Jack Nicholson’s Friends in the ’70s, and the Witch Film He Was Never Meant to Lead

With three acting Oscars to his name, Jack Nicholson has built one of the most enduring careers in Hollywood. According to AOL, he broke through with his role in Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider in 1969, and his career snowballed through the decade with performances in Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and The Last Tycoon.

AOL also reports that Nicholson has been seen only rarely in recent years. His last performance came in 2010 in How Do You Know, and he most recently made a brief appearance in February 2025 at the SNL50 anniversary special. Friend Michael Douglas recently offered fans a glimpse of his retirement, and the photo gallery AOL published highlights Nicholson alongside Warren Beatty, Anjelica Huston, Robert De Niro, and others from his heyday.

The Devil Who Walked Into Eastwick

Long before those vintage photos, there was The Witches of Eastwick. On the episode, Courtney Pearl and Just Blane pair George Miller’s 1987 supernatural comedy with the 1998 cult favorite Practical Magic, and Jack Nicholson’s turn as Darryl Van Horn is the centerpiece of the discussion.

Blane and Courtney talk through how Van Horn arrives as a liberator, only to reveal he depended on the three women’s power all along. Courtney connects the film’s central tension, the difference between being freed and being controlled, to the history of women accused of witchcraft. Blane brings the production angle and the pop-culture weight the role carries, and the two hosts keep trading observations that make the film feel fresh again.

If you want a witch movie discussion that goes past the surface, this episode rewards the listen. Check out The Witch Movie Project and catch the full conversation today.

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Practical Magic & Witches of Eastwick: Witch Movie Deep-Dive

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