Nicolas Cage says he regrets eating a cockroach in Vampire's Kiss

Over the years, we've heard so many stories about actors putting themselves through extreme lengths for a film role.

For example, Brendan Fraser was strapped with all types of weights for his starring role in The Whale, where he played a 600lb man.

Another one of those who has gone to rather extreme lengths for an acting role is Nicolas Cage, who once had to eat something rather disgusting.

For the 1988 film Vampire's Kiss, Cage actually ended up eating a cockroach, which he now admits he regrets.

No wonder, really, as the legendary actor essentially took part in his own bushtucker trial!

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Directed by Robert Bierman, Vampire's Kiss cast Cage as Peter Loew, who comes to believe he was bewitched and bitten by a vampire.

Assuming he is on his way to beaching a bloodsucker, Peter strolls about The Big Apple with fake fangs and eating rather scrumptious roaches for breakfast.

In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Cage spoke about what it was like to indulge in some cockroaches.

He said: "I ate it twice because the director did it just to prank me."

Cage is currently doing the media rounds promoting his new film Renfield, where he plays Count Dracula himself in the new horror comedy.

He co-stars alongside Nicholas Hoult, who plays R.M. Renfield, who funnily enough enjoys chomping on insects to achieve that vampire boost.

Speaking of Hoult's chomping abilities, Cage said: "But, um, yeah, no, I'm not one to give advice, but he ate a potato bug, so he took it to another level."

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In the Yahoo video interview, Hoult replied: "No, the cockroach is worse than a potato bug, I think. I don't know because the cockroaches I got to eat in this were caramel."

Meanwhile, Cage quipped: "Oh, but he ate a real potato bug, which is terrifying to me and so are cockroaches. I'll never do that again. I'm sorry I did it at all."

It appears that Cage was actually not supposed to eat a cockroach in Vampire's Eyes, but instead eat a raw egg.

But according to the DVD commentary Cage did for the film, he thought that was a little tame.

"I saw it as a business decision because when people see the cockroach go in my mouth it's like the bus blowing up in Speed, people really react, and it's like worth $2 million in special effects and all I do is eat a bug. So it's good business," Cage said in that commentary.

He claimed he was asked to perform the scene twice, with the first take being used in the final cut.