If Jack Nicholson has done anything, it's that he changed the film industry forever.
He took on roles that some actors wouldn't have dared to take.
However, it seems that some of his more dramatic roles might have had an impact on his mental
health.
As a renowned method actor, Nicholson did everything he could to immerse himself into
his roles.
With rumors of memory loss, along with the public reveal of a huge family secret, fans
can't help but wonder if the decline of his mental health is what led to his early retirement?
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When the actor was 37 years old, he found out that the woman he knew to be his sister,
was in fact, his mother and the couple he thought were his parents were actually his
grandparents.
Nicholson had no idea about any of this until a reporter had decided to look into his family
history and discovered the shocking news.
It turned out that his real mother, June, had fallen pregnant out of wedlock which back
in the 1930s was considered a scandal.
In order to avoid the shame, June's parents decided to raise Jack as their own son alongside
June who they made him believe to be his sister.
Sadly, both his mother and grandmother had already passed away, so he was never able
to speak to them about the shocking news he had found out.
Not only was THE ACTOR shaken by the revelation, but the whole world, too.
No one could imagine what it must have been like for him to find out that his family wasn't
who he thought they were.
Thus, so much of what he knew had turned out to be a lie.
On top of everything else, because the news had been made public, there was no way for
Nicholson to keep his family secret out of the tabloids.
It was a bitter way for Jack to learn that his childhood was a lie.
What was even more bitter: the rest of the world now knew that, too.
When confronted by reporters about the scandal, Nicholson seemed to take the news by stride.
"I'd say it was a pretty dramatic event, but it wasn't what I'd call traumatizing…
After all, by the time I found out who my mother was, I was pretty well psychologically
formed.
As a matter of fact, it made quite a few things clearer to me.
If anything, I felt grateful."
In the public eye, he shrugged it off like it was no big deal, but fans weren't so sure
that Jack was as unaffected as he appeared to be.
Nevertheless, he seemed to continue with his life as usual, charming all those around him
and taking over Hollywood with his successful films.
There's no doubt that Jack Nicholson is a Hollywood legend.
He added crazy energy that the world had never seen in movies before, and the film industry
was changed for the better.
He proved that you could be a crazy and serious actor, and still remain respected in Hollywood.
He used method acting religiously when it came to approaching all of his characters,
which nowadays is a style of acting that's often under skepticism because of the toll
it can take on an actor's well-being.
In preparation for his Oscar-winning role in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, he lived
in a psychiatric hospital as a patient, and continued to live there even during the making
of
the film.
He incorporated intense amounts of research and commitment for all of his roles in films
like The Witches of Eastwick and his character of The Joker in Batman.
When people saw his dark and disturbing character in The Shining, everyone knew that whatever
he did to prepare for that role, it had to be extreme.
When Nicholson was asked to comment on the death of Heath Ledger following his performance
as The Joker, the actor only had this to say, "Well, I warned him."
It seemed as an almost insensitive thing to say, with all the shock and tragedy around
Ledger's death, and people thought that Nicholson would have shown more sympathy for the actor
considering that they had both played the same character.
It also left a huge question hanging in the air: What had Jack warned Heath about?
Was it about taking on the dark role of The Joker, or was it about the substances that
lead to his death?
The question remains unanswered, and still has people scratching their heads.
Nicholson hasn't made a movie in over ten years, and the last movie he made totally
bombed at the box office and ripped apart by movie critics.
So sadly, the actor's last hoorah on the silver screen wasn't a very good one.
How Do You Know, Nicholson's last film's worldwide theater release recouped less than $50 million
of the enormous $120 million budget.
It was a rom-com with high expectations, undoubtedly because of the cast.
It featured Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, and Owen Wilson, along with epic Nicholson.
Fans thought it was going to be a hit, but unfortunately, it wasn't.
Considering his last film wasn't a hit at the box office, Nicholson's fans are hoping
that he makes a return to the silver screen in order to make up for the letdown of How
Do You Know.
Let's be clear here, the movie didn't do badly because of Jack, in fact, the actor was probably
the highlight of the entire film.
Considering that he's received 12 Oscar nominations, making him the most nominated actor for an
academy award, fans want the actor's last movie to be as big of a hit as all of his
previous films.
Sadly, the chance of the actor starring in another film is doubtful due to his early
retirement.
Nicholson hung up his acting hat in 2010, and it doesn't seem like he'll be putting
it back on anytime soon, and it's not simply because he's retired.
After starring in the hilarious, Something's Gotta Give, he took a three-year hiatus, and
for a while people thought he was done with acting for good.
Then he made the grand return with his outstanding performance in The Departed that totally rocked
at the box office and everyone thought the actor was back for good.
However, people couldn't help but wonder why the actor had taken the three-year break?
Was he just taking some time to relax, or was there something bigger going on behind
closed doors?
Then, after his final film, it was confirmed that the actor had retired and would no longer
be working as an actor, and this announcement left movie fans totally devastated.
Was it because How Do You Know wasn't received well?
Was Nicholson's ego bruised?
With no explanation for his early retirement, it was then that rumors started to circulate,
and it was alleged that Jack's mental health wasn't doing so well.
"There is a simple reason behind his decision [to retire] — it's memory loss.
Quite frankly, at 76, Jack has memory issues and can no longer remember the lines being
asked of him."
revealed a source.
As the years passed, the actor seemed to be seen less and less in the public eye, fans
couldn't help but be concerned.
There were also reports that claimed he was becoming a hermit.
In early 2015, the tabloids described Jack as a recluse, stating that he rarely leaves
his house or dresses in anything other than a bathrobe.
"He lives like a slob," sources allegedly revealed.
When asked about his retirement and the quiet life he's chosen to live, the actor admitted,
"I'm not going to work until the day I die, that's not why I started this.
I mean, I'm not driven, I was driven — but I'm not, I don't have to be out there any
more.
In fact, there's part of me that never really liked being out there.
I learnt how to function within 'out there.'"
The actor never enjoyed his life in the spotlight, and always saw it as the downside to being
a successful actor.
He always preferred to keep his private life private, and with his celebrity status, it
was virtually impossible.
When his family was asked about the quality of Nicholson's health and the rumors of memory
loss, they denied all the speculations about his memory and loss of his mojo.
"He's doing great," Nicholson's grandson said, "He's 100 percent."
So, even after shutting down the claims that Nicholson's mental health is on the decline,
fans still can't help but wonder if there is perhaps some truth to them.
Some may think that where there is smoke, there is fire.
We'll leave that for you to decide.
However, when it comes to the actor's return to the big screen, fans shouldn't hold their
breath.
Jack has an epic film track record, and he's left his mark on Hollywood as it is.
He is without a doubt an acting legend, so perhaps he feels like he's done everything
he's had to do with his career and is enjoying the peace that comes with a life away from
the spotlight.
Whatever the reasons may be, there's a part of everyone that secretly hopes he makes one
last comeback to the silver screen.
There's no harm in hoping.