Michael Douglas Says Jack Nicholson Has 'Disappeared' but Is Well

Michael Douglas says his old friend Jack Nicholson is well, but has largely dropped out of sight. "He's not working any more. He's well. He has disappeared," Douglas said, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which published his remarks on 31 October 2026.

The comments came during Douglas's appearance in Swansea, Wales, where he was promoting his memoir One Helluva Ride. Douglas, who is 82, and Nicholson, who is 89, worked together on the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Douglas produced the film, which means he helped put it together and oversaw it, and Nicholson starred in it.

Asked about their relationship, Douglas said he still sees Nicholson. He described his friend as fine, adding that he is "up there by his house and walking around in his slippers." Douglas also said, "I would have liked to have acted with Jack," Variety reported on the same day.

Nicholson is a three-time Oscar winner, and his name is tied to some of the most celebrated films of the past half-century. His most recent movie, How Do You Know, came out in 2010. One of his last public appearances was in February 2025, at the 50th anniversary special of Saturday Night Live.

For many film fans, that long gap between new performances is the most striking part of the story. Nicholson has not been seen in a new film for more than fifteen years, so Douglas's update is one of the few recent glimpses of how he is doing.

Douglas's remarks were made while he was on a book tour, and he offered no new details about Nicholson's plans. Anyone hoping for a new Nicholson film or a public appearance will need to wait for official word from those close to him.