Joy Behar, co-host of The View, stirred up conversation this week with a blunt critique of the 1987 romantic comedy Moonstruck and Nicolas Cage’s role in it. During a recent broadcast of the ABC talk show, the 82-year-old commentator expressed her belief that the beloved film didn’t portray Italian culture in a way she felt was authentic or respectful.
The remark came up while the panel was discussing Cage’s recent personal anecdotes—and Behar pivoted to her longstanding opinion about Moonstruck, which stars Cage opposite Cher in a story about love and family among Italian-American characters. Behar, who is herself Italian-American, said she “never thought that movie represented Italians that well.”
Her comment drew immediate reactions from fellow The View co-hosts. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg pushed back, saying she thought Cage’s performance was great, and another panelist teased whether they were now “dragging Nicolas Cage.” Behar stood by her statement, noting her cultural perspective as the basis for her critique.
Moonstruck was a critical and commercial success when it was released, grossing more than $120 million and earning several Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Cher. Its quirky portrayal of family dynamics and romance has long made it a staple of 1980s cinema—but not everyone agrees on what it represents.
Behar’s comments also sparked some broader jokes and references at the table, including her joking mention of other films she felt better represented Italians. Whether her remarks will influence how viewers revisit Moonstruck remains to be seen, but they definitely reignited conversation about cultural portrayal in classic Hollywood movies.
