Fametracker: Thanks for joining us.

Nicolas Cage's Hair: I'll tell you, it's so good to be back.

FT: What's your relationship with Nic been like over the years?

NC'sH: Nic's always had a reputation as a bit of a wild man, onscreen and off, and I like to think I've been a part of that. If you'll pardon the pun! "Part"! Ha!

FT: Nice.

NC'sH: For example, if you look back at Raising Arizona, I was all over the place in that movie. Same with Moonstruck. Sure, it was messy, but there was a certain wild energy, which made sense, because my style fit the characters he was playing. We worked really well together.

FT: Did you ever talk to him about playing more straitlaced characters, giving you a chance to show other sides besides just bed-head?

NC'sH: He wasn't interested. And I didn't complain. Those were heady days. I mean, I'll admit, I was as swept away as he was.

FT: So when did you run into trouble?

NC'sH: Well, even in those early days, I felt there was a problem with our relationships. His roles were meaty, but I felt that my material was getting kind of -- what's the word? Thin. That's it. Very thin.

FT: And what happened?

NC'sH: I withdrew.

FT: This was around...?

NC'sH: Right from the early years to, I'd say, Wild At Heart. I really got into the Elvis style that we played for that movie, and did my best to bring some of the King's flavor to that role. But I think our relationship at that point was already strained. There was definitely a pattern developing. I guess it's a macho thing -- you know, just guys being guys. Too much testosterone, maybe. Yes, it was definitely a male pattern.

FT: Did you want to patch things up?

NC'sH: To my mind, that was up to him. Whether he wanted to patch up our relationship, or let me withdraw further and further. Of course, this was around the time we did Leaving Las Vegas, so on the surface, everything seemed great. But I'll tell you, behind the scenes, I was leaving Nicolas Cage.

FT: What turned it around?

NC'sH: When he signed on for The Rock, and started thinking about taking his career in a different, more action-oriented direction, I think he realized that he had to do something about us. I mean, I didn't know what was going to happen. Maybe I leave for good, maybe he cuts me out of his life. Though to be honest, I was half-gone by that point anyway. And I'd learned to deal with that, even if he hadn't.

FT: There were rumors that he started collaborating with someone else.

NC'sH: Yeah, well, it made sense. I won't say it didn't hurt, when he decided to bring in outside collaborators, but at the same time, I needed help. I wasn't able to cover all the areas I used to cover for him. Everything seemed like a stretch. And I think that was glaringly obvious to the fans. But with The Rock, I have to say, it felt great again. All the holes in our relationship were totally plugged up. Totally plugged.

FT: And how have things been recently?

NC'sH: You know, we have our good days and our bad days. Bad hair days, I guess you could say! Ha!

FT: Sure. Of course.

NC'sH: But all in all, I'm so glad to be back. We realized we needed each other. I think we both looked at other actors in Hollywood, like Billy Bob Thornton and Jeremy Piven and Al Pacino, and realized we had better get our relationship sorted out. Before it got out of control. Both of us are better off with each other than we would be alone.

FT: Is your relationship stronger than ever now?

NC'sH: I'd say so. Look -- can I do all the things I once could do? Of course not. We all change over time. But I think it many ways I'm living a fuller life than I ever was. Much, much fuller. Almost absurdly full. And I think Nic feels the same way.

FT: How do you respond to accusations that your relationship's just for show -- that to the average fan, it looks totally fake?

NC'sH: No, that's totally untrue. I've worked hard to fight back and reclaim some of the ground I'd lost. I know that doesn't happen very often -- usually once you retreat, you never recover. Ha! "Re-cover"! But we have.

FT: Nice, hair.

NC'sH: And seriously, in Hollywood, anything's possible. Which is why I love this town. Not only can Nicolas Cage reinvent himself, but Nicolas Cage's hair can reinvent itself too. It's never too late for a comeback. You know what they say: "Hair today..."! Ha!

FT: Sweet.