The 'Shining' actor has been away from the cameras and public scrutiny for 13 years, but he continues to receive scripts that he politely rejects in favor of a quiet life according to his friend Lou Adler.
(2010) was his last film, leaving James L. Brooks' brilliant (and misunderstood) comedy as the culmination of one of the most prestigious careers in recent Hollywood, filled with three Oscars and a handful of incontestable performances, ranging from key titles from New Hollywood to cult works and superhero blockbusters.
During that long decade away from the spotlight, Nicholson has had to endure the scrutiny of treacherous paparazzi photos and media outlets that have speculated about his state of health and lack of social life. Quieting those rumors, this same year the actor had a high-profile public appearance at the Los Angeles Lakers stadium, the Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center), to watch the team's game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The fact is that the legendary protagonist of indelible classics such as Easy Rider (1970), My Life is My Life (1971), Chinatown (1975), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1976) or The Shining (1980), to name Only a few, he never officially announced his retirement from cinema, so he continues to receive offers of roles that he politely rejects.
This is what his friend Lou Adler, famous producer of music and films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), told in a recent interview on actor Marc Maron's podcast, WTF with Marc Maron. "A friend of mine wanted to hire him for a movie," he says. "Jack said no and said, 'Do you know what I did today? I sat under a tree and read a book.'
"He's doing what he really wants to do. He wants to be calm. He wants to eat what he wants. He wants to live the life he likes," concludes Adler, painting a portrait of Jack Nicholson's peaceful retirement not far from the from another emblematic actor of the cinema of the 70s and beyond, the now nonagenarian Gene Hackman. And he deserves it, we hope for many more years.
