John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is a retired American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for Academy Awards 12 times, winning Best Actor for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and for As Good as It Gets, and Best Supporting Actor for Terms of Endearment. He is tied with Walter Brennan for most acting wins by a male actor (three), and second to Katharine Hepburn for most acting wins overall (four).
He is also one of only two actors nominated for an Academy Award for acting (either lead or supporting) in every decade from the 1960s to 2000s (the other one being Michael Caine). He has won seven Golden Globe Awards, and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2001. In 1994, he became one of the youngest actors to be awarded the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. Notable films in which he has starred include, Easy Rider, Chinatown, The Shining, Reds, Batman, A Few Good Men, About Schmidt, Something's Gotta Give, and The Departed.
Recent movies
| # | Name | Character | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breakdown: 1975 (2025) | Self (The Passenger-archive footage) | - |
| 2 | SNL50: The Homecoming Concert (2025) | Self | 8 |
| 3 | Untold: Deal with the Devil (2021) | Self (archive footage) | 8 |
| 4 | 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic (2020) | Self (archive footage) | 8 |
| 5 | Joker: Put on a Happy Face (2020) | Self | - |
| 6 | Kubrick by Kubrick (2020) | Self (archive footage) | 8 |
| 7 | I Am Divine (2014) | Self (archive) | - |
| 8 | Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir (2012) | Self (archive footage) | - |
| 9 | Corman's World (2011) | Self - Actor | - |
| 10 | I'm Still Here (2010) | Jack Nicholson | 5.3 |
| 11 | How Do You Know (2010) | Charles | 6.1 |
| 12 | Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008) | Self / Jake Gittes (archive footage) | 6 |
| 13 | The Visions of Stanley Kubrick (2007) | Self | - |
| 14 | The Bucket List (2007) | Edward Periman Cole | 7.3 |
| 15 | View from the Overlook: Crafting 'The Shining' (2007) | Self | - |
| 16 | The Departed (2006) Oscars 2007 | Costello | 8.3 |
| 17 | Something's Gotta Give (2003) Oscars 2004 | Harry Sanborn | 6.7 |
| 18 | Anger Management (2003) | Dr. Buddy Rydell | 6.3 |
| 19 | Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003) | Self | - |
| 20 | About Schmidt (2002) Oscars 2003 | Warren Schmidt | 7.6 |
| 21 | Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001) | Self | 7 |
| 22 | The Pledge (2001) | Jerry Black | 6.6 |
| 23 | As Good as It Gets (1997) Oscars 1998 | Melvin Udall | 7.2 |
| 24 | Mars Attacks! (1996) | President Dale / Art Land | 6.3 |
| 25 | The Evening Star (1996) | Garrett Breedlove | 6.5 |
| 26 | Blood and Wine (1996) | Alex | 7 |
| 27 | The Crossing Guard (1995) | Freddy Gale | 4 |
| 28 | Wolf (1994) | Will Randall | 6.4 |
| 29 | Hoffa (1992) | James R. 'Jimmy' Hoffa | 6.4 |
| 30 | A Few Good Men (1992) | Col. Nathan R. Jessep | 7.4 |
| 31 | The Two Jakes (1990) | Director / Writer | 7.3 |
| 32 | Batman (1989) | Joker / Jack Napier | 7.3 |
| 33 | Ironweed (1987) | Francis Phelan | - |
| 34 | The Witches of Eastwick (1987) | Daryl Van Horne | 6.5 |
| 35 | Broadcast News (1987) | Bill Rorich | 7 |
| 36 | Heartburn (1986) | Mark | 6 |
| 37 | Prizzi's Honor (1985) | Charley Partanna | 6 |
| 38 | Terms of Endearment (1983) | Garrett Breedlove | 7.7 |
| 39 | The Border (1982) | Charlie Smith | 3 |
| 40 | Reds (1981) | Eugene O'Neill | 8.5 |
| 41 | The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) | Frank Chambers | 5 |
| 42 | Making 'The Shining' (1980) | Self | 7 |
| 43 | The Shining (1980) | Jack Torrance | 8.3 |
| 44 | Goin' South (1978) | Director / Writer | 6.7 |
| 45 | The Last Tycoon (1976) | Brimmer | 6 |
| 46 | The Missouri Breaks (1976) | Tom Logan | 6 |
| 47 | The Fortune (1975) | Oscar 'Dix' Sullivan | - |
| 48 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) | Randle Patrick McMurphy | 8.5 |
| 49 | Tommy (1975) | The Specialist | 2.5 |
| 50 | The Passenger (1975) | David Locke | 6.3 |
| 51 | Chinatown (1974) | J.J. 'Jake' Gittes | 8 |
| 52 | The Last Detail (1973) | Billy L. 'Badass' Buddusky | 5 |
| 53 | The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) | David Staebler | 1 |
| 54 | Drive, He Said (1971) | Director / Writer | 3 |
| 55 | A Safe Place (1971) | Mitch | 6 |
| 56 | Carnal Knowledge (1971) | Jonathan | 7 |
| 57 | On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) | Tad Pringle | 5 |
| 58 | Five Easy Pieces (1970) | Robert Eroica Dupea | 5.3 |
| 59 | Easy Rider (1969) | George Hanson | 6.7 |
| 60 | Psych-Out (1968) | Stoney | 5 |
| 61 | The Movie Orgy (1968) | Self (archive footage) | - |
| 62 | Targets (1968) | Lt. Andre Duvalier (archive footage) (uncredited) | 4.5 |
| 63 | Head (1968) | Director / Writer | - |
| 64 | The Trip (1967) | Director / Writer | 6 |
| 65 | Hells Angels on Wheels (1967) | Poet | 6 |
| 66 | The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967) | Gino, Hit Man (uncredited) | 5 |
| 67 | Ride in the Whirlwind (1966) | Director / Writer | 5 |
| 68 | The Terror (1963) | Lt. Andre Duvalier | 6.5 |
| 69 | The Raven (1963) | Rexford Bedlo | 5.3 |
| 70 | The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) | Wilbur Force | 6.8 |
| 71 | Cry Baby Killer (1958) | Jimmy Wallace | - |
