Ray Nicholson Says Dad Jack Nicholson Is 'My Hero': 'I'm the Luckiest Kid in the World'
"I ate dinner with him every night. I studied it, that’s how I learned to be a human being," said Ray Nicholson, who stars in 'Smile 2'
Jack Nicholson's son Ray Nicholson grew up studying the famous Oscar winner.
On Monday, Oct. 14, Ray, 32, referred to his father Jack, 87, as "my inspiration" as he spoke with Deadline at the premiere of his new horror movie Smile 2, for which his eerie smile displayed on posters for the film draws a clear comparison to Jack's iconic grin in The Shining.
“You know, we’re very different people,” Ray, one of Jack's six kids, told Deadline at the premiere. “I was born in 1992, he was born in 1937. The things that affect me don’t necessarily affect him. Obviously, I love him. He’s my inspiration."
He added, "I ate dinner with him every night. I studied it, that’s how I learned to be a human being. So of course we’re gonna be kind of similar.”
“As far as talking about it, if he ever did tell me something, I probably wouldn’t investigate it for myself because I’d be like, ‘You’re the best, of course, that’s right,’ " he added. "And it might not work for me. I love him. He’s also my hero. I’m the luckiest kid in the world, that's all I would say about it."
Related: Why Jack Nicholson Called Faye Dunaway 'the Dreaded Dunaway,' Slapped Her on the Set of Chinatown
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Jack is also dad to Jennifer Nicholson, 60, Caleb Goddard, 52, Honey Hollman, 42, Lorraine Nicholson, 34, and Tessa Gourin, 29, whom the actor has been estranged from for most of her life.
Jack, known for his roles in movies like The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Departed, retired from acting in 2010 after making the film How Do You Know.
Ray has been acting since 2006, when he made his debut in The Benchwarmers. In recent years, he has appeared in movies like Promising Young Woman, Licorice Pizza, Gonzo Girl and I Love You Forever.
Related: Lara Flynn Boyle Keeps in Touch With Ex Jack Nicholson: He Was a 'Huge Part of My Life' (Exclusive)
In Smile 2, a sequel to the 2022 horror hit featuring actors wearing their scariest smiles, Ray costars with Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, Dylan Gelula and Raúl Castillo, plus returning star Kyle Gallner. The movie follows a pop star (Scott) who begins seeing the same scary faces that torment Sosie Bacon throughout the first film.
Smile 2 is in theaters Oct. 18.
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