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Jack Nicholson might be one of the most famous actors on the planet, but he's also a father to six children.
The Shining star's first child, Jennifer Nicholson, 59, was born in 1963 during his marriage to Sandra Knight. Seven years later, he fathered son Caleb Goddard, 52, with Five Easy Pieces costar Susan Anspach. In 1981, Nicholson welcomed his third child, Honey Hollman, 42, with model Winnie Hollman, although Honey was raised by her mother in Denmark. He shares his daughter Lorraine, 33, and son Ray, 32, with actress Rebecca Broussard. In 1994, he welcomed his youngest daughter, Tessa Gourin, 29, with Jennine Gourin. However, Jack and Tessa have been estranged for most of her life.
In a 2010 interview with AARP Magazine, Jack spoke about his relationship with his Lorraine and Ray, saying, "We've always gotten along. I want to be inspirational, or some kind of good influence on them without overburdening them. It's their time of life to find out who they are."
He added, "I always read to them, from childhood on; I think that's a father's responsibility. I took them to things I knew they might not love — opera, ballet. They like going to the ball games with me. And they are very comfortable around show business; they are good set rats."
Here's everything to know about Jack Nicholson's six children.
Jennifer Nicholson, 59
Nicholson met his first and only wife, actress Sandra Knight, while filming The Terror. The two got married in 1962 and were together until 1968. Their daughter Jennifer was born in 1963.
Jennifer spent most of her childhood with her mother in Hawaii, according to the Los Angeles Times. "I like being Jack Nicholson's daughter and I'm proud of him, but people don't understand the pressures that come along with that," she told the outlet in 2003.
After studying art history in school, Jennifer worked as a movie set designer, an actor and an interior designer. She owned a vintage boutique and started a fashion brand, too. In fact, she showed a collection at New York Fashion Week in 2003, and her clothes were worn by Jennifer Love Hewitt, Naomi Campbell, and her father's ex-girlfriend Anjelica Huston.
Jennifer has two children of her own, sons Duke and Sean Norfleet, whom she shares with her ex-husband Mark Norfleet. Duke has pursued acting like his grandfather and had a role in 2018's Us.
Caleb Goddard, 52
Nicholson starred opposite Susan Anspach in 1970's Five Easy Pieces. The pair were close, and Anspach became pregnant with a child that she said was Nicholson's while they were filming the movie. The actress went on to marry Mark Goddard while she was pregnant, and Goddard adopted the son that Anspach conceived with Nicholson, Caleb Goddard.
Twenty-five years later, Nicholson publicly denied paternity, although Caleb told PEOPLE that the actor recognized him as his son in private.
Honey Hollman, 42
Very little is known about Nicholson's daughter Honey Hollman, whom he welcomed with model Winnie Hollman in 1981. Honey was raised by her mother in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Like her father, she took up acting for a short time and starred in the 2010 Danish film Empire North.
Lorraine Nicholson, 33
Nicholson and Rebecca Broussard welcomed their first child together, daughter Lorraine Nicholson, on April 16, 1990. Nicholson and Lorraine appeared close while she was growing up, and were often spotted having dinner together and attending Lakers games. The Departed actor took Lorraine to the Golden Globes in 2007.
In May 2010, Lorraine told PEOPLE that her dad has a special nickname for her. She explained, "Ever since I was a baby, he's called me 'Perf,' short for perfect."
After studying at Brown University, Lorraine followed in her father's footsteps by pursuing a career in the film industry. She had a role in 2011's Soul Surfer and made her directorial debut at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival with the premiere of her short film Life Boat.
Ray Nicholson, 32
Nicholson's youngest son, Ray, was born on Feb. 20, 1992. The two seem to share one major interest: the Los Angeles Lakers. Nicholson and Ray have been photographed courtside numerous times over the years.
Of all Nicholson's children, Ray has most seriously pursued a career in acting. He was cast in the season finale of Mayan M.C. in 2018, and creator Kurt Sutter told Entertainment Weekly that Ray is talented. "We're buddies. I'm mentoring him," Sutter said of Ray. "He's such a sweet kid who's a really good actor. And it was so fun for him. He doesn't know the world, right? I think it was more about the experience of putting on that kutte and hanging out with those guys for a night. It was just an education for him."
In August 2022, Ray returned to the screen in Out of the Blue alongside Diane Kruger. Ray spoke positively of the experience in an interview with ScreenRant. He explained, "It was a really wonderful thing to know that I didn't have to give anything more than I was capable of giving, and I know that I poured everything that I had at the time into it. I hope that it showed up."
He also stars in the 2022 holiday film Something From Tiffany's alongside Zoey Deutch.
Tessa Gourin, 29
Nicholson's youngest child, Tessa, was born on Aug. 15, 1994. However, the actor has never publicly claimed Tessa, whom he shares with Jennine Gourin, as his daughter.
In February 2023, Tessa penned a piece for Newsweek, detailing her life as Nicholson's "illegitimate" daughter.
"The truth is, in all of my 28 years of life, we have never had a relationship," she wrote. "Although I flew from New York City to Los Angeles to meet on the odd occasion as a young girl (at the behest of my mother), it was always clear that he wanted no part in my life. Have you ever been on a date and sensed that the other person just wasn't feeling it? That's pretty much how every interaction I have ever had with Jack Nicholson has gone."
Tessa continued: "I don't hide the fact that Jack Nicholson is my biological father. Why should I? However, it is also not something I've ever led with in a conversation. So many people have been forced to live with the pain of a parent's absence, famous or not. But it makes it that much harder when that absent parent is actively in the lives of their other children, which is the case for me."
Shortly after the article was published, the budding actress spoke with The Daily Beast and shared that she hasn't talked to Nicholson in years.
"From a very young age, my mother told me not to tell anyone that I have this famous dad," Tessa said. "I knew he was powerful and Daddy Warbucks-level rich, so I kind of equated my life to being like Orphan Annie's."
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