EXCLUSIVE: Shockingly Frail Nick Nolte Feared to Be Stricken With Alzheimer's After Years of Wild Living 'Finally Catch Up' With Grizzled '48 Hrs.' Star
Nick Nolte's final act revealed as time finally catches up with the grizzled '48 Hrs.' movie star.
June 7 2025, Published 9:00 a.m. ET
48 HRS. star Nick Nolte has been looking shaky and frailer than ever, with insiders saying loved ones are worried sick about the 84-year-old star and fearing the worst, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Pictures showed the aging Hulk star could barely focus or walk straight on a recent outing with his wife, Clytie Lane, 47, and their daughter, Sophia, 17, in Malibu.
"His appearance has always been slobby at best, but now he's more out of it and looking lost and almost bumping into things," our insider said. "He's clearly not well and worry is spreading among friends and fans alike."
Dementia Scare
Clytie Lane stood by as Nick Nolte struggled through a disoriented outing in Malibu.
The sighting has triggered old fears the gravel-voiced actor may be suffering from a progressive brain disorder like Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia that destroys thinking, memory, and physical ability.
Research has shown the incurable disease is common among people in their late 70s and 80s – with experts saying an estimated 6.7 million people are now battling Alzheimer's and the number is expected to more than double to 14 million by 2060.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Nolte's grandmother had Alzheimer's and a father-in-law also suffered from the horrific disease as well.
The Prince of Tides hero spoke of his family tragedy not long after playing a widower with Alzheimer's disease in 2018's Head Full of Honey, also costarring his then-11-year-old daughter, Sophia.
Sophia Nolte once shared the screen with her dad in 'Head Full of Honey.'
"They just can't remember, and it's frustrating," Nolte revealed, describing the devastating disease.
"They get angry and crabby about it. Unless somebody gets them off that subject quickly, they're stuck."
He recalled the tragic end for his beloved granny, saying: "Everybody gets frightened of dementia and Alzheimer's… finally, the family had decided that we could not take care of grandma well enough.
"They were worried that she'd wander off. There was a nursing home down the street, and it really was one of these family tragedies. My parents moved her into the nursing home and then she refused ever to talk to us again.
Sick Family
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Nolte's family history is tragically filled with illness,
"She was just bitter, and she died within seven days."
Our insider said about the scary situation for Nolte: "It must be in everyone’s mind that Alzheimer's is genetic, and Nick is predisposed to having it, too.
"His friends are grateful he has the love of his wife and daughter to see him through old age. Getting older is hard enough without health issues making it nearly impossible to enjoy the twilight years."
