It is safe to say Nicolas Cage is excited to become a father once again. The Hollywood actor, who is expecting his first child with wife Riko Shibata, has already chosen baby names for their little one ahead of his or her arrival.
The Oscar winner revealed in a cover story for the April issue of GQ magazine that he and Shibata have already decided on both a boy's name and a girl's name for their baby. According to Cage, they will name the child Akira Francesco if the baby is a boy and Lennon Augie if they will be welcoming a daughter.
Cage also explained the thought process behind choosing those specific baby names. Cage said that the name Augie was his father's nickname. His uncle, Academy Award-winning director Francis Ford Coppola, apparently has changed his name to Francesco and Cage wanted his son to share the moniker with the famed filmmaker.
Cage excited to welcome his third child, his first with Shibata
Cage at one point of the interview even showed an ultrasound image of his baby, telling the magazine that his child is like a little edamame, a little bean, and he thinks it is so sweet. News of Cage and Shibata having a baby first broke last January when a representative for the couple confirmed to People magazine that they are expecting their first child together.
According to the rep, the parents-to-be are elated with this baby news. This will be the "Leaving Las Vegas" star's third child. He is already a dad to sons Weston, 31, and Kal-El, 16, from previous relationships. Cage shares Weston with former partner Christina Fulton and Kal-El with ex-wife Alice Kim.
Cage and Shibata have been married since February 16, 2021 when the couple tied the knot in a very small and intimate wedding ceremony at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cage chose that particular date to honor his late father's birthday.
Cage and Shibata exchange Catholic and Shinto vows in wedding
The wedding ceremony saw the couple exchange traditional Catholic and Shinto vows with Haiku and poetry from Walt Whitman also included. Cage wore a Tom Ford tuxedo during the nuptials while Shibata was seen wearing a handmade Japanese Bridal Kimono from Kyoto. According to E! News, she walked down the aisle to Kiroro's "Winter Song", which was her favorite song.
Cage and Shibata first met in Shiga, Japan, through mutual friends while the Hollywood star was filming "Prisoners of the Ghostland." After their wedding, the couple made their red carpet debut at the premiere of Cage's film "Pig" last July.
Cage and Shibata then posed for their first-ever magazine cover for Flaunt magazine, which was released in October of last year. The couple then walked the red carpet during the 2021 GQ Men of the Year party in West Hollywood the following month.
