What to Know
At age 88, Jack Nicholson tends to stay out of the public eye. The iconic actor has not appeared in a film in 15 years now, and he’s rarely seen in public. So, when people spotted Jack in New York City recently, they were eager to interact with him. According to a video from celebrity photographer Elder Ordonez that started circulating on social media in December, Jack was seen leaving a hotel in New York City and fans started lining up to get his autograph.
Per posts shared to X and Reddit, Jack reportedly agreed to sign autographs for his fans. However, his security team allegedly whisked him away because the fans “became so excited” and they worried “it wasn’t safe.”
Jack reportedly prefers to live a private life now.
The fact that people rarely see Jack out in public is probably because he doesn’t want to be seen. In May 2025, an insider told the New York Post that Jack “doesn’t like to be seen much in public now.” Part of this might be due to his age. According to the source, “Part of his appeal in the past was his extravagant character and lifestyle. But that all catches up with you after a while…I think Jack and his inner circle prefer that you remember him as he was.”
And while many fans would love to have the opportunity to meet him, they also totally understand why he’d prefer to stay out of the spotlight. In response to the recent video of Jack in NYC, one fan on Reddit wrote, “Please leave the man alone and watch his movies. He’s 88 let him live his life outside the spotlight, he earned it.”
Others were not convinced that those who lined up to see Jack were actually fans. Many suggested that they could’ve been people who just wanted to sell Jack’s autograph.
Jack Nicholson, 88, was seen using a cane during a very rare sighting in New York City.
— Victor Bigham 🇺🇸 (@Ravious101) December 14, 2025
He agreed to sign autographs for fans who had lined up along the sidewalk, but they became so excited that his security team decided it wasn’t safe and quickly escorted him away. pic.twitter.com/uQn0nI8Kna
One of Jack’s friends thinks he’ll act again.
Jack’s most recent role was in James L. Brooks’ 2010 film How Do You Know. Given that Jack rarely appears in public now and he’s 88, many fans have assumed that he’s retired from acting. However, James is not convinced that this is actually the case.
During an exclusive interview with People, he said, “Oh, I don’t think he stopped [acting]. “I mean, he’s gotten scripts, he’s reading them, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing them.”
