Nicolas Cage was excited to work with amateur actors in 'Joe'.
The 'Ghost Rider' actor is currently starring as an ex-convict in the drama alongside a host of professional and non-professional actors including Gary Poulter, a homeless man who was discovered by the director David Gordon Green and his casting agents.
Quizzed on what it was like to work with amateur actors, Nicholas told Collider: "It's an element of surprise. I was really up for it.
"The one I'm thinking of is Gary Poulter who plays Tye Sheridan's father in the movie. He was discovered doing Vincent Price's 'Welcome to My Nightmare' monologue from the Alice Cooper album about the black widow spider and David saw that and said I want to give you a part and he auditioned him and auditioned him and finally gave him the part.
"I thought it was exciting. This was an opportunity for me to try something new, working with non-actors. He never dropped the ball, he was always on point."
The 50-year-old star plays a former convict who becomes an unlikely role model for Tye's character Gary, as he is faced with the opportunity to either redeem himself or run, and he took the preparation for his role very seriously.
He explained: "I flew out a month early which is kind of unheard of in Hollywood. I wanted to bond with David, I wanted to understand his process and get in step with how he likes to make a movie.
"I got to meet with Tye to make sure that we had chemistry, so it was an enormously valuable experience to go to Austin a month early."

Vanessa Paradis feels nostalgic about the past.
The singer-turned-actress, who split from Johnny Depp in 2012 after a 14-year relationship, has briefly opened up about her romance with the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor, revealing she still has fond memories of their time together.
Probed by France's Marie Claire magazine about whether she regrets the past, she coyly replied: "These things are too personal. I don't want to spill my soul to a magazine, and moreover, I'm very lucky.
"I don't know if I'm really melancholic because I like to live in the present and make the most of the positive things that exist. Of course, I'm sometimes nostalgic about the past, but it's a good nostalgia."
Vanessa quickly shut down the line of questioning about the father of her two children, Lily-Rose, 15, and Jack, 12, who has just confirmed his engagement to his 'Rum Diary' co-star Amber Heard.
However, she added: "Love is such an intense feeling. Naturally, in love there are good and bad sides. "
The 'Joe Le Taxi' singer confessed motherhood has been the biggest transformation of her life to date and thinks nothing can top the feeling.
She said: "My biggest change has been becoming a mother. There isn't anything stronger or more intense than that transformation, in your mind, your body and your life."
Vanessa also avoided queries about whether her new short hairdo was due to a desire to break from the past.
She insisted: "It's for a sketch by John [Turturro] for 'Rio, I Love You'. He asked me to cut them. My hair was all over the place, so it didn't take long for me to accept."

Minnie Driver has quit Twitter.
The 'About a Boy' actress - who has five-year-old son Henry from a previous relationship - is taking a break from the social networking website after getting upset at jibes about her appearance following the publication of pictures of her strolling on a Miami beach in a bikini with her little boy.
She tweeted: "God some people are horrible: you try being photographed when you don't know it's happening, when you're on holiday with your kids.
"I'm out of this Twittersphere for a while. It's too mean sometimes, about your body , about your soul. Not worth it. (sic)"
Minnie headed off on holiday earlier this week and was determined to have a good time with her loved ones.
She tweeted on Tuesday (08.04.14): "Finally on holiday with my family. I'm going to make 4 days feel like a month."
The slender 44-year-old actress has previously spoken of how she finds it "quite easy" to lose weight after gaining pounds for a role.
She has said: "You have to eat less and move around more."

Anastacia loves her "bionic boobies".
The 'I'm Outta Love' hitmaker underwent a double mastectomy last year after discovering she had breast cancer for a second time and she insists she "couldn't care less" about losing her natural breasts.
She said: "I call them my bionic boobies. They're fabulous. I was a triple D, now I'm a C-cup, so I'm perfectly happy.
"I can finally wear little spaghetti straps. Personally, I couldn't care less about losing my natural boobs. I wanted to be done with breast cancer."
The 45-year-old singer was insistent about having the operation, even though doctors said she didn't need to, as she didn't want to find herself battling the disease again in the future.
She told the Daily Mail newspaper: "This last time, it was such a small piece of cancer I could have had a biopsy and some treatment and called it a day, but I've been there. And that didn't change anything. It just came back.
"I thought, 'I don't want to go through this again. If I do, is there going to be a third time or a fourth? Will that be the killer?' I said to the doctor, 'I know this seems drastic to you because you'd like to keep my natural boobs, but I want to live. I don't want to play Russian roulette with my breasts and my life.' "
Anastacia insists she was "prepared" for the procedure as she had done her research several years before when she had another cancer scare.
She explained: "I was surprisingly prepared for it. Because about two years after the first diagnosis, I had an abnormal reading, so had to have a biopsy. I freaked out and researched a double mastectomy.
"The biopsy was benign and the recovery time from the operation was about a year, so I opted not to elect to do something, but it planted the seed, 'If it comes back, this is what I will do'.
"I had many years to sit with that."

Michael Jackson's ex-wife wants guardianship of their children.
Debbie Rowe - who was married to the late 'Thriller' star for just under three years until October 1999 and had children Prince, 17, and Paris, 15, with him - is also said to wants to take responsibility for Michael's son Blanket, 12, who was reportedly born via surrogate.
According to TMZ, Debbie thinks their grandmother Katherine Jackson, who is the children's legal guardian, is too old to care for them properly.
A source said: "Debbie is deeply concerned about the environment in the Jackson home. She likes Katherine Jackson but believes she has gotten way too old to serve as guardian."
She reportedly told a friend: "Katherine's not connected with the kids or involved in their lives."
Debbie, 55, is also said to be concerned Michael's brothers are spending too much time at their Calabasas house in California and have been a "terrible influence" on the children.
She is also rumoured to be "upset" with Michael's brother Jermaine, who will appear on 'Celebrity Wife Swap' in coming weeks, because she thinks it's "extremely inappropriate".
Debbie is set to file legal documents asking the judge to appoint her guardian so she can move the children to her ranch in Palmdale, California, where she has a business raising and breeding horses.
She originally lost contact with her children after divorcing Michael in 1999, but has been getting closer to them over the last year with the blessing of the Jackson family.

Kyle Minogue has quit 'The Voice UK' after one series.
The pint-sized pop star - who replaced Jessie J as a coach on the singing competition for its third series - has decided to bow out from her role after just one year due to a schedule clash with her upcoming 'Kiss Me Once' tour.
She wrote on her Facebook page: "Hi Lovers, thanks to all of you for your incredible support throughout this past season of 'The Voice UK'.
"I'm sad to say that, due to the timing of my European tour, I won't be back for Season 4. I absolutely loved my time on the show, and I'll miss all of the incredible people who were a part of my experience.
"I hope to see you all on my 'Kiss Me Once' tour, and wish continued success to everyone at 'The Voice'!"
The 45-year-old singer joined the panel with fellow newcomer Ricky Wilson, sitting alongside veteran coaches will.i.am and Sir Tom Jones.
Although she's quit the British version, Kylie is expected to be a coach on the Australian version of 'The Voice' with will.i.am this year.
'The Voice' producer Moira Ross said: "Kylie has brought her own very special magic to 'The Voice UK' and we have loved having her on the show. We wish her well for her tour and hope to welcome her back in the future."

Simon Cowell put on a serious face as he strolled through LAX airport in Los Angeles with his luggage and passport in hand. The music mogul sported his usual grey sweater and jeans.

Amber Le Bon looked chic in along grey tweed coat, with wet look jeans and an unbuttoned white blouse as she partied with friends at exclusive members club, Lou Lous in Mayfair, London.

Duchess Catherine of Cambridge looked seriously competitive as she participated in a yacht race against her husband, Prince William in Auckland Harbour, as part of their tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Johnny Depp sported his signature blue tinted glasses as he attend the Los Angeles premiere of his new film 'Transcendence'.

Emma Stone stunned in a floor length yellow gown, as she posed alongside her 'Amazing Spider-Man 2' co-star Andrew Garfield, at the world premiere of comic-book film in London.

Julianne Hough showed off a new pixie haircut at the The Kaleidoscope in Los Angeles where she stunned in a floor-length nude gown, which featured cut-outs to show off her toned abs.