NEWS
Jack Nicholson and Dennis Quaid’s sons are friends!
June 19 2025, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
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Ray Nicholson and Jack Quaid have formed a strong bond while filming their latest movie, and a source revealed their friendship goes beyond acting. The connection even extends to their famous fathers, Jack Nicholson and Dennis Quaid.
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Ray Nicholson and Jack Quaid bonded on set.
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“It’s not talked about a lot, but Jack’s dad Dennis actually named him after Jack Nicholson, because he idolized him back in the day,” the insider shared. “So, to have their two sons now be working together and hanging out is such a full circle moment.”
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For Dennis, 71, the 88-year-old screen legend Jack has significantly influenced his view of cinema through groundbreaking performances in iconic films like Chinatown, The Shining and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
He openly admires Jack, revealing to E! News that his and Meg Ryan‘s 33-year-old son was named out of respect. It was actually Dennis’ older brother, Randy Quaid, who encouraged the idea.
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Jack Nicholson stays out of the spotlight.
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“I just got to L.A. and my brother got a part in a movie called Missouri Breaks,” Dennis recalled. “So I drove my brother’s car up to Montana. My very first movie set, I’m watching these actors, my real heroes. We hung out at Jack Nicholson’s house every night. He and Randy were good friends.”
“They gave me a lot of encouragement,” he added. “And that’s a true story that we named him Jack after that.”
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Growing up as the sons of Hollywood legends provided Ray and Jack with common ground. It’s no surprise they developed a friendship, especially after working together on Novocaine, which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March.
This film marked a crucial career breakthrough for Ray, who has appeared in over 20 films, primarily in minor roles.
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Jack Quaid and Ray Nicholson starred together in their latest movie, ‘Novocaine.’
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“Ray and Jack both have great relationships with their dads, so it didn’t take long for them to hit on the idea of doing a father-son dinner,” the source explained.
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“Jack doesn’t like to go out much, so he hosted,” the insider continued. “They all had a ball. It was fun for Dennis and Jack to reminisce about the good old days together, and Ray was really happy to see his dad being social and having fun.”
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An insider said Jack Nicholson is more reserved now.
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Ray has frequently discussed how much his dad’s career has inspired him. He told Deadline in October 2024, “[Jack’s] my inspiration. I ate dinner with him every night. I studied it, that’s how I learned to be a human being. So, of course, we’re gonna be kind of similar.”
The insider added that Jack has become more reserved in his old age, but Ray has stepped up to care for him. This includes organizing dinners with their friends, the Quaids.
“This really thrilled him, and now they’re talking about doing it more often, maybe even once a week since Ray and Jack are such close friends now,” the source said.