Hollywood has seen the rise and fall of many celebrity couples. Celebrities you'd never thought were compatible end up together, and those you expect to last forever split up, breaking the hearts of millions of fans.
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One romance that has seen it's share of ups and downs is the love story of Anjelica Huston and Jack Nicholson. Their on-and-off 17-year relationship was as captivating as any silver screen drama and had tabloids hooked for almost two decades. Even long after their split, their relationship is often revisited.
The highs and lows of Huston and Nicholson's relationship
Their romance began in 1973 at Nicholson's birthday party, sparking a passionate, albeit tumultuous, on-and-off relationship that lasted until 1990. Huston's memoir, Watch Me, delves deep into their complex dynamic, which for her, meant dealing with a lot of heartbreak.
Jack Nicholson wasn't what you'd call a reliable and committed partner—at least not to Huston. She recounts instances in which he was off with other women, despite being in a relationship with her.
As recalled in Daily Mail, in 1974 during the Cannes Film Festival, Huston was left devastated when ‘pretty French girls’ would come up on motorbikes and say:
Oh, Jack, you want to ride on my bike with me?
She added:
He'd get on the bike and leave me standing on the sidewalk. I would just retire to our hotel room in tears.
Marriage was another painful topic. Huston wrote about a moment when they were watching the matrimonial game show The Newlywed Game together. According to Daily Mail, she challenged him, saying:
If you had any b**ls, you'd marry me
Nicholson's response was devastating:
Marry you? Are you kidding?
Huston admitted she 'sobbed for three days after that.'
The final straw came in 1989 when Nicholson revealed over dinner that he was expecting a child with another woman. Just days later, Huston confronted him in a physical altercation. As reported by Nine, Huston wrote:
He was coming out of the bathroom when I attacked him. I don't think I kicked him, but I beat him savagely about the head and shoulders. He was ducking and bending, and I was going at him like a prizefighter, raining a vast array of direct punches.
Nicholson later told her:
Goddamn, Toots, you sure landed some blows on me. I'm bruised all over my body.
She replied:
You're welcome, Jack, you deserved it.' And we laughed. It was tragic, really.
What was a painful relationship eventually turned into a rather sweet friendship over the years. Now that both the actors are in their 70s, they've managed to bury the hatchet and Nicholson seems to hold Huston in high regards.
In fact, Nicholson sent her a pearl bracelet once owned by Ava Gardner, accompanied by a note:
These pearls from your swine. With happiest wishes for the holidays – Enjoy – Yr Jack.
A gesture of kindness amidst the flames
More recently, he even offered her his home. In January 2025, as wildfires threatened her Sierra Nevada ranch, Huston received a call from Nicholson, offering his home as refuge. She told People:
The phone just rang out of nowhere, and it was him.
It’s always a comfort when he calls… It was heartbreakingly sweet.
Though she declined the offer at the time, Huston admitted she had thought about it often:
I’ve gone back over it several times in my head, and I think next time I’d accept the invitation.
She reflected on their lasting connection, saying their relationship is still 'important' to her, even if they rarely see each other nowadays.
Indeed, the two live very different lives 35 years after they split. Jack Nicholson, 77, is now a father to six children and has officially retired from acting. He lives a very low profile life and is rarely spotted in public.
Whereas Anjelica Huston is certainly more active in her career, having played Lady Tressilian in Towards Zero. She has recently been more open about her private life, and also revealed that she had been secretly battling cancer for four years.
Huston's private battle with cancer
Huston revealed in Aprill 2025 that she had quietly battled cancer in 2019. As reported by Fox News, she chose to keep the type of cancer private but was proud to share that she had been 'in the clear' for four years. She told People:
I'm at the four-year mark, and that means so much to me.
It's a fantastic thing. I'm very proud of myself, and I've been very lucky. My doctors have been wonderful.
Reflecting on the experience, she added:
It's not something that came lightly.
It came as a big shock, but it made me conscious of what I shouldn't do, of places I shouldn't go. One of those places was taking life too seriously. So now, when the opportunity arises, I laugh, and I try not to make a big deal out of things.
Huston hoped her story could inspire others and said:
Sometimes you feel like you don't want to talk about it for the obvious reasons, but there's a lot to be said for talking about it and getting it out there and celebrating the fact that one's come through.
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Sources used:
Daily Mail: 'Marry you? Are you kidding?': Anjelica Huston reveals how she cried for three days after Jack Nicholson laughed at the idea of marrying her
Nine: Inside Anjelica Huston and Jack Nicholson's dramatic love affair
Variety: Jack Nicholson Called Ex Anjelica Huston to Offer His Home During L.A. Wildfires
Fox News: Anjelica Huston breaks silence after she 'managed to survive' private cancer battle
