Jack Nicholson’s Son Looks Just Like His Dad, but Fans Are Divided Over Details

Jack Nicholson may have retired from the big screen, but there's barely any movie goer who would have forgotten that trademark, megawatt smile of his. Recently, one of his rarely seen children, Raymond, or Ray Nicholson achieved breakthrough roles and is following in his father's footsteps. While Ray feels he looks like his famous dad, he says he's never been recognized as Jack Nicholson's son.

Jack Nicholson made a surprise appearance at SNL50: Anniversary Special

Jack Nicholson recently surprised everyone when he introduced Adam Sandler's performance at SNL 50th Anniversary Special, amidst loud applause and cheers. Dressed in a black from head to toe, with a beret, and dark glasses — Nicholson looked rather dapper sitting amongst other celebrities like Robert De Niro, Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, and Blake Lively.

Nicholson was last seen in the 2010 flick, How Do You Know. At the time, quashing retirement rumors, Nicholson stated that he simply wasn't as driven to “be out there anymore.”

Meanwhile, his son Ray, who turns 34 in 2025, is slowly stepping out of the shadows. While he has been in the movie business since 2006, it was only after his role in the 2024 slasher flick, Smile 2, which paid homage to his father's character in The Shining, that Ray broke through.

Ray Nicholson says people mistake him for others.

With two back-to-back releases in 2025 — Borderline (where he plays a crazed, obsessed fan) and Novocaine, a heist — Ray Nicholson is in a good place. While the resemblance between him and his father is startling, Nicholson says that others think he looks like other stars instead.

In an interview, Nicholson confessed, “Mostly people are like, 'You look like Leo (as in Leonardo DiCaprio)' or, 'You look like Sebastian Stan. I thought you were Sebastian Stan!'”

He admits it strange because he and his father look a lot alike, and we have to agree, the smile is almost identical. His statement have definitely generated an interest in fans, who seem to split about whom he actually looks like.

Some fans see the resemblance, others do not.

When it comes to him looking like his Oscar winner father, fans are split in the middle. One Instagram user was quick to comment, with a facepalm emoji, "He looks identical to his dad, how could people mess that up?"

Another fan agreed with the fact he did not look much like his dad, writing, "I don't think he looks like Jack at all," which prompted a reply from a seasoned movie goer, "It's because young people don't know that this what Jack looked like when he was young!"

While the debate is still on about whether he looks like his father, Instagram users are united on one front, in that he absolutely does not resemble Leonardo DiCaprio.

Wrote one kind commented, "Oh bless him, he doesn’t look like either one of those other men." There was another more emphatic and somewhat snarky comment that read, "He doesn’t look like those other guys' [Leonardo DiCaprio and Sebastian Stan] third cousins through marriage, even." The jury is definitely not on the fence on that.

The resemblance between father and son is only natural, just like these star kids whose stunning mothers made them win the genetic lottery, big time!