The Shocking True Story of How Jack Nicholson Discovered His Sister Was Actually His Mother
Jack Nicholson, one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, has a life story that could rival the drama of any of his films. But perhaps the most startling plot twist wasn’t on screen, it was buried deep within his own family — a secret he didn’t uncover until he was nearly 40 years old.
For most of his life, Nicholson believed that his grandmother, Ethel May, was his mother, and that his actual mother, June, was his sister. The truth was kept from him for decades, hidden under the weight of societal shame and old-fashioned family values.
Nicholson was born in 1937 in Neptune, New Jersey. His mother, June, was only 18 years old and unmarried at the time. She had become pregnant by a man named Don, who was already married to someone else.
In an era when out-of-wedlock pregnancies were stigmatized, the family made a drastic decision. Ethel May, a devout and respected woman in the community, stepped in and took over the role of mother, raising Nicholson as her own.
June assumed the role of Jack’s older sister, and the arrangement remained unquestioned for years. When Nicholson was just four years old, June moved to Miami to chase her dreams of performing as an Earl Carroll showgirl.
Meanwhile, young Jack grew up in New Jersey, entirely unaware of the real dynamics of his family. At 17, with dreams of his own, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, reuniting with the woman he still believed was his sister.
Nicholson's discovery didn’t come until 1974, as his career was gaining serious momentum
Nicholson's discovery didn’t come until 1974, as his career was gaining serious momentum. His noir classic Chinatown was about to hit theaters, and he was riding the wave of fame after a string of successful films.
At the time, Time magazine was preparing a feature on the actor. But as the magazine’s researchers dug into his background, they uncovered something that didn’t add up.
Before going to print, the journalists reached out to Nicholson and dropped a bombshell: they believed his real father was still alive and living in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. More stunningly, they had reason to believe that Ethel May wasn’t his biological mother at all — and that June, who he thought was his sister, had actually given birth to him.
Understandably shaken, Nicholson asked the magazine to delay publishing so he could investigate the claims himself. According to Jack’s Life, a biography by Patrick McGilligan, the actor immediately reached out to a close relative to try to verify the story. He reportedly told them, “It’s the most f***ed up thing I’ve ever heard.”
Shelley Duvall played Wendy Torrance
He added, “A guy calls me on the phone, and says that my father is still alive, and that Ethel May wasn’t really my mother, that June was my mother.”
At first, the relative denied the story. But another family member, Lorraine, whom Jack also believed was his sister, eventually confirmed the truth. Tragically, by the time Nicholson uncovered this revelation, both Ethel May and June had passed away. He never had the chance to speak with either of them about the secret they had kept so well.
Despite the shock, Nicholson says the discovery didn’t emotionally devastate him. In a 1983 interview with Rolling Stone, he explained, “It wasn’t what I’d call traumatizing.” He went on to say it was more “dramatic” than anything else.
“I was very impressed by their ability to keep the secret, if nothing else. It’s done great things for me,” he added.
Nicholson’s story is a rare look behind the curtain of a Hollywood legend. It speaks to the complexities of family, the burdens of secrecy, and the surprising truths that can lie hidden for a lifetime, sometimes revealed just when you least expect it.
