Nick Nolte is famous for playing strong and confident characters now, but a long time ago, he was a big heartthrob. Today, the skilled actor is 82 years old, and I have to tell you, he looks quite different from how he did back in the 1970s when he was considered a heartthrob.
I really admire Nick Nolte’s incredible talent – he’s truly one of the best actors in American cinema history.
I like how his face, with its strong, square jaw and distinct features, along with his untamed and wild hair, gives him a powerful and almost barbaric look, like a character from a Shakespeare play.
What makes his acting so captivating is his ability to be versatile and the deep emotions you can see in his eyes. Nick always delivers performances that are genuine and honest. If we check his achievements, it’s clear that many people appreciate his acting skills.
In 1991, Nolte won a big award called the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Dramatic Movie. He was also considered for another major award, the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his role in the 1991 film The Prince of Tides.
Nick Nolte used to be a really well-known actor, especially for his strong roles in movies like Affliction and Warrior, which got him nominated for big awards like the Academy Award.
But today, he’s different from the time when he won the Golden Globe. In 2002, a famous messy picture of him taken by the police hurt his reputation. He also had some legal and personal problems that made things even more difficult.
For younger people, it might be surprising to learn that in the 1970s, Nolte was seen as the ideal American hero. He was even called the Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine.
So, how did Nick Nolte become so famous?
In high school, he wasn’t really into acting, according to his football coach in Omaha. Back then, he was good at playing football but was described as a “skinny, awkward kid with a crew cut.”
Nolte himself says he was very shy and never felt comfortable in groups when he was a kid. School was tough for him, and only later in life did he find out he had dyslexia.
The handsome Nolte, born in Omaha, Nebraska, on February 8, 1941, got his big breakthrough in the TV miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man (1976). Not long after that, he became a household name and an American heartthrob.
However, he started working as a model in the 1960s. One of his most famous shots came while he cut an impressive figure together with Sigourney Weaver for Clairol’s “Summer Blonde” hair coloring campaign back in 1972. According to Eighties Kids, the commercial remains the only time a man has ever appeared on a box of women’s hair dye.
Even though Nick Nolte wasn’t well-known at first, he got a big break when he was chosen for a show called Rich Man, Poor Man. In the series, he played Rudy’s brother Tom and portrayed the character with the charm of a true American hero.
This show completely changed Nolte’s life. He became very popular, especially with the ladies, for his role as the classic bad boy, Tom. To fit the part, he had to work hard on his body. When he played the younger version of his character, he weighed around 150 pounds.
Nolte shared, “I remember the different stages I went through for Rich Man, Poor Man. That was the biggest span in age. It went from 16 to 45. Physically, I thought of the weight I was as a sophomore in high school, which was 150 pounds. So I dropped down to that weight and got that boy body back. I ran around that Hollywood reservoir day and night,” as he told Insider in 2022.
After the success of Rich Man, Poor Man, Nick Nolte, who comes from Nebraska, kept proving he was a fantastic actor, always giving great performances. In 1982, he became a huge star in Hollywood with the action-comedy 48 Hrs.
This movie, where Nolte acted alongside Eddie Murphy, was a big deal in many ways.
“What’s not often talked about with 48 Hrs. is that it’s the first film where black and white people criticize each other,” Nolte explained in 2011.
“After Civil Rights, it was awkward for white and black people. We didn’t know how to talk to each other.”
In the 1990s, Nick Nolte was at the top of his career. He was a big star, making lots of money, and everyone respected him as an actor.
But in the 2000s, things changed. Nolte became known for more than just his work in movies and TV,
He lived up to his reputation as one of Hollywood’s bad boys. The actor faced personal problems, went through three divorces, and got arrested a few times.
Despite being named the ‘sexiest man alive’ by Hollywood, he ended up in the news for a memorable photo taken by the police.
However, since 2002, Nick has been sober.
“At one point, I was really down, and I let things slide,” Nolte explained.
“I used to drink when things got tough – like dealing with relationships or when projects didn’t work out. I even used alcohol to cope with loneliness and the ironic kind of isolation that comes with being a celebrity.”
In the last few years, Nick Nolte has been in smaller roles and he looks quite different from when he was a big Hollywood star.
Now, the experienced actor lives in a treehouse in the lovely city of Malibu, California. He built the house himself and shares it with his wife, Clytie Lane.
The star of The Prince of Tides likes to be with his kids and he enjoys reading and being outside. Nick has a son named Brawley Nolte (born in 1986) and a daughter named Sophia Lane Nolte (born in 2001).
Nick Nolte’s kids, Brawley and Sophia, tried out acting for a bit, and it seemed like they might follow in their dad’s footsteps.
Sophia even acted with her dad in a movie called Honey in the Head, where she played Nolte’s granddaughter.
“She’s like a little grown-up. Sometimes she calls me Grandpa instead of Daddy because all her friends’ dads are young. I’m almost 80. My son Brawley is in his 30s. He did some acting, but that’s not what he wanted. He’s studying to be a doctor,” Nolte shared with Saturday Evening Post.
Even though many years have gone by, Nick Nolte still has that mischievous smile, beautiful eyes, and a charming personality. At 82, he looks great and continues to do what he loves most – acting.
What’s cool is that he has a positive attitude about getting older.
“I don’t regret being old at all. I’m not having much trouble with age. I’m pretty comfortable with it, knowing that there’s one more big adventure to do. It’s kind of spooky, but I accept it. You fight like crazy until the end. I think you just have to keep moving and keep doing it,” he says.
In my opinion, Nick Nolte is often overlooked when people talk about top male actors.
Thank you for all the memories over the years, Nick! You are such a great actor and an articulate, cultured gentleman!
15 Things Moms Do That Make Them Even More Incredible
Each pregnancy alters your body irrevocably. And we don’t mean the stretch marks or the scars. We mean the forever-changed DNA. Ask any new mother and she’ll list out a litany of things that are now different for her. Like a forgetful mommy brain that, according to science, makes the mother-child bond stronger.
We at Bright Side salute all moms and believe that they are real-life superheroes. To honor all mothers, we found some mommy facts proving there’s nothing like a mother’s love. Or the science behind it.
1. Motherhood changes you, and your DNA.
A chimera is a legendary beast made of different animals. And we are likening mothers to chimeras because every child that a mother carries leaves their DNA inside her. Basically, fetal cells enter a mother’s bloodstream and stay in her body forever. Researchers allege that these cells can affect the mother both positively and negatively. On one hand, it can speed up healing but on the flip side, it can increase the risk of cancer.
So when they say motherhood changes you, it does so at an elemental level as well. Jennifer Garner’s stunning countenance reflects just that.
2. The baby can taste what their mother eats.
Studies show that what a mother eats flavors the amniotic fluid. Something a baby gulps down several times a day. Basically, a baby can taste what their mother eats from within the womb.
A study showed that infants whose mothers ate carrots while pregnant seemed to enjoy cereal prepared with carrot juice more than others. So if you want to develop your baby’s palate for healthy, crunchy veggies, chow down on them while you are pregnant.
3. Kissing babies is more “healing” than we think.
Any new mom will tell you that the urge to kiss a newborn is intense. It’s innate and biological in nature. And science says that when mothers kiss their babies, it’s not just love, it’s medicine.
A mother’s body samples the pathogens found on the baby’s face, and more magic happens within her own body. Especially to her breastmilk, the main source of nutrition and immunity for the baby.
4. Pregnant women make enormous amounts of estrogen.
Pregnancy sends a woman’s body into overdrive. The uterus expands to 500 times its normal size and then shrinks back after birth. The blood volume increases and to tackle that, the heart expands a little too.
And it’s not just this, a woman makes more estrogen in a single pregnancy than she would in her whole lifetime if she never got pregnant. There’s a reason why women are exhausted when expecting and need sleep and rest for a healthy delivery and recovery.
5. A mother’s smile is near magical.
Moms are near magic, and so is their smile or affection. While you need your mother at all ages, it’s the helpless infant who is most dependent on their mom.
Studies show that when mothers smile, coo, and show affection to their babies, their heartbeats synchronize into the same beat. So if a baby is distressed, it calms them down. This is the reason why newborns need mothers the most when they are fussy and refuse to be calmed down by other family members.
6. Carrying boys can make you more nauseous.
There’s a reason why little boys are made of “snips and snails and puppy dog tails” or so goes the nursery rhyme. This is because mothers who carry boys are more likely to be nauseous in the first and second trimesters, a study shows.
This is not to say that women expecting girls cannot have morning sickness or that all women who carry boys have more nausea. It’s just that if you are expecting a boy, chances are you may experience more nausea or food aversions.
7. Babies name their mamas.
“Mom, mama, mummy, mamma, ammi, ma, me, emi, mimi.” There’s a pattern in the name for mother in all languages and this is because the “em” sounds are usually the first vocalization for a baby. It’s also the easiest sound a baby can make while babbling. And so it’s our babies who name us and call us mamas.
8. The mommy brain fog is very real.
If you see new moms looking lost, there’s a scientific reason for this. Each pregnancy affects a woman’s brain and makes her lose gray matter. The effects last for around 2 years. Science says that this temporary bewilderment makes mothers closer to their babies as well.
That said, the gray matter regenerates and any confusion or forgetfulness is passing. The bond between a mother and her child is permanent.
9. A mother’s voice is as soothing as a hug.
A study has shown that a mother’s voice, even on the telephone, is as calming as a hug. Researchers introduced stress to a group of girls and then had 1/3 of them hug their mothers, another 1/3 of them talk to their mothers, and 1/3 watched an emotionally neutral film. The girls who spoke to their mothers calmed down much faster, just like those who hugged.
This proves that if you are under stress, your mother’s voice can flood oxytocin into your bloodstream, making you feel better. And we think Jennifer Garner already knows that, pictured here with her mother.
10. Babies can cry in the womb.
The baby’s first cry is not post-birth, rather studies now show that they can express displeasure inside the womb. This can happen as early as 28 weeks gestation.
Researchers played low-decibel sounds on the mother’s belly and could see that the baby opened their mouth and exhibited crying-like behavior. But it’s a silent cry. Researchers also added that this in-vitro crying was nothing the mother should worry about.
11. Pregnancies leave women vulnerable to tooth decay.
Pregnant women are at risk for tooth decay and there are many reasons why. The changes in diet due to cravings may give some women a sweet tooth and the hormones that cause nausea, meaning more acidity on your mouth, to mention a few. This leads to gum disease and decay.
A simple way to prevent it all is by making oral health a priority, especially when you are pregnant.
12. The earliest milk bottle use came to be 7,000 years ago.
As it turns out, the breast/bottle debate is prehistoric. And mamas back then were pretty innovative too. Researchers have found little clay vessels, some shaped into mythical animals with hands and feet, with milk residue in them.
The earliest of them date back to 7,000 years ago and have been identified as prehistoric feeding bottles for babies. The dairy residue has been identified as breastmilk and milk from a cow, sheep, or goat.
13. The Ice Age made human breast milk more nutritious.
Human beings need sunlight to survive because our bodies only synthesize vitamin D in the sun. Allegedly, the last Ice Age should have wiped us out because newborns were not getting any vitamin D, considering the intense cold and lack of sunshine.
Scientists believe that a genetic tweak happened and mothers could transmit vitamin D and essential fatty acids to their newborn babies, and this may have ensured human survival.
14. Pregnancies can be contagious.
A study of more than 30,000 women conducted in Germany has indicated that pregnancy is contagious. It spreads from woman to woman in workplaces, in an endearing way. The results stated that “in the year after a colleague gives birth, transition rates to first pregnancies double.”
So if you are in the workplace and someone is pregnant, expect more pregnancies to pop up.
15. Most mammal moms carry their babies on the left.
Human mothers and even some mammal mamas cradle their babies on the left side of their bodies, closer to their heart. This is irrespective of a left-handed or right-handed mom. Science says that all the sensory information that comes from the left side of the body is processed on the right side of the brain.
The right side is where all the emotions are. And surprisingly enough, babies prefer to keep their moms on their left side as well, so it works for both mom and babe.
Bonus: Celebrity moms speak about motherhood.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
“I did start to feel this new sense of life. And now my confidence is so much greater.”
Lauren Burnham Luyendyk
“Breastfeeding is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I’m in awe of the ladies that make it look so effortless, and even the ones who don’t, you are superheroes.”
Do you have any other experiences as a child or a mother that show us that moms are actual superhumans? Share your motherhood stories with us and spread the joy.
Please note: This article was updated in June 2022 to correct source material and factual inaccuracies.
Preview photo credit laurenluyendyk / Instagram
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