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National Treasure Show Star Was Scared By Nicolas Cage's Performance
National Treasure: Edge of History star Lisette Olivera says that she was scared to follow Nicolas Cage's performance in the original films. Released in 2004, the first National Treasure film introduces audiences to Cage's Ben Gates, an American cryptologist with a penchant for finding lost treasure. Although not faring well with critics, the film was a big hit with audiences, and a sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, was released in 2007. The sequel was a box office hit, but National Treasure 3 has long been stuck in development hell and has yet to come to fruition.
Thankfully, fans of the franchise will soon get to see some familiar faces from the franchise in the new series, National Treasure: Edge of History. The upcoming Disney+ series sees Olivera take on the leading role of Jess Valenzuela, a new character who sets out on an epic adventure to discover the mystery surrounding her family history. National Treasure: Edge of History will see Justin Bartha reprise his role as Riley Poole, Gates' tech-whiz sidekick from the films, but also features the return of Harvey Keitel's Peter Sadusky. With fans still calling for Cage's return to the National Treasure franchise, Olivera now opens up about what it was like trying to fill the actor's shoes.
In a new interview with EW, Olivera explains that she was initially very scared to follow Cage's memorable performance in the original National Treasure films. The actor reveals that she's a big fan of the two films and that she was fearful to "stray away from what they had already created." Ultimately, however, many of the returning cast, crew, and creative team behind the production put her mind at ease and helped her throughout the process. Check out Olivera's full comment below:
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"It's a scary thought to have to follow someone's performance like Nic Cage. It was daunting, but I kept trying to reframe and focus as if it was just a challenge. I really loved the movies, and no part of me wanted to stray away from what they had already created. It was the same voices behind the movies — the same producers, same writers, Trevor Rabin, who is the composer for the films, came back to also do our show — so I knew I was in safe hands. They were guiding me, especially when I had my own doubts of what I was capable of."
Despite not being part of a National Treasure film for going on 15 years now, Cage continues to be inextricably linked to the franchise. The writers and executive producers behind the show, Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, are also responsible for writing both National Treasure films, and the creative team has expressed interest in seeing Cage return in some form for the show. Although Cage's performance in National Treasure is notably toned down compared to some of his other films, the actor still brings a unique energy to the part of Gates, and it's understandable why attempting to fill his shoes would give a young actor pause.
It remains to be seen how National Treasure: Edge of History will compare to the beloved films, but the ingredients are certainly there for it to be a strong addition to the franchise. With the same creative team, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and several returning stars all taking part, it's possible that the series may actually reignite the love for the franchise and introduce it to a younger audience. If National Treasure: Edge of History does well, there's a chance it could actually get the ball rolling on National Treasure 3, which sets up the possibility of Olivera and Cage actually sharing the screen together.
