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Jack and Ray Nicholson© Noel Vasquez

Jack Nicholson's son is featured in 'Smile 2' and is going viral due to his striking resemblance to his father

Ray Nicholson's smile is a throwback to his father's iconic and terrifying performance in 'The Shining'


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
OCTOBER 18, 2024 12:01 PM EDT

Moviegoers got a strange sense of deja vu when watching the trailer for "Smile 2". The horror movie stars Kyle Gallner and Naomi Scott and explores a monster that haunts its victims by projecting terrifying smiles on every face that they see. In one of the trailer's most disturbing moments, Jack Nicholson's son, Ray Nicholson, smiles at the camera. The moment has gone viral due to the impressive similarity he shares with his father. 

Ray Nicholson at the premiere of 'Smile 2'© Axelle/Bauer-Griffin
Ray Nicholson at the premiere of 'Smile 2'

The trailer follows a popstar who begins to see a terrifying smile on people's faces after she sees the death of a guy she used to know in high school. As she meets fans and goes through work engagements, she's tormented by the sight. In one of the scenes teased in the clip, Ray is featured, wearing a white suit and smiling brightly at her, a moment that's reminiscent of Jack Nicholson's smile in the film "The Shining," one of his most famous projects and one of the scariest films ever made. 

"The villain who smiles just HAS to be played by a name named Nicholson LMAO," wrote a fan on social media.

You can watch the full trailer below. 

Smile 2 | Official Trailer (2024 Movie) - Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage

Ray addressed the similarity between his smile and his father's 

At the premiere of the film, Ray addressed his smile, which was featured in the movie's poster, and whether or not his father helped him shape it. “I was born in 1992. He was born in 1937. The things that affect me don’t necessarily affect him. Obviously, I love him. He’s my inspiration. I ate dinner with him every night, you know? I studied it," he said in an interview with Deadline. "That’s how I learned how to be a human being. So, of course we’re going to be kind of similar.” 

“But as far as talking about it, if he ever did tell me something, I probably wouldn’t investigate it for myself because I’d be like, ‘You’re the best, of course. That’s right, and it might not work for me,’” he said.

Jack Nicholson has six children with five different women. He shares Ray and Lorraine with his ex-girlfriend Rebecca Broussard.