Audiences have been raving about an actor in a recent horror film, praising both his performance and his striking resemblance to his famous father.
While sequels can be hit or miss, Smile 2 has managed to impress fans since its release on October 18.
Those who enjoyed this follow-up to the original 2022 horror movie—which was hailed as ‘one of the creepiest movies of the year’—are particularly impressed with one cast member familiar from the promotional materials.
A Twitter post that went viral has commended the casting choice, despite suggesting it was an act of nepotism.
So, who is this alleged nepotism hire? The film’s marketers seemingly wanted to highlight the actor’s resemblance to his father and his father’s iconic film roles.
If you’ve seen the promotional content for Smile 2, you might have mistaken Jack Nicholson for having come out of retirement to appear in the movie.
However, it is not Jack Nicholson; it’s his son, Ray Nicholson, who bears a striking facial likeness to his father.
Moreover, Ray is seen doing the ‘Kubrick stare,’ which his father famously did in the 1980 film, The Shining.
The post stated: “Nepo casting is rarely good but Ray Nicholson in Smile 2 is the best nepo casting of all time. This is just insanely iconic.”
One commenter remarked: “Bro is bred from the fires of amazing acting. Let him cook.”
Another noted: “When I saw the poster I was genuinely confused why they used Jack Nicholson from The Shining in the promo. Had NO IDEA it was his son. Absolutely uncanny.”
A third person commented: “Ray Nicholson in Smile 2 has one of the best performances of the year, hands down. He’s not in it a lot, but enough to show his talent, he’s literally his dad.”
Smile 2 director, Parker Finn, revealed that he chose the actor as a tribute to his ‘favorite film of all time,’ Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he mentioned: “I think I’m always trying to reference The Shining.”
“With Ray, he auditioned for that role. The audition was so strong. Of course, Jack Nicholson is one of my favorite actors of all time. I love that Ray has very strong genes, and his smile, instantly, I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s like looking at a young Jack.'”
Finn further stated that Ray’s performance captivated him.
He added: “What really struck me was how well he slipped into that venomous but charming character he’s playing in the film. He could bring again that feeling of, I’m really, really anxious, but part of it is also tickling me.”
Smile 2 is now showing in cinemas.