Nicolas Cage has had a varied movie career. From convict to angel, he’s played more characters than we’ve had hot dinners. Here’s our top 10 Nicolas Cage movie characters! Do you agree with our list? Let us know via Twitter!

10. Benjamin Franklin Gates from National Treasure (2004)

Bringing Cage to Disney, Benjamin Gates is a famous treasure hunter who is trying to secure the biggest treasure of all time. It’s a likeable character that gives Cage a new legion of fans.

9. Seth – City of Angels (1998)

Cage wasn’t really a stranger to rom-coms when he did City of Angels with Meg Ryan, but then again City of Angels wasn’t really a rom-com, more a romantic tragedy. Cage plays Seth, an angel guardian who has spent as long as he can remember watching people on Earth live their lives, experience happiness, sadness and, most of all, love. After being seen by doctor Maggie Rice (Meg Ryan), he falls head over heels and decides that he wants to fall from heaven in order to be with her. Every woman who has watched this film fell further in love with Cage and blubbed their eyes watching the climatic ending.

8. Doug Chesnic – Guarding Tess (1994)

Having such a varied career, from wacky comedy to thrillers, Cage has also featured in more family style films including his fantastic turn as Secret Service agent Doug Chesnic. He is in charge of guarding Tess Carlisle, a feisty, stubborn lady who wants everything her way. This film shows Cage portray a tenderness not seen in other movies and his under-played comic ability is just heightened by his on-screen chemistry with legend Shirley MacLaine.

7. Randy – Valley Girl (1983)

When Cage popped up in the little known hit Valley Girl a million hearts broke across the globe, 80’s hearts. In this age-old tale of opposite attracting and trying to over come all odds Cage plays Randy, an outcast and a punk. He falls for Julie at a party and is instantly in love. She feels the same for him but, of course, society and her friends don’t agree. Randy is an odd ball, slightly weird and kooky. You can see elements in his role as Randy that eventually led to his role in Raising Arizona.

6. Ricky Santoro – Snake Eyes (1998)

Another great personality role for Cage as the corrupt cop who wants to be so well connected that he can be mayor. He lives a comfortable life with various dodgy dealings but mostly on the right side of the law, until one night he becomes mixed up in an assassination. Cage has a brilliant ability of playing a character that you know isn’t good but whom you still root for. He is at his best when keeping the audience on the fence.

5. Memphis Raines – Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

A familiar role once again for our leading action star, this time as a former car thief who has hung up his skills to go straight. When his younger brother gets himself into some hot water, it’s up to Cage to get him out and return to his former life. This is an exhilarating all-action film and Cage still displays quiet and composed character that just makes you think ‘this guy is cooler than cool’.

4. Stanley Goodspeed – The Rock (1996)

Put aside the fantastic name and you have Cage as a biochemist specialist working for the FBI. He is called in because a renegade General has taken hostages in the infamous Alcatraz prison. Cage works alongside legend and uber-king of cool Sean Connery to break into Alcatraz and bring the prisoners out. Goodspeed is a normal guy, likes his job, his girlfriend has announced she is pregnant and he likes to keep his head down. Another brilliant role for Cage where he can be the hero and help save the day.

3. Cameron Poe – Con Air (1997)

‘Put the bunny back in the box!’ At the time this film featured the funniest of Cage’s haircuts to date as he starred as Poe, a US Army Ranger who one night gets involved in a fight with some drunks and accidentally kills one of them. Seven years later he is released and is on his flight home when his plane is taken over by its criminal passengers. Hillbilly accent, flowing locks, white vest and plenty of action with very few words from Cage. Cameron Poe is an almighty old school action hero.

2. Castor Troy – Face Off (1997)

Who would have thought Cage could play both good guy and bad guy all within one film – even better who would have thought Cage could play a good John Travolta? Well that’s exactly what you get with the John Woo hit Face Off. Castor Troy is a despicable villain; vile, sleazy, and psychotic. Cage portrays this brilliantly. On the flip side he then produces a more than convincing Travolta character of Sean Archer, the caring, driven cop who wants to catch his man more than anything.

1. Damon Macready/Big Daddy – Kick Ass (2010)

This was a welcome hit for Cage after nearly three decades in movies and some more recent disaster releases, Big Daddy brought Cage back to people’s attention. A man driven by the thought of getting revenge for the death of his wife by becoming a vigilante and training his young daughter to be the same. Cage’s performance was genius, basing his character on Elvis and Batman, he even delivered his lines in the same style Adam West used for Batman. Cage proves in this role that he can still pull it out the bag and bring electric performances to screen.