Mirren follows up 'Queen' with 'Treasure'

• Tweet

LOS ANGELES , Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Nicolas Cage says he's pleased Helen Mirren chose to co-star with him in the Hollywood film "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" after winning her Oscar.

"I have to tip my hat to her that she would win the Oscar in 'The Queen' and then, in the grand spirit of Douglas Fairbanks or Errol Flynn, go make an adventure film," Cage told reporters in Los Angeles recently.

"To me, that shows a lot of spirit and a great zest for life and that she's willing to do that and jump around and wear the wire and all that. I just -- I love her for that. And she's funny. Within two minutes, she puts you at ease. She doesn't take herself too seriously and she makes you relax and you have a lot of great laughs together, and I would love to work with her on every movie."

Cage said he has admired Mirren since he saw her in the 1981 film, "Excalibur."

"That was the first thing I said to her, 'I loved you as Morgan La Fey,'" Cage recalled. "One of my most powerful crushes was Helen Mirren as Morgan La Fey."