The life of this seasoned star has been filled with hardships and personal challenges, including brushes with the law. Nevertheless, he has managed to turn his life around and now treasures fatherhood above all else. A renowned movie star, who was once crowned the Sexiest Man Alive, rose to fame in the 1990s. Despite battling addiction and personal loss, he has since redeemed himself and even made a remarkable career comeback.
The actor’s career began on stage at the Pasadena Playhouse and in various regional theater productions. His rise to fame came with the TV miniseries “Rich Man, Poor Man” (1976). He revealed that his weight changed throughout the project, starting at 160 pounds for the younger scenes and exceeding 180 pounds when portraying the character in middle age. Years later, the Hollywood star gained recognition for his striking looks. In 1992, he graced the cover of Sexiest Man Alive, celebrated for his bad-boy appeal and described as a “big-lug Adonis with the heart of gold.”
Aside from the acclaim, the Golden Globe nominee faced numerous challenges in his life, including battles with alcohol and drug addiction. His troubles began as far back as his school days when he was expelled for drinking during football practice. The star faced ongoing battles with alcohol and drug abuse, frequently making morning trips to the local liquor store in his pajamas and robe. His excessive drinking was an open secret, prompting criticism from his co-star in “The Ultimate Solution of Grace Quigley” (1985), Katharine Hepburn.
She reportedly said, “I hear you’ve been dead drunk in every gutter in town, and it has to stop.” He famously replied, “I can’t stop. I’ve got a few more to go.” His problems intensified in 2002 when he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and the drug known as the “date rape” substance. Shortly after, he entered rehab and, following his doctor’s advice, began spending hours in a hyperbaric chamber — typically used for divers—to help repair the brain damage caused by his substance abuse. In a September 2017 interview, the public figure revealed that he drank “on and off” until a few years earlier before finally quitting.
He explained, “Now I can have a drink and stop, but I used to fill the gaps between adrenaline rushes with booze and drugs.” Fast forward to a December 2022 interview, the veteran star was asked if he was still off alcohol. He responded, “No. I stopped drinking rather abruptly, and I didn’t even have to fight it. Drinking and smoking just all went away about three or four years ago.” During his recovery, Nick Nolte faced more setbacks. While he was away on location, his Malibu home was destroyed by a wildfire — the second house he lost to such fires.
“You feel helpless,” he shared in a November 2018 interview. “I lost all my scripts, the preparation, the clothes from every film I’d ever done. But everybody’s safe. You just have to start over.”
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