The Acting Habit Jack Nicholson Loved To Tease Michael Douglas About

Michael Douglas has reached a point in his legendary career where he can look back and laugh at the critiques of his peers—even when they come from a heavyweight like Jack Nicholson.

During a recent screening of the 1987 classic Wall Street, the 81-year-old actor revealed that Nicholson used to constantly poke fun at his specific approach to his craft. According to Douglas, Nicholson would often mock his “hair acting,” questioning why so much of his performance seemed to be tied to his coiffure.

The two-time Oscar winner doesn’t shy away from the label, admitting that his characters’ hair has always been an important part of his acting and that it is funny how that kind of thing helps him find a role.

He famously took inspiration from NBA coach Pat Riley’s slicked-back style to create the lizard look for corporate shark Gordon Gekko. Douglas noted that when Nicholson first teased him after seeing his “Anglo-afro perm” in Black Rain, he simply shot back that Nicholson always acts with his hair too.

From the sharp flat-top in Falling Down to the various wigs and styles throughout his six-decade career, Douglas insists that he often leads with his hair to nail down a character’s identity.

While the two icons have been close friends for over fifty years, they famously collaborated as producer and star on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest rather than as co-stars. This long-standing bond allows for the kind of blunt honesty that only fellow legends can provide, even if it means getting s***t about a haircut.

As of February, Michael Douglas is largely embracing a quieter life away from the cameras. He officially stepped back from acting after finishing the Apple TV+ miniseries Franklin, explaining that he didn’t want to be one of those actors who dropped dead on the set after working for nearly sixty years.

While he avoids the word “retired” just in case something special appears, he has spent much of the last year focused on his family and his “exciting” role as a grandfather. Fans did get to see him on the big screen recently in the 2025 family drama Looking Through Water, where he starred alongside his son, Cameron Douglas.

The film, which follows an estranged father and son reconnecting during a fishing tournament, was a rare exception to his hiatus and served as a poignant full-circle moment for the Douglas acting dynasty. He also recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by releasing a new 4K digital edition of the film he helped produce.

While his “hair acting” might be on a purposeful break, Douglas remains active on social media, often sharing updates about his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and their children. He recently joked at a press conference that his golf game is getting better and that he is quite content watching his wife take the limelight while he enjoys his time off.

Do you think Michael Douglas’s “hair acting” was a genuine secret to his success in films like Wall Street, or was Jack Nicholson just right to tease him about it? Share your thoughts in the comments.