Nick Nolte is now famous for playing tough characters, but back in the 1970s, he was a major sex symbol. At 82 years old today, he looks very different from his heartthrob days.
Nick Nolte on the set of The Deep on November 5,1976 in Hamilton, Bermuda. (Photo by Santi Visalli/Getty Images)
I have a lot of respect for Nick Nolte—he’s truly one of the greatest actors in American cinema history.
I love how his strong facial features, like his square jaw and wild hair, make him look like a powerful character from a Shakespeare play.
His acting is so compelling because of his versatility and the intensity you can see in his eyes. Nick always delivers raw and honest performances, and many people appreciate his skills.
In 1991, Nolte won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama and was also nominated for an Academy Award for his role in *The Prince of Tides*.
Nick Nolte’s powerful roles in films like *Affliction* and *Warrior* also earned him Academy Award nominations. However, today, he looks very different from his Golden Globe-winning days.
His reputation took a big hit after his famous messy mug shot in 2002, and his legal troubles and personal scandals didn’t help.
For younger people, it might be hard to believe that Nolte was once seen as the ultimate all-American hero in the 1970s and was even named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive.
So how did Nick Nolte become so famous?
Back in high school, Nolte wasn’t much of an actor, according to his football coach. He was a talented football player but was also described as a “skinny, awkward kid with a crew cut.” Nolte himself has said he was very shy and struggled at school. He was later diagnosed with dyslexia.
Nick Nolte, born in Omaha, Nebraska, on February 8, 1941, got his big break with the TV miniseries *Rich Man, Poor Man* in 1976. Soon after, he became a famous name and a heartthrob in America.
Before acting, he worked as a model in the 1960s. One of his most famous modeling gigs was with Sigourney Weaver for Clairol’s “Summer Blonde” hair dye campaign in 1972. According to Eighties Kids, this commercial is the only time a man has ever appeared on a box of women’s hair dye.
Nevertheless, Nolte was virtually unknown when he was cast for Rich Man, Poor Man, though he stole the series as Rudy’s brother Tom. He played the part of Jordache like only a true all-American hero could.
The series changed Nolte’s life completely – he swept ladies off their feet as the quintessential bad boy, Tom. Nolte also had to put a lot of work into his own body. When he starred as a young man in the early scenes of the project, he weighed about 150 pounds.
”I remember the different stages I went through for Rich Man, Poor Man. That was the biggest expanse in age. It went from 16 to 45. Physically, I thought of the weight I was as a sophomore in high school, which was 150 pounds. So I dropped down to that weight and got that boy body back. I ran around that Hollywood reservoir day and night,” Nolte told Insider in 2022.
After his success with *Rich Man, Poor Man*, Nick Nolte continued to prove himself as a great actor with many strong performances. In 1982, he became a huge star with the hit action-comedy *48 Hrs.*, where he starred with Eddie Murphy.
The movie was groundbreaking in several ways. Nolte said in 2011, “*48 Hrs.* was the first film where a black and a white character criticized each other.” He explained that after the Civil Rights movement, interactions between white and black people were still awkward, and they didn’t know how to communicate with each other.
In the 1990s, Nick Nolte’s career was at its peak. He earned millions and was one of the most respected actors in the industry.
However, in the 2000s, Nolte’s image shifted. He became known as one of Hollywood’s notorious bad boys. He faced personal issues, went through three divorces, and was arrested multiple times.
The three-time Academy Award nominee went from being called “the sexiest man alive” to being famously pictured in a police mugshot.
Since 2002, Nick has been sober. He has said, “I was at a low point and got slack. I used alcohol to cope with difficult situations—relationships, failed projects—and even as a way to deal with the loneliness and isolation that come with fame.”
In recent years, Nick Nolte has mostly taken on smaller supporting roles and looks quite different from his Hollywood star days.
Today, he lives in a treehouse he built himself in Malibu, California, with his wife Clytie Lane.
Nolte enjoys spending time with his children, reading, and being outdoors. He has a son, Brawley Nolte (born 1986), and a daughter, Sophia Lane Nolte (born 2001).
Both of Nick Nolte’s kids have tried acting, and it seemed for a while that they might follow in their father’s footsteps.
Sophia even acted with her dad in the film *Honey in the Head*, playing his granddaughter.
Nolte joked, “She’s like a little grown-up. Sometimes she calls me Grandpa instead of Daddy because her friends’ dads are younger. I’m pushing 80, and my son Brawley is in his 30s. He did some acting but decided it wasn’t for him. He’s now studying to become a doctor,” Nolte told the Saturday Evening Post.
Even though many years have passed, Nick Nolte still has that cheeky smile, gorgeous eyes, and charming personality. At 82, he looks great and continues to do what he loves most—acting.
He also has a healthy attitude about getting older. Nolte says, “I don’t regret being old at all. I’m pretty comfortable with it, knowing there’s still one big adventure ahead. It’s a bit spooky, but I accept it. You keep fighting and keep moving until the very end.”
In my opinion, Nick Nolte is often overlooked when people talk about top male actors.
Thank you for all the memories over the years, Nick! You are such a great actor and an articulate, cultured gentleman!
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5 FAMOUS STARS WHO KEEP THEIR KIDS HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC – FIND OUT WHO
5 FAMOUS STARS WHO KEEP THEIR KIDS HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC – FIND OUT
Jamie Lee Curtis, Robert De Niro, Kate Hudson, and two other celebrities have children who prefer to stay out of the spotlight. These children rarely make public appearances, but a few photos of them exist.
While some famous parents enjoy sharing their children’s lives with the world, others have kids who like to keep things private. For example, Robert De Niro has biracial twin sons that many people don’t even know about. These kids prefer to stay out of the public eye, keeping their lives low-key. Here’s what we know about these rarely-seen celebrity children.
ROBERT DE NIRO’S LITTLE-KNOWN BIRACIAL TWIN SONS, JULIAN AND AARON
Robert De Niro, one of the most iconic actors, is a proud father of seven children: Drena, Raphael, Aaron, Julian, Elliot, Helen, and Gia. In 1976, he married singer Diahnne Abbott, and they had their first son, Raphael.
Though De Niro is a well-known figure, his twin sons, Julian and Aaron, have managed to stay out of the spotlight for most of their lives.
Robert De Niro shared a sweet moment with his wife, Diahnne Abbott, on the set of the film *New York, New York* during a location shoot in Los Angeles on April 26, 1977. Abbott had a daughter, Drena, from a previous relationship, and De Niro adopted her before the couple separated in 1988.
In the mid-1990s, De Niro began dating African-American model Toukie Smith. Though the pair never married, they welcomed twin boys, Julian Kendrick and Aaron Henry, in October 1995 through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy. Despite their famous father, Julian and Aaron have remained largely out of the spotlight.
Julian and Aaron, who turned 28 in March 2023, prefer to keep their lives private. Although they have attended red-carpet events with their parents as both children and adults, they generally stay out of the public eye and lead quiet lives.
When asked about his kids, De Niro expressed his love for them, saying, “I love my children, just being with them. [But] It’s not easy. When you have the good moments [though], you forget about the ones that weren’t good.” Despite the challenges, De Niro cherishes the time he spends with his children.
Luna García is one of Rossy de Palma’s two children. Rossy de Palma, a Spanish actress, was discovered in 1986 by famed director Pedro Almodóvar at a café in Madrid. She quickly became a recognizable face in Almodóvar’s films, appearing in iconic movies like *Law of Desire* (1987) and *Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown* (1988).
Despite her fame, Rossy has kept her family life relatively private, and her children, including Luna, are rarely seen in public.
At the start of her acting career, Rossy de Palma faced harsh criticism from her home country’s top newspaper, being labeled as “ugly and strange.” Known for her unique look, de Palma has asymmetrical eyes and a prominent nose—her left eye is green, while her right is brighter and rounder.
Despite the comments about her appearance, Rossy embraced her distinctive features and made a bold statement in a 1994 interview, when she was 29. She confidently said, “Perhaps I’m very pretty to some people and very ugly for others. But that’s their problem, not mine.”
KATE HUDSON’S SON, RYDER, PREFERS STAYING OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT
Kate Hudson became a mother at 23 when she welcomed her son, Ryder Russell, with her ex-husband, Chris Robinson. During an interview on “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” Hudson joked about feeling like a “teen mom” after Ryder was born. She explained that becoming a mom at such a young age made her feel like she was figuring out motherhood while still growing up herself.
Despite her early start, Hudson has embraced motherhood, raising Ryder while continuing her successful acting career.
During the interview, Kate Hudson joked about feeling like she was 12 when she had Ryder, stating that in Hollywood, having a child at 23 seemed early. Along with Ryder, Hudson is also the mother of Bingham, from her relationship with ex-fiancé Matt Bellamy, and Rani Rose, her daughter with current fiancé Danny Fujikawa.
Balancing motherhood with her career and business ventures has been tough, but Hudson has managed it with help from her older children, especially Ryder. The family lives in the same house Hudson grew up in, which her mom, Goldie Hawn, and Kurt Russell bought in the 1970s. Hudson later purchased the house in 2015, combining it with a neighboring property to create a larger home.
Hudson shares a special bond with Ryder, who is now a young adult. She mentioned that having Ryder at 23 shaped their close relationship, although she still emphasizes good manners and gratitude. Despite being a “wild mum,” she and Ryder are very close, and he often shows love by doing things like making her breakfast in bed and caring for his siblings.
In September 2022, Ryder left for college on the East Coast, marking a big change for Hudson. She helped him shop for essentials and shared their preparations with her fans, calling him a “minimalist” when he refused to buy extra things. Though his departure was emotional, Hudson is proud and excited for his future.
Although it’s been hard to adjust to Ryder being away, Hudson stays in touch with him regularly, and they’ve already had emotional moments over the phone. As time goes on, they’re both committed to maintaining their bond, proving that distance only strengthens their connection.
JAMIE LEE CURTIS’ SECOND CHILD, RUBY, TRANSITIONED FROM A MAN TO A WOMAN
“Perfect” actress Jamie Lee Curtis always dreamed of having kids. After marrying her husband, comedy director Christopher Guest, the couple faced years of heartbreak as they struggled with infertility. Despite trying, they couldn’t conceive, which led them to explore other ways to grow their family. Eventually, they decided to adopt, and Curtis has often spoken about how this experience shaped her perspective on motherhood and family.
After trying everything and not succeeding, Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband, Christopher Guest, chose to adopt. Curtis shared that adoption was their path to becoming a complete family because they felt something was missing until they had a child.
Just two years into their marriage, Curtis and Guest welcomed their daughter through an open adoption in 1986, right after her birth. While they had planned to adopt Annie, their second child, Ruby (formerly Thomas), came unexpectedly.
VAL KILMER IS SUPER CLOSE TO HIS DAUGHTER, MERCEDES
American actor Val Kilmer became a Hollywood star with his role as Tom Kazansky in the 1986 film *Top Gun*. He is also well-known for his performances in other popular films such as *Tombstone*, *Batman Forever*, and *Heat*.
Val Kilmer and his wife, Joanne Whalley, got married in 1988 after meeting on the set of the movie *Willow*. They also worked together in *Kill Me Again* a year after their marriage. In 1991, they welcomed their daughter, Mercedes, and then their son, Jack, was born in 1995. Although Kilmer and Whalley divorced in 1995, they stayed on good terms and continued to work together. Their love and commitment to their children remained strong despite the end of their marriage.
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