It’s been almost a decade since Jack Nicholson last appeared in a Hollywood film, but the retired actor’s grandson, Duke Nicholson, wants fans to know his grandpa is doing OK. In a recent interview, the 20-year-old acting prodigy shared a rare update on the Shining star’s health.
“He’s doing great. He’s 100 percent,” Duke — who is the son of Jack’s eldest daughter, Jennifer Nicholson — told The Hollywood Reporter. Considering the 82-year-old legend retreated from Hollywood spotlight in recent years, fans were worried he was potentially suffering from an illness.
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Jack Nicholson attends the AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine at Sony Studios on in Culver City, Calif. The AFI Lifetime Achievement Honoring Shirley MacLaine airs on June 24, 2012 at 9pm on TV Land
AFI Life Achievement Award Show, Culver City, USAChris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Duke offered some relief as he told the outlet he, Jack and the rest of the Nicholson clan — which include the As Good as It Gets star’s other adult children, Caleb James Goddard, Lorraine Nicholson, Ray Nicholson and Honey Hollman — even spent Thanksgiving together. Although Duke is following in his grandpa’s famous footsteps, the up and coming actor said he and Jack “don’t talk about acting much.”
Despite pursing a Hollywood career like the Academy Award winner, Duke told the outlet there “wasn’t a big moment, like, ‘I want to be an actor.'” Instead, Duke revealed the opportunity landed in his lap when Top Gun actor Val Kilmer‘s son Jack introduced him to a Hollywood music manager who cast him in music videos, which led to his role in Jordan Peele‘s Us.
The handsome actor even dished the one time Jordan directed him to channel the bartender from The Shining while filming a scene in Us. Although the scenario seemed like a weird twist of fate considering the producer was entirely unaware of Duke’s family background, it didn’t seem that bizarre since “TheShining is one of the greatest horror films of all time …” Duke said.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Alex Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock (719748fc)
Jack Nicholson
'The Bucket List' film premiere Los Angeles, America - 16 Dec 2007
December 16, 2007 - Hollywood, CA.
Jack Nicholson.
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents the Benefit Premiere of THE BUCKET LIST held at the Arclight Cinerama Dome. The event is benefiting the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Center for Cancer Research .
Photo by Alex Berliner®Berliner Studio/BEImagesAlex Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock
News of the actor’s good health comes almost a year since he was last spotted out and about. This past January, Jack stepped out alongside his son Ray, 27, at the L.A.’s Staples Center to watch the Los Angeles Lakers compete against the Golden State Warriors.
The One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest star was all smiles and appeared to be in great spirits as he sat in the first row on the court with his handsome mini-me.