Joy Vogelsang, a former dancer and the mother of Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage, has died. Her official cause of death has not been publicly announced at this time. Vogelsang was 85 at the time of her passing.
Christopher Coppola, Nicolas Cage’s brother, confirmed that Joy Vogelsang passed away last month on May 26. The producer and director announced the news through a sentimental Facebook post. In the post, he detailed his final day with his mother, unfortunately mentioning that he had to leave her side for a few hours and sadly was not with her when she passed away.
He reflected fondly on his mother and also made note of the fact that she battled mental illness for much of her life. However, Christopher Coppola beautifully remembered an intimate moment with is mom, one in which he says she taught him something about himself:
My mama lioness told me, her middle son cub, that I was affectionate. I was very embarrassed by the term affection. I thought it was a bad thing, a something to laugh at thing. Mama lioness looked at me deeply and said affection was a good thing and don't let others embarrass me for being naturally affectionate. My fellow classmates told me, laughed at me, told me affection was a stupid thing, a make fun of thing. I was angry at my mama for putting me in that situation, a situation that made me feel more weird than I already did. She held me and told me softly that affection was a good thing and one day I may understand or not but I should always remember I was her affectionate cub.
While reflecting, Christopher Coppola also took the time to thank those who had sent well wishes to his family. As of this writing, brother Nicolas Cage has not been reached for comment. Coppola also included a photo of his mother, which you can see down below:
Joy Vogelsang was married to August Coppola, the brother of acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola, back in 1960. Together, the couple had Nicolas Cage, Christopher Coppola and their brother, Marc. The two would eventually divorce when Cage was 12, as he previously stated in an interview.
As Christopher Coppola mentioned in his post, Joy Vogelsang battled mental illness for years, and Nicolas Cage has previously discussed how she was institutionalized. Nevertheless, Cage has also mentioned how his mother served as a motivator for him, as he progressed through his career. And Coppola’s post only adds to the notion that she was there for her sons when she could be.
While it’s surely hard to lose a parent, Christopher Coppola is clearly choosing to celebrate his mother. The memories he shared are incredibly sweet, and it’s not hard to see why his mother viewed him as her affectionate child.
We here at CinemaBlend extended our deepest thoughts and condolences to the family and loved ones of Joy Vogelsang during this tough time.
