Jack Nicholson rose to fame in the '70s, becoming one of the biggest stars of the decade. Today, he's the most nominated male actor in the Academy's history and an iconic Hollywood personality, often seen wearing his signature sunglasses and sitting courtside at L.A. Lakers games. The Chinatown star has also worked behind the camera as a director, writer, and producer. Though he never officially announced his retirement from the business, the 84-year-old hasn't been in a film since 2010. While his movie days appear to be over, there's still one role that's a big part of his life: father to five children. Jack shares his youngest daughter, Lorraine Nicholson, with actor Rebecca Broussard, who he dated for five years in the early '90s. For the past 18 years, the 31-year-old has been working in the entertainment industry as an actor and filmmaker, just like her dad. To hear more about Jack Nicholson's daughter, her career, and her relationship with her famous father, read on.
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At the age of 13, Lorraine was an extra in the 2003 Nancy Meyers rom-com, Something's Gotta Give, starring her father and Diane Keaton. Eight years later, Lorraine was a guest on The Tonight Show to promote another film, and host Jay Leno showed the short clip, joking that she was in frame for about a "nanosecond," she told Zimbio. But being at her dad's side throughout her childhood was more than enough to get Lorraine interested in pursuing a film career herself.
"I watched him work my entire life, and that's obviously a lot of the reason why I wanted to go into acting, " she told the outlet. "Just seeing his artistic process and watching him on set, and what you're capable of creating as an actor has really inspired me. It's pretty cool having a family business like that."
Bigger roles followed, including Princess Lorraine in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and Adam Sandler's character's daughter in Click. She also plays surfer Alana Blanchard in the 2011 movie Soul Surfer, a biopic about Bethany Hamilton's recovery after losing a limb to a shark attack. Lorraine's most recent acting credits are the 2016 films Hacker and Room 105.
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Lorraine pulled double duty while she was acting and graduated from Brown University with a degree in Literary Arts in 2012. She began writing and directing short films right after. In 2016, Lorraine directed and produced her first professional short, Hana: Clay. The following year, another short called Life Boat, starring Stephen Dorff as a guidance counselor who helps a group of troubled teens, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. It also screened at the 2017 Napa Valley Film Festival, where it won the audience award.
Lorraine's father is known for starring in intense and emotional projects and for playing characters with complex backstories and circumstances. Similarly, she's said that, as a filmmaker, she wants to make art that challenges audiences.
"In real life, I self-identify as a people pleaser," Lorraine told Flaunt Magazine in 2018. "So I am always surprised to find that I gravitate towards divisive material. Ultimately, my goal is to make films that leave the audience questioning their own preconceived notions. This can be uncomfortable for some."
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Jack may be one of the most famous and dedicated supporters of the Lakers, and he's passed that devotion on to Lorraine. "I'm definitely a Lakers fan," she told Access Hollywood in 2011. "I sort of grew up courtside, if you will. There's like all these pictures of me as a kid, like on the court confused."
When Zimbio asked what people want to know when they find out she's Jack's daughter, Lorraine said, "Well, people usually ask me what it's like sitting at the Laker games. Obviously ah-may-zing. He's a pretty mysterious character, so I think there's a pretty high level of curiosity about who he is."
Lorraine has said that she's learned a lot from her dad just by watching him navigate the spotlight. Speaking to Town and Country Magazine in 2017, she said that through observing Jack, she realized that "it's really important to live a fulfilled life."
Jack has offered Lorraine some direct words of wisdom about the entertainment business, as well. "My dad told me, 'The only goal you should have when you start out is to get people to want to work with you again,' because if you get the opportunities to try, you'll get better," she said. Jack has worked with certain directors, including James Brooks and Mike Nichols, several times throughout his career.
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Lorraine has four siblings: Jennifer Nicholson, Caleb James Goddard, Honey Hollman, and Ray Nicholson. They're all half-siblings, except for younger brother Ray (above), who is also an actor. Some of his most recent projects are the 2020 film Promising Young Woman and the Amazon Prime series Panic.
When speaking to AARP Magazine in 2008 (via People), Jack said that Broussard is a "wonderful mother" to Lorraine and Ray and that they've "always gotten along" despite their romantic split. For his part, Jack said his goal is "to be inspirational, or some kind of good influence on [his children] without overburdening them."
"It's their time of life to find out who they are," Jack said of his youngest kids. "I always read to them, from childhood on; I think that's a father's responsibility. I took them to things I knew they might not love — opera, ballet. They like going to the ball games with me. And they are very comfortable around show business; they are good set rats."
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