Nicolas Cage experienced his fair share of marriages before meeting his latest love interest, Riko Shibata. Despite their numerous differences, Cage and Shibata seem to have a common ground when it comes to their fondness for pet squirrels.
Distance, age, race, career, and social background, all amounts to naught when compared to an unusual shared interest. Such can be said about Nicolas Cage and Riko Shibata’s romance.
The twosome, who have been inseparable since exchanging vows in February 2021, has an inspiring story that proves the power of love. From their extraordinary first meeting to a more unusual proposal, Cage and Shibata’s love story is as wild as it gets.
WHO IS RIKO SHIBATA?
Riko Shibata is Nicolas Cage’s fifth wife. She is an Asian-American woman, who apparently has Japanese ancestry. The 27-year-old was born in New York City in 1993. She grew up in the same city, completing her education up to the collegiate level and kicking off her career.
Before her brush with the spotlights following her marriage to Cage, Shibata was reportedly a model and an internet personality. She also made appearances in some movies and series but was not as famous as her husband.
At 27, Shibata is thirty years younger than the actor, who clocked 57 in January. Interestingly, she is also four years younger than Cage’s oldest son, Weston Coppola Cage, who was born in 1990.
Despite their three-decade age gap, the twosome fell in love, overlooked the differences, shunned critics, and took their relationship to the altar. Today, the Hollywood sweethearts are still going strong.
HOW THEY MET
Nicolas Cage and Riko Shibata have shared little detail about their romance. However, Cage’s representative confirmed they crossed paths for the first time over a year ago, in Shiga, Japan, just before the coronavirus pandemic swept through the world.
THE ONSET OF THEIR ROMANCE
It is unclear when these two started dating. According to reports, they were first spotted together in public while on a date in New Orleans in January 2020.
The pair reportedly visited Nicolas Cage’s pyramid tomb, which he famously purchased in the Louisiana city in 2010. A month later, the couple appeared in public again, holding hands as they strolled leisurely around New York City.
Sadly, the sweethearts had limited time to explore their newfound romance, thanks to the pandemic. While appearing on his brother Marc Coppola’s radio show on Q104.3, Nicolas Cage revealed that just before the lockdown, his then-girlfriend returned to Kyoto, Japan, while he moved back to Nevada.
Overlooking the coronavirus-imposed distance couple utilized technology to their advantage, to stay in touch. They spent over six months apart, all the while communicating via phone calls and social media.
THE ENGAGEMENT SHOCKER
During their months apart, the twosome realized they wanted to spend the rest of their lives in each other’s company. During his radio interview with Coppola, Cage recounted how he seized the opportunity during one of their video calls to pop the big question.
Proposing to Shibata on FaceTime and receiving her affirmation was just the first phase in their engagement. Cage knew he needed an engagement ring to make things official. Hence, the “National Treasure” star opted for a personalized sparkler in her favorite color and sent it via FedEx.
Riko Shibata’s engagement ring was a black diamond, and she was more than glad to receive the customized piece, which Cage personalized to suit her preferences.
CAGE AND SHIBATA’S VEGAS NUPTIALS
Having been separated for so long, Nicolas Cage and Riko Shibata reunited the first chance they got. The lovebirds eloped to Los Vegas, where they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on February 16, 2021.
The couple chose their wedding date in honor of the “Faceoff” star’s late dad, August Coppola, whose birthday fell on the same date. Sadly, the late author and film critic succumbed to a heart attack in 2009.
Riko Shibata and Nicolas Cage’s wedding was an intimate affair, celebrated in the outdoor Primrose Court area of the Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas. For the occasion, the happy bride donned a black, handmade three-layered Japanese Bridal Kimono from Kyoto, a nod to her culture.
Cage opted for a black velvety Tom Ford Tuxedo, coordinating with his wife’s outfit. The nuptials featured both traditional Catholic and Shinto vow exchanges, with inspiring poetry from Walt Whitman and Haiku satiating the cozy atmosphere.
After exchanging vows, the twosome treated their guests to a small reception, attended by Cage’s ex-wife Alice, and their 15-year old son Kal.
CAGE DISHES ON HIS BOND WITH SHIBATA
In July 2021, the star, who usually kept mum about his marriage, shared more unusual details about his relationship with Shibata. While speaking to ET’s Lauren Zima at the premiere of ‘Pig,” one of Nicolas Cage’s latest movies, the icon revealed how he knew she was the one.
He recalled how he found her stunning following their first meeting in Japan. They got talking and soon discovered their many shared interests. However, what ticked him was the discovery that she had flying squirrels. He divulged:
“So I asked her, ‘Do you have any pets?’ And she said ‘Yes, I have flying squirrels.’ She has two sugar gliders… I thought, ‘That’s it. This could work out.”
Sure enough, it worked out for the love birds, who have remained each other’s companions over a year later. Notably, the “Pig” premiere marked Cage and Shibata’s Red Carpet debut.
MEET NICOLAS CAGE’S EXES
Before marrying Shibata, Nicolas Cage had lived through four previous marriages. In 1995, he exchanged vows with actress Patricia Arquette. Their union lasted for six years before they divorced in 2001.
Next, he tied the knot with singer/songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of the infamous Elvis Presley in August 2002. They divorced in November that year.
Cage married his third wife Alice Kim in July 2004, in a private ceremony on a ranch in northern California. The twosome welcomed son, Kal-El a year later. The icon’s third marriage ended in 2016.
Three years later, Cage experienced his infamous four-day marriage to Erika Koike. They finalized their divorce in June 2019, three months after the actor filed for an annulment. Gladly, he met his Asian-American diva barely a year later.
Given his bond with Shibata, it is safe to say that Nicolas Cage has finally found “the one.