Iconic 1970s Heartthrob Loses Persona at 82

These days, we mostly know Nick Nolte for playing tough characters in movies.

Yesterday was Nick Nolte’s 82nd birthday, and he doesn’t look like the heartthrob he was in the 1970s anymore.

I believe Nick Nolte is one of the greatest actors in American film history.

I like how he looks like a rough and strong character, almost like a Shakespearean savage, with his tough jaw, angular bones, forehead, and wild, free-flowing hair.

What makes him fascinating is how he can play different roles with so much passion. Looking at Nick’s work history, we can see and appreciate his skills as an actor.

Nolte was up for an Oscar for his roles in Affliction and Warrior, but now he looks very different from what we remember. He even won a Golden Globe before.

However, his reputation took a hit in 2002 with a messy mug shot, and legal and personal problems made things worse for him.

For people today, it’s hard to imagine Nolte as the handsome hero from the 1970s, who was even named “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine.

Interestingly, Nolte wasn’t seen as a good actor at first, according to Omaha’s football coach. Despite being talented in football, he was once a “skinny, awkward youngster with a crew cut.”

Nolte struggled socially as a child and later found out he had dyslexia, making school difficult.

His big break came in 1976 with Rich Man, Poor Man, making him a sudden celebrity in the US.

He started acting in the 1960s and even took some famous pictures with Sigourney Weaver for Clairol’s 1972 “Summer Blonde” ad campaign. Back in the 1980s, the only time you saw a man on a jar of women’s hair dye was in that commercial.

Even though he wasn’t well-known, Nolte did a great job as Rudy’s brother Tom in Rich Man, Poor Man. He played the role of Jordache really well.

Nolte changed his life by playing the charming and attractive bad boy, Tom. He spent a lot of money on his health. When he played a young guy in a play, he weighed 150 pounds.

Thinking about my Rich Man, Poor Man days, I remember the biggest age gap: 16 to 45. I recalled my sophomore high school weight of 150 pounds. I lost some weight and looked like a boy again. In 2022, Nolte told Insider, “I raced around the Hollywood reservoir day and night.”

After the success of Poor Man, Nolte continued to give excellent performances. He became famous after his role in the 1982 action comedy 48 Hours.

Nolte and Eddie Murphy starred in a movie that changed the industry.

In 2011, Nolte said that 48 Hours was the first movie where black and white actors criticized each other after the Civil Rights era. Both whites and blacks were uneasy, and “we were unable to communicate.”

Nolte’s peak era was in the 1990s. He made millions of dollars and became a star.

In the 2000s, Nolte became known for things other than his roles in films and TV. He went through three divorces and faced legal trouble.

The three-time Oscar nominee went from being called “Hollywood’s sexiest guy alive” to having a famous police photo in 2002. In 2002, Nick gave up using drugs and alcohol.

“I got lax,” Nolte said. “I used alcohol to cope with anything challenging—relationships, failed projects—even as a remedy for loneliness and the ironic form of isolation that fame often brings.”

The roles Nolte plays now are quite different from his Hollywood heyday. The experienced actor lives in a treehouse in Malibu with his partner Clytie Lane.

The Prince of Tides actor enjoys reading and hiking. Nolte’s children are Sophia Lane and Brawley Nolte (born 1986) and (born 2001).

Both of his kids, Brawley and Sophia, have tried acting.

Sophia, along with her dad, acted as Nick Nolte’s granddaughter in Honey in the Head.

Now, Sophia is almost a grown-up. Sometimes she calls me Grandpa instead of Daddy because her friends’ dads are usually younger. Brawley, my 30-year-old son, tried acting but didn’t like it. Nolte shared with Saturday Evening Post that Brawley is now a medical student.

Nolte has stayed the same over the years, keeping his sly grin, beautiful eyes, and charming personality. At 82, he still looks great and enjoys acting.

He’s even looking forward to getting older.

“I have no regrets about aging. I’m not bothered by age. I feel at ease knowing there’s still a significant adventure ahead. It’s strange, but I accept it. You fight until the bitter end. You have to keep going,” he says.

Even though Nick Nolte doesn’t often make it to lists of the top actors, I appreciate him for his entertainment and humor. He’s a gentleman and a cultured actor.