Jack Nicholson’s withdrawal from public life has prompted renewed concern among some acquaintances, although Michael Douglas says the 89-year-old actor is well and still sees close friends.

Douglas, 82, said in an interview last week that he occasionally visits Nicholson, who no longer works. He described him spending time at home in his slippers and said he had earned the right to step back.

Nicholson has never formally announced his retirement. His last big-screen appearance was in How Do You Know in 2010. He no longer attends industry events and, apart from a brief appearance in the audience for Saturday Night Live’s 50th-anniversary special, is rarely seen publicly.

Recent celebrity reports offer differing interpretations of that retreat. Some unnamed acquaintances say he barely leaves his Beverly Hills mansion and fear he could die alone after a rich and colourful life. Others describe a more selective social life rather than complete isolation: relatives and close friends reportedly visit regularly, particularly his children Lorraine, 36, and Ray, 34.

Nicholson has six children. He is understood not to be in contact with at least one daughter, Tessa. According to the accounts, many former visitors are no longer invited to his home; they respect that decision, although some remain concerned from a distance.

The distinction between privacy and ill health matters here. Nicholson’s reduced visibility has repeatedly prompted claims about his health, but the accounts supplied do not establish a medical diagnosis.

In 2013, when he was 76, a report attributed his departure from acting to memory difficulties and trouble remembering lines. Nicholson subsequently denied those claims, saying he could no longer find roles that interested him. He questioned whether younger audiences still wanted emotionally engaging films rather than bombs and explosions, and said he would not make that kind of film.

A further report in 2021 alleged dementia, citing an unnamed friend who described him as physically well but mentally less clear, and believed his son and daughter were caring for him. Nicholson subsequently attended a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game, though that appearance did not resolve the medical claims.

Two years ago, another unnamed acquaintance described his children as his only connection to the outside world and urged him to offer reassurance. That account differs from the continuing contact described by Douglas. Danny DeVito also offered a more positive assessment last year, saying he had seen Nicholson two weeks earlier and that he felt very well.