Nicholson remains retired: Turned down "Doctor Sleep" role
Legendary actor Jack Nicholson, renowned for his iconic role as Jack Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," turned down an offer to come out of retirement. Director of the film "Doctor Sleep," Mike Flanagan, attempted unsuccessfully to persuade the star to return to the screen.
Jack Nicholson is one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema, remembered for films like "Chinatown," "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Batman," and "The Departed." However, for horror enthusiasts, he will forever be Jack Torrance from the cult classic "The Shining" (1980). Although Stephen King criticized both Kubrick's adaptation and Nicholson's portrayal, this role became one of the most recognizable in the genre.
Jack Nicholson stopped acting in films
Nearly 40 years after the premiere of "The Shining," Mike Flanagan embarked on the adaptation of another King novel—"Doctor Sleep," a continuation of the Torrance family saga. The film premiered in 2019, featuring performances by Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson. It's hard to say that it became a cult film. It earned a little over CAD 100 million worldwide and faded into obscurity.
According to Collider, Warner Bros. offered Nicholson a role in the film. However, the actor declined, remaining committed to his decision to retire after 2010. Nicholson's last film remains "How Do You Know," where the main roles were played by Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd. Nicholson played Charles.
In a conversation with "Vanity Fair," Flanagan shared, "There were initial things where I had been curious about whether or not he wanted any participation in the film whatsoever, in a cameo, any capacity, but he declined. I think he's serious about his retirement. But he offered his support and wished us the best and was aware of everything we were doing."
Will we see Nicholson in any film again? Surely, a project will eventually come along that will attract the actor. Cameron Diaz returned to acting after a 10-year break, which she also called retirement. Similarly, Jim Carrey, who also threatened to quit show business, is now promoting the third part of "Sonic." In one of his last conversations with "Vanity Fair," Nicholson commented that he was retired from constant flirting, not from acting.
