Jack Nicholson has been one of the most influential actors in the past few decades, having stared in many provoking and inspirational roles ranging from a deranged psychopath in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” to a deranged super villain in “Batman.” Audiences have been captivated by his Academy and Oscar award winning performances and Nicholson has longed been praised for his unique acting abilities. He often plays characters who are plagued with surreal, dramatic and comedic mental instabilities which give any movie he’s in an unmistakable charm.
Interestingly enough, Nicholson’s life has also reflected some of the mania caught within his performances. When Jack was younger, he grew up believing that his mother was his sister and that his grandmother was his mother. Jack did not discover the truth about his parentage until he was 37, when a Times reporter discovered this strange piece of information and called Nicholson attempting to verify his discovery.
Another interesting fact about the actor is that he is a die-hard Los Angeles Lakers fan. Nicholson rarely misses a game and often purchases front row seats to see his favorite basketball team compete. In defense of the team, Nicholson often loses his temper when things don’t quite go in his team’s favor. Several times, Jack has disrupted the game yelling at referees and entering the court in protest of fouls against his team.
In 1998 Jack payed a visit to Cuba to meet with Fidel Castro. Nicholson was invited by the Communist dictator to partake in many Cuban luxuries including visits to a famous cigar factories, touring nightclubs and meetings with leaders in the Cuban film industries. Nicholson was criticized for his visit to the U.S. Sanctioned nation, though he has had little to say about the matter.
Jack ranked sixth in Empire Magazine’s “The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time” poll in 1997. Jack ranked below Robery De Niro, Al Pacino, Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford.
Nicholson’s famous look is a shark tooth grin complimented with dark sunglasses.
Nicholson once shared a driveway with Marlon Brando on “Bad Boy Drive” in Beverly Hills, California.
Some famous quotes by Jack’s characters in movies include:
(The Shining, as Jack Torrance)
“Heeeere’s Johhny!”
(A Few Good Men, as Colonel Nathan Jessup)
“You can’t handle the truth.”
(As Good As It Gets, as Melvin Udall)
“You make me want to be a better man.”
(The Witches of Eastwick, as Daryl Van Home)
“Do you think God knew what he was doing when he created women?”
Sources:
“You Don’t Know, Jack,” Snopes.com
“Nicholson gets court rage,” BBC
“Jack Nicholson meets Castro in Cuba, sources say,” Reuters
“Empire Magazine’s Top 100 Movie Stars [1997],” AmIAnnoying.com
“Biography for Jack Nicholson,” IMDB.com
“Jack Nicholson Movie Quotes,” Destination Hollywood