The director Jack Nicholson never wanted to work with: “He’s too full of himself”
Safe is certainly not the word that springs to mind when reflecting on the filmography of Jack Nicholson, with the actor starring in some of the most influential films of all time that rattled the very framework of cinema as we know it. Whether it be his timeless monologue in A Few Good Men or his unparalleled performances in The Shining, Five Easy Pieces and Chinatown, the actor is known for thinking outside of the box and creating characters that both feel instinctual and meticulously planned, making spontaneous decisions that are now permanently immortalised.
However, while he is known for his dark and often risky roles, playing characters that many would shy away from given the enormity of the challenge, Nicholson was not keen on the idea of working with one director in particular, partly for the controversy of his work and his provocative form of storytelling, something you’d imagine the actor would be no stranger to.
Nicholson has been a part of many disturbing stories over the years, with controversial subject matter and dark characters being something that he has significantly dabbled in over the course of his career. Whether it be One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest or The Departed, the actor has forged a reputation through his ability to adapt to this subject matter, morphing into characters that represent some of the ugliest parts of our world.
However, this is something that another director has been known to do, although in a slightly different way. Oliver Stone made films that both explore taboo and often politically charged subject matter, doing so in a way that stirs the pot to get people talking.
From films like JFK to Natural Born Killers and Platoon, the director is known for being one of the most controversial in the business, sparking debates and discussions over his portrayal of war and natural inclination towards topics that many don’t want to see on screen, especially given his strong stances on the stories.
While you might imagine he would make for a perfect match with Nicholson, the actor had strong feelings against working with him, describing his feelings towards JFK and the director in general. Nicholson explained, “It doesn’t hold much interest for me. I don’t want to see the president shot again. It’s not my idea of fun. I don’t have any desire to work with him. I’ve liked the movies of his that I’ve seen, but he’s too full of himself. I like high-spirited people, but I’m non-confrontational.”
Those are pretty harsh words coming from one of the greatest actors of all time, and for Stone, it can’t be great to be snubbed by someone that most would kill to work with. However, his films are certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, and many of his past collaborators and actors have been met with backlash for starring in his films, something that A-list actors like Nicholson might want to avoid in the later stages of their career. While a project between them might have been fascinating to many, it seems as though the ship has sailed.
