It’s been three years since Jack Nicholson made his last big screen appearance in the little seen How Do You Know. Sadly, it now seems as though How Do You Know will be remembered as Nicholson’s final film. That’s because, according to Radar Online, Nicholson has quietly retired from acting.
Nicholson, 76, apparently suffers from memory problems and is no longer capable of memorizing dialogue. This helps explain why Nicholson turned down the lead role in the upcoming Nebraska (which would’ve reunited him with his About Schmidt director Alexander Payne), a decision which baffled many.
But unlike Sean Connery and Gene Hackman, who also both quietly retired from acting in their mid-70s, Nicholson will still make public appearances. The two places you’re most likely to find him: The front row of a Lakers game, and the front row at the Academy Awards.
Nicholson made his acting debut in the 1958 Roger Corman cheapie The Cry Baby Killer. It wasn’t until over 10 years later that Nicholson hit the big time with a scene-stealing supporting role in 1969’s Easy Rider. After that, Nicholson starred in many of the 1970s most iconic movies, including Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail, Chinatown, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Nicholson won the Academy Award three times—first for Cuckoo’s Nest, then for Terms of Endearment and As Good As It Gets. He was nominated a total of 12 times.
Nicholson’s rep has not yet confirmed Radar’s report.
UPDATE:
According to E! News, the Radar report is false. “NBC’s Maria Shriver has confirmed to E! News that reports of Nicholson retiring from acting due to memory loss or dementia are 100 percent false, adding that the Chinatown star is not suffering from any memory-related illness or dementia and has no current plans to retire,”; the website reports. “In fact, a source close to the movie icon says Nicholson is actively reading scripts and is looking forward to his next project.”;
