Nicolas Cage Tickles the Ivories as Liberace

Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage has never been afraid to play flamboyant characters on the big screen, so perhaps it's no surprise that the star has announced that he'll play bejeweled gay pianist Liberace in an upcoming film.

Cage says he also wants to direct the film, which will explore Liberace's public fame and private closet full of secrets - the musician was beloved by housewives across America in the 1950s and '60s, but none of them ever suspected that the candelabra-mad piano-pounder had a series of male lovers.

If the project from _Date Movie_ writers Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg gets the green light, don't be surprised if Cage - who was once _Leaving Las Vegas_ - winds up returning to Sin City wearing a million sequins.