Jack Nicholson celebrates 50th anniversary of hit comedy movie

Jack Nicholson dropped his unfiltered views on how he perceives fame, acting, and life on a film set.

The 88-year-old legend was spotted celebrating the 50th anniversary of his film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

The celebratory dinner was also attended by his famous ex-girlfriend Anjelica Huston, Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon.

During the celebration, the actor spoke to PEOPLE, expressing what it is like to be an actor on set. He said, “A star on a movie set is like a bomb.” 

He clarifies his meaning behind the statement by saying that the ‘bomb’ must be defused so that others are able to connect with the actor and feel relaxed around them.

“If a living reality doesn’t exist between the players in a scene, the scene won’t play,” he continued.

The Batman famed actor explains how he views his co-actors on set from a different angle once the filming starts, referring to their mistakes during scenes as “quirks”.

“That way, if an actor makes a mistake, I don’t feel it as a mistake,” he added. “I see it as a quirk in that person’s behaviour, and I react to that quirk.”

Nicholson believes the approach he follows at work allows him to remain down to earth and keep the performance alive. 

The actor had been following this technique throughout his decades-long career, which resulted in his iconic performance as 'Randle McMurphy' in the 1997 classic comedy drama being celebrated today and many more.