Michael Douglas Says Jack Nicholson Used to Tease Him For This One Very Specific Thing Staff Author, Raven BrunnerFebruary 8, 2026 at 12:30 AM 0 Jack Nicholson and Michael Douglas in 2009 Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Michael Douglas revealed that Jack Nicholson used to tease him about one specific aspect of his onscreen performances Douglas shared the memory during a screening of his classic 1987 film Wall Street in New York City on Jan.
- - Michael Douglas Says Jack Nicholson Used to Tease Him For This One Very Specific Thing
Staff Author, Raven BrunnerFebruary 8, 2026 at 12:30 AM
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Jack Nicholson and Michael Douglas in 2009
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty
Michael Douglas revealed that Jack Nicholson used to tease him about one specific aspect of his on-screen performances
Douglas shared the memory during a screening of his classic 1987 film Wall Street in New York City on Jan. 31
Douglas, 81, also shared some memories of working with iconic director Oliver Stone
Michael Douglas revealed that his longtime friend Jack Nicholson used to tease him about one very specific acting technique.
Douglas, 81, recounted the amusing memory during a Q&A before a special screening of his 1987 film Wall Street in New York City on Jan. 31. During the conversation, Douglas shared that Nicholson, 88, used to give him a hard time about his "hair acting."
"[The character's] hair has always been an important part of my acting," Douglas explained. "It's just funny how that kind of thing helps."
"Jack Nicholson always used to give me s--t about hair acting. [He'd say], 'What's with his hair acting?' I said, 'You should talk,' "he added jokingly.
At another point during the Wall Street Q&A, Douglas spoke about the experience of landing the iconic role of Gordon Gekko in the 1987 classic — and revealed that he recently learned he hadn't been the first actor to be offered the part.
Michael Douglas and Jack Nicholson in 1976
Pool LOCHON/MAOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty
"I saw an article recently that said that [director] Oliver Stone first went to Warren Beatty — who passed on it — and then to Richard Gere, who passed on it. I didn't know any of that. You always like to think you were [the] one," he said.
"I didn't know Oliver and I read the script and it was serious, serious work," he continued. "So I was really happy … You don't get many good parts in your life."
Michael Douglas in 'Wall Street' (1987)
20th Century Fox
He added that he thinks he ultimately got the part because he had personal familiarity with a few key aspects of the character.
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"I guess when Oliver was asked, he [said he] was looking for an actor that had some business acumen, and because I was also a producer, [and] I did grow up in New York City — went to Allen-Stevenson School and then I went to prep schools — so I had a familiarity with [the] East Coast and that kind of life … I understood that lifestyle. I guess that's why he chose [me]."
Douglas also revealed that Stone treated his actors as if they were "in the trenches."
"He pushed actors," he explained. "And his record of successes with actors is quite impressive. So I'm deeply, deeply appreciative of the fact that it gave me part and the fact that he pushed me to another level."
Michael Douglas at a Q&A in N.Y.C. on Jan. 31, 2026
Mike Coppola/Getty
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"The truth is in Oliver's career — you start with [James] Woods and Salvador, Tom Cruise and Born on the Fourth of July, Kevin Costner and JFK, Val Kilmer and The Doors, my performance — I'm sure missing a whole slew of actors who have given their best performance with Oliver Stone," he also said.
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: February 07, 2026 at 02:36PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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