One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest actor Danny DeVito came to the defence of his long-time friend, Jack Nicholson, after he was seen to cast a “frail” image in a rare public appearance earlier this year.
His remarks were part of a promotional effort for the 50th anniversary re-release of the 1975 screenplay in which he played Martini opposite Nicholson’s Randal McMurphy.
Nicholson, aged 88, drew speculation about his health when he was seen kitted out in smart attire but bearing a cane and being chaperoned by his daughter.
Danny DeVito says Jack Nicholson’s fame never went to his head
DeVito spoke of how awed he and his colleagues–Christopher Lloyd, Will Sampson, Sydney Lassick, Christopher Lloyd, Brad Dourif, William Redfield and Louise Fletcher, among others–were of Nicholson when they gathered to film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in Portland, Oregon, 50 years ago.
“We’re in the presence of this guy who’s really at his moment, where he was breaking out into the big time,” he recalled.
According to DeVito, Nicholson’s career trajectory did not make him any less approachable.
“He was immediately just so embracing. There was no need for an icebreaker.
“He was in our milieu, and he was always just as open and genuine, and we all felt it immediately.”
As a nod to DeVito’s claims, the American Film Institute quotes the Chinatown, Terms of Endearment, Hoffa, and A Few Good Men alum saying “I fear pretension more than anything else as an artist.”
Devito describes Nicholson as a genuinely nice person
DeVito claimed his friend did not create this impression by trying or putting on a front.
“He (Nicholson) was doing it because he’s that way,” which served the team effort on the set.
“He was also doing it because that had to be, because we had to be all joined at the hip in that movie, and we had such great performances,” Devito elaborated.
This prevailing quality DeVito credited to Nicholson’s humble beginnings.
“He started out exactly the way everybody else did, where he couldn’t get a job,” he told People on July 12.
The two were born in the same hospital and had sisters who styled hair in the same area
The two found common ground and then friendship in the fact that they were born in the same New Jersey hospital and both their sisters worked as hair stylists in the area.
But that did not detract from DeVito’s admiration for Nicholson.
“When I was a kid, I always heard about this really handsome guy from Neptune who went out to California and became a movie star,” he recalled.
He went on to say how big a fan he was of the actor, but tried to keep a low profile on the 1974 film set, telling People: “I didn’t want to ruffle the waters; I didn’t want to add anything to the experience at that time.”
Devito says his 88-year-old friend is doing great
But his attempts were to no avail.
Another long time friend, Michael Douglas, who was just making his entry into film, ratted DeVito out to Nicholson who came running as a result and exclaimed: “Ahhhh! You’re from Asbury Park?”
He then addressed the swirling gossip about Nicholson’s health, saying:
“I just saw Jack a couple weeks ago — it was his birthday a month ago, and he’s great.”
The speculations follow Nicholson’s recent appearance with a cane at SNL50
The place where the media spotted Nicholson a on February 16 was in New York to introduce Adam Sandler at SNL’s 50th anniversary.
Men’s fashion magazine quarterly, GQ, observed his wardrobe as the octogenarian signed autographs on the curbside as “Swaggy as Ever.
Social media shared the sentiment and one person wrote “Wow, it’s so cool to see him out and about again. Haven’t seen him in public for ages. Good for him for showing up at the anniversary special.”
Some entities, like The Blast, chose to focus on another aspect, writing: “Despite being dressed sharply, he appeared frail and walked with a cane.”
The internet says “let the man live in peace”
