Jack Nicholson marked his defiant return to the highlight when he attended the Los Angeles Lakers playoff recreation on Friday.

The three-time Academy Award winner flashed a smile whereas he sat courtside in what was his first public look since he attended a Lakers recreation together with his son Ray in October 2021.

Mounting issues over the father-of-five’s well being have been swirling lately, together with his finest buddies claiming that he’s “residing like a recluse” and that they’re apprehensive concerning the finish recreation on account of his solitary way of life.

The 86-year-old beamed ear to ear because the Lakers confronted the Grizzlies, the place he returned to his regular courtside seat and shook palms with execs, and interacted with reporters on the Crypto.com Enviornment.

“Welcome again,” a reporter mentioned to the actor in a short clip shared on Twitter.

Nicholson was noticed with Larry David, the star of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and co-creator of Seinfeld, earlier than the sport.

The actor later embraced LeBron James earlier than tipoff, with the 2 exchanging phrases earlier than the Lakers famous person continued warmups.

He was welcomed again with a montage of his traditional movies together with “The Shining and “Batman” displayed on the world’s scoreboard.

Nicholson donned a pair of burgundy pants paired with a black shirt beneath a navy swimsuit jacket.

He wore a pair of binoculars round his neck and accessorized with a pair of black sun shades that he took off as soon as the sport began.

Whereas a public outing for the actor is now uncommon to return by, Nicholson’s resolution to mark the top of his absence by attending a Lakers recreation could be very on par.

Nicholson has lengthy been synonymous with the Lakers and has been a proud season ticket holder since 1970.

Since then, Nicholson was an everyday fan cheering his workforce on from the sidelines — most notably in the course of the Lakers’ Showtime period within the late ’90s and 2000s.

He additionally famously adjusted his filming schedules to ensure he was free to look at each large Lakers recreation.

However the actor’s frequent public appearances grew to become increasingly sparse because the years went on.

In January 2023, a number of sources advised RadarOnline that he “doesn’t go away his home anymore” and that his “thoughts is gone,” itemizing issues of potential dementia.

Nicholson spends most — if not all — of his time in his plush Beverly Mansion, in keeping with insiders.

Nicholson’s final undertaking was the 2011 rom-com “How Do You Know” by which he starred alongside Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, and Owen Wilson.

So far as his private life goes, the actor was married to Sandra Knight for six years, tying the knot in 1962.

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In 2021, sources involved about Nicholson’s well-being advised RadarOnline that his son Ray and sister Lorraine have been “taking care of him.”

“The Mulholland Drive group is fairly close-knit, and they’re all apprehensive about him,” an insider mentioned on the time, including that “bodily he’s advantageous – however his thoughts is gone.”

“It’s actually unhappy to see such a super-talented actor, like Jack, exit this manner.”