Jack Nicholson's daughter likely knows too well that being the child of a famous actor isn't easy.
But Lorraine Nicholson has made a name for herself as an actress, writer, and director. From having
bit roles in blockbuster films to her own movies screened at festivals, Lorraine has been busy.
Lorraine Nicholson was born in Los Angeles, California on April 16, 1990,
to Jack Nicholson and actor and model Rebecca Broussard. The couple had two children together,
Lorraine and her brother, Ray Nicholson. Like Lorraine, Ray has dipped his toes in
the film industry, and has worked as an actor, assistant director, and producer.
It's pretty clear that Lorraine has a soft spot for her family,
especially for brother Ray and nephew Duke Nicholson, whose mother, Jennifer,
is Jack's daughter from his first and only marriage. Duke is also an in-demand actor
now — he had a part in Jordan Peele's Us and was featured on the cover of Lana Del Rey's
album "Norman F---ing Rockwell." Looks like show business runs in the family!
Jack Nicholson and Rebecca Broussard had a famously rocky relationship. In a 1994
interview with Vanity Fair, Jack opened up about how their relationship caused The Addams Family
star Anjelica Huston, his previous partner of 17 years, to finally separate from him.
The Hoffa star also addressed the rumor that Broussard left him for another actor. He said:
"I don't know about him and I never asked. You shouldn't ask me."
According to the story, Nicholson and Broussard had always kept separate houses, a result of his,
quote, "war on fidelity." And because the former couple share two children,
the two still had to see each other post-breakup. He said:
"We have a relationship, because of the children, but we have no other relationship."
However, even though Nicholson and Broussard weren't together, it seems that he was a
present and involved father. He read to them as children, he took them to work with him,
and he even took Lorraine to tour colleges when she was a teenager.
He told People:
"I took them to things I knew they might not love — opera, ballet."
Sounds like Lorraine enjoyed a happy childhood.
Some actors wait years before landing a part in a movie, but not Jack Nicholson's daughter.
Young Lorraine Nicholson had a bit part in the 2003 film Something's Gotta Give alongside her
father. Her part was super minor — she's credited only as "Young Girl in Market."
She told Zimbio in 2011:
"I was actually more of an extra. I was on the 'Tonight Show' last night and they made this joke:
They found the one frame that I'm in where I whizzed across the screen for like a nanosecond."
However, she went on to tell the outlet that it was still a really cool experience,
and working with her father, even for a short scene, was, quote, "incredible." Lorraine said:
"I watched him work my entire life. And that's obviously a lot of the reason why I
wanted to go into acting — just seeing his artistic process and watching him on set,
and what you're capable of creating as an actor has really inspired me."
Before hitting her stride, Lorraine Nicholson landed bit parts in the
2006 film Click and the 2009 movie World's Greatest Dad.
Click followed the story of hardworking architect Michael Newman, played by Adam Sandler,
who finds a universal remote that allows him to control time. However,
the remote ends up actually ruining his and his family's lives. Lorraine played the
14-year-old Samantha Newman, the moody teenage version of Sandler's daughter in the movie.
World's Greatest Dad, a smaller indie film which starred the late Robin Williams and Daryl Sabara,
follows single father and high school English teacher
Lance Clayton as he tries to play off his son's tragic accidental death by suicide.
"Kyle was actually smart. You know, he just pretended to be dumb, even around you
so, you know, people wouldn't pick on him."
In order to save his son and himself from embarrassment, Lance also publishes false
notes and prose that he actually penned himself, which catches the attention of
the school's faculty and students. Lorraine had a small part as one of the students at the school.
Miss Golden Globe
Following her roles in Something's Gotta Give, Click, and The Princess Diaries 2:
Royal Engagement — in which her character was named Princess Lorraine:
"Hello Princess Lorraine. Oh, braces."
"Yeah, I'm getting two diamonds put in."
"Oh, that must make them more comfortable."
Lorraine Nicholson was named Miss Golden Globe in 2007. The honor is traditionally
awarded to the child of one of the film industry's most prominent actors, directors,
and producers during the Golden Globes, according to the award ceremony's official website.
Other famous second and third generation actors besides Lorraine who have been
recognized include Melanie Griffith, Griffith's daughter Dakota Johnson,
Demi Moore's daughter Rumer Willis, and Big Little Lies star Laura Dern.
The organization changed the name from Mr. or Miss Golden Globe to Golden Globe Ambassador in 2017
because, according to their website, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association aims to:
"Better reflect the role and express the inclusiveness."
Following small parts in acting projects, Lorraine Nicholson got her first big break
in the 2011 film Soul Surfer. The movie covered the true story of 13-year-old surfer
Bethany Hamilton as she returns to the sport after losing her left arm in a shark attack.
Soul Surfer also starred Dennis Quaid, AnnaSophia Robb, and Helen Hunt, along with country singer
Carrie Underwood. Nicholson portrayed Alana Blanchard, fellow surfer and best friend to
Robb's character, Bethany. In the movie, the pair's characters are inseparable best friends who
grew up surfing together, even though Bethany's accident causes some strain in the relationship.
Lorraine told Zimbio that preparing for her role as Alana was aided by the fact
that Alana was around when they were shooting. She told the publication:
"We did get to spend some time together. That was really important to me because I
really wanted to try to capture who she was in playing her."
"What about this?"
"Are you kidding? This thing looks like an eye patch."
"Arrrr."
In order to act like a surfer, Lorraine Nicholson and AnnaSophia Robb had to train like surfers.
The two actors went to Hawaii a month before shooting began and trained together.
Lorraine told Access Hollywood:
"I was surfing every day and then training for two hours afterwards, so I was getting
very buff and athletic. It was a great change of pace from my usually quite lazy lifestyle."
Lorraine went on to say that, even though the movie is about a shark attack in Hawaii,
she wasn't afraid of getting in the water. And while she did train to surf in the film,
she admitted that it wasn't always her that viewers saw in the film — her surfing
was actually done by the real-life person her character was based on.
Lorraine told Zimbio:
"Alana does my surfing in the movie and we look alike, so that's very lucky.
It makes me look very good, even though, sadly for me, it's not me surfing in the movie."
While filming Soul Surfer in Hawaii, Lorraine Nicholson was also attending Brown University,
according to Zimbio. However, she was forced to take a semester off in order to participate in
filming, as noted by Interview. While a student at Brown, Lorraine studied
literary arts, focusing on a combination of creative writing and literary theory.
She graduated from Brown in 2012. As a student, even before attending the university,
Lorraine labeled herself as a bookworm who tended to shy away
from typical California activities like going to the beach and surfing,
according to Interview, so it's easy to see how she could fit right in at the school.
But was her famous father involved in her choice of schools? The answer is yes! Not only
did he go with her to check out schools when his daughter was still deciding, according to People,
but he also sent her off with his blessing on her first day. Lorraine told Access Hollywood:
"He dropped me off, and he was like, 'Go! Live your life. I'm very proud of you.'"
Lorraine Nicholson has confirmed she's interested in venturing into directing
and creating her own projects. In 2013, she made her directorial debut with The Instant
Message. She said it's a, quote, "15-minute coming-of-age drama."
The short movie follows Rosie, a high school student dealing with feeling
left out by her peers and preyed upon by her mother's boyfriend — and Lorraine's brother
Ray played the part of the creepy boyfriend. Ray told Reading Eagle:
"It's kind of a story about premature sexuality
and young exposure to a lot of things like the Internet."
It was one of the first films Lorraine directed, and she told Reading Eagle that
she would be entering it into national contests and film festivals. After The Instant Message,
Lorraine also started directing music videos for artists including Tommy Trash and Metric.
When asked about her responsibility as an artist when it came to choosing subject matter,
Lorraine Nicholson said that she's surprised herself with her decision
to take on dark stories like Life Boat, which deals with suicide and systemic abuse.
She told Flaunt:
"In real life, I self-identify as a people pleaser, 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."
Following Life Boat, Lorraine dug deep into themes of violence and consequences
with 2018's On Killer Robots, a short that follows a community as they wrestle with the
idea of robotic technology being involved in the confrontation and apprehension of police
suspects. The movie starred several actors, and also featured Hannah Montana alum Moises Arias.
Lorraine Nicholson's hard work as a director paid off! In 2017, following the success of her
short film Life Boat, it was announced that she was chosen for the 2017-2018
class of the American Film Institute, or AFI, Conservatory Directing Workshop for Women.
The workshop, which acts as a fellowship and a training program for up-and-coming female
and gender non-binary filmmakers, started in 1974 as a way to bring more women into
directing roles in Hollywood, according to the organization's official website.
During her time in the workshop, Lorraine participated in this free program
and took classes in screen directing, professional industry development,
and more while also being mentored by Paul Feig who oversaw the workshop,
and who's directed projects like Freaks and Geeks, The Office, Bridesmaids, and Last
Christmas. It's an incredibly exclusive program, so it's amazing that Lorraine got to participate!
It's also commendable that Lorraine wants to dive deep into the craft,
learning from experts in the trade — so she can become a well-rounded filmmaker,
instead of relying solely on family and friends in the business.
Luckily for Lorraine Nicholson, having a father like Jack around means having
someone who understands the ins and outs of the entertainment industry completely on
your side. It seems that Jack has had a huge influence on his daughter's creative life,
acting as an inspiration to her and offering general industry advice.
Lorraine told Town & Country:
"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."
Jack encouraged his children to be sure about what they want to
do before pursuing fame. Lorraine told Zimbio:
"My dad has always told my brother and [me] we should never try to be famous for no reason.
It's not something I shy away from, but I hope people are more interested in my
work as an actress or writer than who I'm dating or my social life."
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