Nicolas Cage regrets turning down 'Shrek'

Actor Nicolas Cage regrets turning down a chance to voice the friendly green character Shrek for the 2001 film.

Cage was initially asked to voice Shrek, but the 49-year-old didn't want to "look like an ogre". The job eventually went to Mike Myers, but Cage admits he sometimes regrets turning the animated movie down, reports thesun.co.uk.

"We were talking about Shrek and I just didn't want to look like an ogre. Maybe I should have done it looking back," said Cage about Shrek, which had grossed over 300 million pounds at the worldwide box office.

He has now finally teamed up with DreamWorks Animation for another animated film, The Croods. Even though the Con Air star was apprehensive about his animated alter ego, caveman Grug's appearance, he was delighted to be a part of the movie.

"They all came out to New Orleans and met with me and showed me a picture of Grug and said, 'Look Nic, this is how I see you'! I said, 'I hope I don't really look like that, but I think I'll do this'.

"What really got me about Grug is his emotional transformation from an overprotective father who is surviving but not living and then he learns how to let go and live and I like that. That's what appealed to me most. I like a movie that can make you laugh and make you cry," he added.