The story of Jack Nicholson who, after winning an Oscar, discovered the truth about his family

Each family is a particular universe where, sometimes, complex situations occur. Although for many people this type of event remains within the circle of close people, things tend to be different for the famous. The story of American actor Jack Nicholson is an example of this, as a family secret that was hidden for several decades was revealed through a journalist, reaching the ears of fans.

We, from awesome.clubwe took on the task of researching history, sharing with you the details of this very peculiar family situation.

Photo of Jack Nicholson in high school, circa 1955

For Jack Nicholson, everyday life was pretty ordinary. In an interview with Time magazine, he talked about the high marks he got on the university entrance exam. “I was among the top 2% in the country,” he said. But he also admitted that formal education was not for him. In fact, the actor hated her. So he decided to spend time with what he considered his sister, June, in Los Angeles.

At that time, more specifically in 1958, the future star made his first appearance in a feature film: The Cry Baby Killer. From then on, his career began to grow little by little with the interpretation of secondary characters in television programs.

In 1963, Nicholson debuted as co-director in Shadow of Terror, a production in which he also worked as an actor. Already in 1967, he took his first steps as a screenwriter. But his big step towards world stardom was with the film Sem Destino, from 1969. In the work, he gave life to George Hanson, a character who would earn his first Oscar nomination.

Since then, Nicholson’s life would not be the same again. For him, the 1970s paved his way to international recognition. It was during this period, incidentally, that he won his first Oscar for Best Actor, for the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

But if there was one character who made a difference in the star’s career, it was Jack Torrance, better known as the tormented protagonist of The Shining, a film that would become a cinema classic and which, for many people, is considered one of the most important works of the actor.

Amidst the whirlwind of fame created around the actor, appearances and invitations to interviews were not few. Thus, Time magazine decided to produce extensive material about Nicholson, who even won the chance to be clicked for the cover.

It was when the journalist was doing research on the actor’s life that he realized a small piece of information. And he called Nicholson in order to clarify the situation: the “mother” of the star, Ethel May, was, in fact, his grandmother. His “sister”, June, was his biological mother. In addition, the actor faced the possibility that his biological father is alive.

Left to right: Rebecca Broussard, Jack Nicholson and their aunt, Lorraine Nicholson, in 1997

When the news reached the actor’s ears, his response was immediate: he asked the magazine not to publish the information. Furthermore, he got in touch with “Shorty”, who he thought was his brother-in-law, but who was actually his uncle. In the end, it was Lorraine, Jack’s aunt and Shorty’s wife, who admitted the veracity of the discovered data.

The year Jack Nicholson discovered the truth about his family was the same year he turned 37. At the time, he had already worked on 15 films that would impact the history of cinema and win an Oscar.

Despite the shock caused by the news, the actor revealed that it did not affect him so much. At the time, both his grandmother, Ethel, and his mother, June, had passed away, and the only thing he felt was surprise that the family had managed to keep that secret for so long. With his way of looking at the situation, Jack Nicholson showed great maturity, as well as gratitude for having had the chance to rely on his grandmother while he was growing up.

In your opinion, what is the most surprising fact in the life of Jack Nicholson? If you received such shocking news involving your family, what would be your reaction? Register your comment on the topic!