The Oscar winner admits that Nicholson would &34;give me s‑‑‑&34; for caring so much about his character's hair. Michael Douglas says Jack Nicholson used to roast him for this signature acting technique The Oscar winner admits that Nicholson would &34;give me s‑‑‑&34; for caring so much about his character's hair. By Shania Russell :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ShaniaRussellauthorphoto5934b684845d480caa4485648c39ef2b.jpg) Shania Russell Shania Russell is a news writer at , with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

The Oscar winner admits that Nicholson would "give me s‑‑‑" for caring so much about his character's hair.

Michael Douglas says Jack Nicholson used to roast him for this signature acting technique

The Oscar winner admits that Nicholson would "give me s‑‑‑" for caring so much about his character's hair.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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February 8, 2026 3:19 p.m. ET

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Jack Nicholson and Michael Douglas in 2009. Credit:

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Not even Michael Douglas can avoid getting teased by his friends.

The Oscar winner recently looked back on his career during a Q&A screening of his 1987 film *Wall Street*, where he recalled how longtime pal Jack Nicholson used to give him a hard time about his approach to acting — and one thing in particular.

"[My characters'] hair has always been an important part of my acting," Douglas explained, per PEOPLE. "It's just funny how that kind of thing helps."

He added, "Jack Nicholson always used to give me s‑‑‑ about hair acting. [He'd say], 'What's with his hair acting?' I said, 'You should talk.'"**

Michael Douglas in 'Wall Street'.

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

This isn't the first time Douglas has discussed Nicholson's take on his hair acting. He opened up about the call-out in a 2023 chat with *The Guardian*, even pointing out a few examples of how figuring out a character's hair has helped Douglas nail down who they are.

"A long time ago, after *Black Rain* with Ridley Scott — where I got this sort of Anglo-afro perm — my dear friend Jack Nicholson said: 'What's with your hair?'" Douglas recalled. "I looked at him and said: 'Wait a minute. You *always* act with your hair.'"

Recalling specifics, Douglas explained, "*Falling Down* — I have a hairdresser to thank for deciding at the very last minute: 'Let's just go with a flat top.' On *Wall Street*, Pat Riley, the basketball coach for the Lakers, always had his hair greased back, so I thought the lizard look would work. A lot of times, I do lead with my hair."

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To Douglas' point, Nicholson has undergone a few hair transformations himself, from the clean, slicked-back look in *As Good As It Gets* to the dramatic green dye of *Batman*'s Joker.

Nicholson and Douglas, who have been friends for decades, have never actually shared the screen together. They did, however, collaborate on the 1975 classic *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest*, which Nicholson starred in and Douglas produced.

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Nicholson, while not officially retired, hasn't been seen on the big screen since 2010's* How Do You Know*. Meanwhile, Douglas — hairdos and all— is in the midst of a hiatus.

"I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realized I had to stop," Douglas said during a July press conference at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. "I had been working pretty hard for almost 60 years, and I did not want to be one of those people who dropped dead on the set."

He added that he had "no real intentions" of acting again, but declined to describe himself as "retired" just in case "something special" comes along. Douglas, who turned 81 in September, last appeared on the big screen in the family drama *Looking Through Water*.**

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Published: February 08, 2026 at 10:38PM on Source: RED MAG

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