Ray Nicholson Says Dad Jack Nicholson Is ‘My Hero’: ‘I’m the Luckiest Kid in the World’

Ray Nicholson, the son of the legendary actor Jack Nicholson, recently shared insights about his connection with his father while promoting his latest horror film, Smile 2.

During the movie’s premiere on Monday, October 14, Ray, 32, spoke with Deadline, calling his father, Jack Nicholson, 87, both his “inspiration” and “hero.”

Highlighting His Differences From His Father

While discussing his father’s impact on him, Ray highlighted their differences. “We’re very different people,” Ray explained. “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.”

Ray further added that having regular dinners with his father was an essential part of his upbringing: “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.”

Ray also shared his hesitance about following in his father’s footsteps too closely. “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 admitted. “And it might not work for me. I love him. He’s also my hero. I’m the luckiest kid in the world.”

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Similarities Between Ray And His Father

Fans have noted similarities between Ray’s father’s iconic smile from The Shining and the Smile 2 advertising poster, further cementing Ray’s connection to his father’s work. In Hollywood, though, Ray is paving his own route. Since starting to act in 2006, he has had prominent parts in movies, including Licorice Pizza and Promising Young Woman.

Smile 2, the sequel to the 2022 horror hit, starring Ray alongside Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, and returning actor Kyle Gallner. October 18, 2024, is when the movie will be released. The disturbing tale revolves around a pop singer (Scott) who begins to encounter cheerful, ghoulish visions.

After starring in How Do You Know, his final movie, Jack Nicholson, a Hollywood legend best known for his parts in The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and The Departed, announced his acting retirement in 2010. Jennifer Nicholson, Caleb Goddard, Honey Hollman, Lorraine Nicholson, and Tessa Gourin are the other five children that Jack is the father of.

Despite some familial estrangement, Ray continues to cherish his bond with his father and build his own acting legacy.

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