Michael Douglas says Jack Nicholson is well but has withdrawn from public life

Douglas on his friend's health

Michael Douglas, 82, gave an update on Jack Nicholson, 89, while promoting his memoir One Helluva Ride at an event in Swansea, Wales. Asked about their relationship, Douglas said he would have liked to act alongside Nicholson again. He said Nicholson no longer works, has dropped out of sight and is nonetheless well. Douglas added that he still sees his friend, who spends his days near home and walks around in slippers. He said Nicholson, who is a few years older than him, deserves to spend the rest of his life away from the spotlight, and that he understands the decision.

Years of withdrawal

Nicholson has never officially announced the end of his career, but he has barely worked since 2010, when he starred in the romantic comedy How Do You Know alongside Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson. His public appearances have been rare since then. He was seen at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game in 2023 and made a brief appearance at the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live in February 2025. The most recent image of him, shared by his daughter Lorraine in April, shows him celebrating his 89th birthday at home with the singer Joni Mitchell. His long absence has prompted concern about his health, including his mental health.

Douglas and Nicholson have collaborated professionally only once, on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1975. Douglas produced that film, and Nicholson starred in it and won his first Oscar for the role. Douglas's comments were relayed by The Independent and Variety, and Repubblica described them as a rare first-hand account of Nicholson's private life. Douglas said Nicholson has earned the quiet life he now leads.

Kathleen Turner revelation

In an excerpt from the memoir, Douglas described a secret romantic relationship in 1984 with the actress Kathleen Turner, 72, during the filming of All'Inseguimento della Pietra Verde. Speaking to People, Turner responded with irony, suggesting the attention to an affair from forty years ago was excessive. She said she cares for Douglas and is looking forward to reading the book. The episode is one of several revelations the tour has drawn attention to.

The book

The memoir also describes a life of excess involving alcohol, drugs and sex, according to Repubblica. Its Italian edition, titled Una vita pazzesca, is due in bookshops on 3 November from La nave di Teseo. Douglas's promotional tour continues to bring his comments about Nicholson, and his own past, to the public.