Lifestyle | Nicolas Cage How Nicolas Cage Really Went Broke Actor 'spent money like it was water,' friends say By Kevin Spak Posted Nov 7, 2009 3:46 PM CST Copied Nicolas Cage speaks during a news conference for the movie "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) Nicolas Cage’s money woes aren’t all his money manager’s fault. Cage “lived like a sheik,” a friend tells the Daily Beast. “Spent money like it was water.” Here’s a sample of what he spent it on: More than a dozen homes, including a castle in England, an 11th-century estate in Germany, and two entire Bahamian islands An untold number of cars, new and classic. He once paid $500,000 for a Lamborghini previously owned by the shah of Iran, nearly $300,000 more than its value. “He didn’t care,” says a friend. “Nic at an auction is dangerous.” A collection of pets one friend describes as “basically a zoo,” including two albino king cobras; he keeps antivenom nearby A dinosaur skull A collection of shrunken heads A $1 million donation to the Red Cross, and a $2 million contribution to Amnesty International Read These Next Defense officials react to Hegseth's Quantico meeting. Government shutdown is here. Here's what to expect. Colorado wants to give 'peace of mind' on Hunter S. Thompson. President asks nation's top generals to loosen up. Report an error