Shop owner told man ‘you look like Nicholas cage’ not realising it was actually him

'Why is he getting some eggs and some kimchi? We couldn't stop staring'

Because he was Nicolas Cage.

Annie Liban was working at her store in Busselton in Western Australia completely unaware that a Hollywood movie was being shot in town.

Cage is believed to be Down Under filming 'The Surfer' which tells the story of his character's return to his home town and a feud with a local gang of surfers. Rumours have been circulating about the Leaving Las Vegas star's plans to visit Oz, but they didn't quite reach Annie's ears.

However, around Monday lunchtime she started to put the clues together.

The actor, wearing boots and a jacket in hot weather and Prada sunglasses, was browsing her shelves.

"I said, 'Oh he looks like Nicolas Cage,' but I was like, 'What's he doing in this store,'" Annie told ABC News Australia.

"Why is he getting some eggs and some kimchi? We couldn't stop staring."

Annie thought there was something oddly familiar about the man, and eventually, when he came to the register her suspicions were confirmed.

"There were some clues … he was wearing boots in hot weather and a jacket, wearing some Prada sunglasses and the voice as well," Annie said.

When Cage picked up some oranges in front of the shop and she told him it was cash only, he replied "I only have US dollars."

Annie told the A-lister that he looks like Cage, the star of Con Air and Captain Corelli's Mandolin

"We said, 'Oh you do look like Nicolas Cage' and he said, 'I am'."

Food of Asia posted a series of pics of Cage posing for pictures in the store on its Facebook page.

City of Busselton Mayor Grant Henley said it was a win for the region to have Cage — and the film's cast and crew — in town.

"[These things] have a huge economic spin-off to the region … accommodation and costs with a crew of that magnitude, you have 100 people here for a month, which is a massive injection of cash in the local economy," Henley said, according to ABC.

Australian movies such as Drift with Sam Worthington and the karting movie Go! have been set in the region before, the broadcaster noted, but nonetheless, Henley said it was still exciting to see Hollywood come to the region.

"I think this movie obviously packs some star-pulling power to get someone like Nicolas Cage involved in filming," he said.

"So that will be a larger magnitude than perhaps some of those Australian-made films with a lot smaller budgets and perhaps distributions.

He added: "I think this movie obviously packs some star-pulling power to get someone like Nicolas Cage involved in filming.

"So that will be a larger magnitude than perhaps some of those Australian-made films with a lot smaller budgets and perhaps distributions.

"I hopefully might bump into him around the area, if he's out exploring the region having a bit of fun."

The Surfer is yet to have a release date.

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