Jack Nicholson Is Done With Movie Roles And Has The Perfect Answer To Offers

By TeeJay Small | Published

According to a recent write-up in Yahoo Entertainment, Jack Nicholson is committed to his retirement from acting, continually turning down roles for over a decade and counting. The 86-year-old actor has apparently been utilizing the same turn of phrase for over thirteen years to turn down offers, stating he would “Rather sit under a tree and read a book” than appear in another film. Nicholson’s final credited on-screen appearance is the 2010 romantic comedy How Do You Know.

How Do You Know

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How Do You Know starred Jack Nicholson alongside the talent of Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, and Loki‘s Owen Wilson. The film, which was written and directed by The Simpsons‘ James L. Brooks, received mixed reviews from critics and ultimately became forgotten to time, making it a baffling choice to end Nicholson’s decades-old tenure. Nicholson’s on-screen credits date back to 1956 and include such masterworks as Roman Polanski’s Chinatown, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, The Shining, and Martin Scorsese’s The Departed.

Jack Nicholson Won’t Budge

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Jack Nicholson never announced a formal retirement following his supporting role in the Brooks-helmed romcom, concluding his historic film career not with a bang, but with a slow and drawn-out whimper. Of course, Nicholson’s apparent withdrawal from public life became widely recognized in recent years when film fans began making note of the actor’s recognized absence, with recent paparazzi photos of the Hoffa performer serving as the first time many of us had seen Nicholson in nearly a decade. Close friends and associates of Nicholson have confirmed the star’s unwillingness to rejoin the industry, including record producer Lou Adler.

He’d Rather Sit Under A Tree And Read

jack nicholson

Adler recently appeared in an episode of the acclaimed podcast WTF With Marc Maron, in which he elucidated on Jack Nicholson’s career moves. According to Adler, this “sit under a tree and read a book” refrain is more than just a mantra, and serves as a true-to-life indication that Nicholson is content sitting on his money, enjoying his leisure, and never working again. Over the course of the last 13 years, Nicholson has had a host of job offers from the most sought-after filmmakers in Hollywood, though none have piqued his interest enough to inspire a grand return to the filmmaking industry.

Stardom Isn’t Everything

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This story just goes to reinforce the truth behind the film industry that many seem to forget. Despite the fact that filmmaking is a creative industry that many artists find to be financially fulfilling, it is still hard work to bring a film to life, resulting in some performers finding greater joy away from the camera. For an artist such as Jack Nicholson, sitting in a pleasant silence, taking in the universe of a good book is a more fulfilling use of time than appearing in another blockbuster film, no matter the quality of the material.

Jack Nicholson Leaves Us With A Hoard Of Great Films To Rewatch

Regardless of the fact we may never see Jack Nicholson grace the big screen again, the actor has a backlog of nearly 80 film and television appearances, providing audiences with plenty of material for years to come. Fans of Nicholson’s work should be sure to scour the star’s IMDb page in search of unseen material, as the actor has a wide range of projects for your viewing pleasure.