Nicolas Cage made his first public appearance since having the claims against him dropped from a lawsuit by his ex. On Monday, March 10, he attended the SXSW premiere of his upcoming film, The Surfer, in Austin, Texas.
The Oscar winner, 61, walked the red carpet in a black suit featuring head-to-toe sparkles. He complemented his look with a satin button-up shirt underneath his blazer, topping things off with sunglasses and a black top hat.
Cage posed, waving for cameras, on the same day his ex Christina Fulton dismissed him from an assault lawsuit against their son, Weston Coppola Cage, 34.
Courtesy of Roadside Attractions
Lorcan Finnegan’s film stars Cage as a man who returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son, but is humiliated by a group of powerful locals. Cage’s character is drawn into a conflict that, as the synopsis for the film describes, “rises with the punishing heat of the summer and pushes him right to his breaking point.”
Late last month, Fulton filed a lawsuit against Cage and their son Weston nearly a year after Weston allegedly physically attacked her. On Monday, Fulton dismissed her claims against Cage, but the claims against Weston remain in the lawsuit.
An attorney for Fulton filed the request for dismissal, per court documents obtained by PEOPLE. The claims were dismissed with prejudice, so Fulton can no longer pursue the claim against Cage.
In previous court documents obtained by PEOPLE on Wednesday, Feb. 19, Fulton, 57, alleged that Cage ignored mental-health concerns for their son Weston, 34, and instead enabled Weston’s alleged behavior ahead of the incident.
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Weston and Fulton were allegedly involved in a verbal dispute that turned physical on April 28, 2024. At the time, Fulton denied reports that she and and her son argued; instead saying he experienced a “mental-health crisis” and she was trying to help him.
Weston was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon in July 2024 and released on bond. Following his arrest, Fulton said she was “brutally assaulted,” stating “it is imperative” that Weston “receives the help he desperately needs.”
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In the lawsuit, Fulton called out the actor for allegedly failing to intervene and help their son.
“Weston has a long history of mental and psychological disorder and a history of committing violent assault and battery and harming numerous individuals,” states the lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County. “Nicolas has been aware of Weston’s history and nevertheless failed to take action to prevent Weston from committing acts of violence and harming others.”
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, an attorney for Cage has said, “The allegations by Christina Fulton against Nicolas Cage are absurd and frivolous.”
“Weston Coppola is a 34-year-old man. Mr. Cage does not control Weston’s behavior in any manner and is not responsible for Weston’s alleged assault of his mother,” Cage’s lawyer added.
In a statement provided to PEOPLE, Weston’s attorney Michael A. Goldstein wrote: “Weston’s father, Nicolas Cage, had absolutely nothing to do with Weston’s emotional state or condition leading up to the incident with his mother, Christina Fulton. The incident with his mother was caused by her – not his father. At Christina’s urging and direction, he agreed to see a new doctor selected by her, who promptly changed his medication and treatment. Unfortunately, that resulted in the emotional/medical breakdown resulting in the incident with his mother. Christina’s efforts to now blame his father for that incident are absolutely wrong and nothing more than an attempt to generate media attention and force him to pay her money.”
In Fulton’s initial filing, she sued Cage on claims of negligent supervision and negligent undertaking, and Weston on claims of assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress. She also sued Cage and Weston on a claim of negligence. At this time, the amount in damages Fulton is requesting is unknown, though she has asked for costs related to her filing.
If you or someone you know needs mental-health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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