violence is still alive and well in Hollywood, seemingly unaffected by a year of gun-related tragedies. The films topping this year's box office charts all include a violent tone, as "Iron Man 3" takes the No. 1 spot, followed by "Man of Steel" and "Fast & Furious Six."

For more from Cage, head over to The Independent.