Michael Douglas Claims Jack Nicholson Has 'Disappeared' as He Gives Rare Update on Iconic Actor 16 Years After His Final Film
The stars have been close friends for decades.
Nov. 2 2026, Updated 12:43 p.m. ET
Jack Nicholson has largely disappeared from the public eye, but longtime friend Michael Douglas provided an update on how the actor is doing, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Nicholson's last movie was 2010’s How Do You Know, but since its premiere, the actor has generally left Hollywood for a more private life.
Douglas Shares Insight Into Nicholson's Life
Nicholson and Douglas still see each other.
When reporters asked Douglas how his longtime friend was doing at an event promoting his memoir, One Helluva Ride, he said, "He’s not working any more. He’s well. He has disappeared. I know that."
He added he would've liked to act with his friend more.
"I still see him, but he is fine. He is up there by his house and walking around in his slippers. It happens. He deserves it. I understand. He is a few years older than me, but I understand," the 82-year-old shared.
Rare Public Sightings
Nicholson is not seen in public very often.
Nicholson, who turned 89 years old in April 2026, was last "seen" in an Instagram story by his daughter Lorraine celebrating his birthday.
Additionally, the actor appeared on the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary special in 2025.
Photos of him at a sports game also circulated in 2023.
Decades of Critical Acclaim
Nicholson has received nearly 150 award nominations.
Nicholson started his Hollywood career in the late 1950s when he starred in the indie film The Cry Baby Killer. For the next decade, he frequently worked with producer Roger Corman, starring in films including The Little Shop of Horrors and The Raven.
But it wasn't until 1969 that he made his big break as George Hanson in Easy Rider. The role earned him an Oscar nomination.
His success only skyrocketed in the 1970s with movies like Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, The Last Detail, and others.
Nicholson won three Academy Awards, three Oscars, and one Grammy, alongside 149 award nominations throughout his career.
A 50-Year Friendship
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Nicholson and Douglas have been friends for more than five decades.
Nicholson met Douglas while filming 1975’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which Douglas produced. The highly successful film won five Oscars and was nominated for nine.
"Hal Ashby, who had been in the early running for director, suggested Jack Nicholson for McMurphy. It was difficult to see at first, because he’d never played anyone like that before," Douglas said in a 2017 interview.
“We were delayed for about six months because of Jack’s schedule, but that turned out to be a great blessing: it gave us the chance to get the ensemble right.’’
The two have remained close friends for 51 years since the movie aired, and Douglas has repeatedly praised Nicholson's performance in his film.
