How ALS-stricken Eric Dane saved nepo-baby's acting career after he tanked table read
Eric Dane once saved a Hollywood nepo baby 's acting career after watching him nearly 'tank' his first major role.
This week, Ray Nicholson, the nepo baby son of silver screen legend Jack Nicholson, revealed how the ALS-stricken star had lent him a helping hand and showed his support.
Nicholson recalled how he 'tanked' an initial table read for their dark comedy Borderline when Dane, 52, reached out to him to save him.
At the time, the up-and-coming actor, 33, recalled being worried that the film's leading star Samara Weaving and the director Jimmy Warden were going to fire him.
Even though acting talent is in his genes as his father is the iconic Jack Nicholson, 88, and his mother is also a famous actress, Rebecca Broussard, he said he still struggles with imposter syndrome.
This comes shortly after the Euphoria star's alleged girlfriend claimed she was 'blindsided' by his red carpet debut with his new romance amid his ALS battle.
'I just have the saboteur in me,' Nicholson told Us Weekly in an interview published on Friday before reflecting on how his acting career was almost in danger.
'You know, I think that all of us are in our own struggle,' he said while opening up about how he used to question his choice of career. 'And part of it is coming to terms with who you are and what you are.
'And I had the saboteur and I've worked on it so hard and now I see that even when I say that I'm nervous, what I was actually communicating was the first tiny action towards saying, like, "I'm gonna screw this up. I am not good enough."'
In Borderline, Nicholson portrays Paul, an escaped mental patient stalking a famous pop star (Weaving) in the hopes of making her his bride.
'When we first started, we did this table read that I totally tanked,' Nicholson recalled before adding that he did jumping jacks in the bathroom to hype himself up and get through the table read with a bunch of experienced actors he looks up to.
'I totally tanked this table read,' he continued. 'And I was looking at Samara look at her husband, [director Jimmy Warden], being like, "Oh my God, this kid is going to ruin your movie."'
Then, he gushed about Dane, one of his costars and 'favorite people to work with,' who he said reached out to him afterwards.
'Eric came to me after and he was like, "Hey, wanna grab lunch?" And I was like, "Yes!" He was so kind and loving and supportive.'
He said Dane, who plays the security guard Bell in the film and is who he called an 'empowering and giving scene partner,' reassured him after moments of self-doubt.
He recalled telling Dane at their lunch date that he was the 'most nervous' to work with him in the movie.
'I was like, "Dude, honestly, I'm so nervous. Like, I'm the most nervous to work with you, you know, because you have all this experience with all this tape."'
Nicholson said that Dane surprised him with his response. 'He's like, "No, dude, I'm nervous to work with you!" And it was this sweet moment. It was like he was just somebody that I could lean on the whole time.'
Nicholson added: 'I really love him a great deal.'
Later, the young actor reflected on why he wanted to follow in his parents shoes and become an actor.
'What I love about this job is it's the thing that tests me the most. After that table read, I learned something about myself,' he said.
'It's like I don't have the power to examine myself, but somehow, with every job, with every character, it requires something new. It requires something that I didn't know that I had.'
Nicholson also spoke about comparing himself to his Oscar-winning actor father and reflected on how he went on a journey to defeat his 'biggest fears and insecurities' before working on Borderline with Dane.
He also addressed his 'nepo baby' status.
Nicholson also spoke about comparing himself to his Oscar-winning actor father and reflected on how he went on a journey to defeat his 'biggest fears and insecurities' before working on Borderline with Dane; pictured in 1980 The Shining movie still
'Do I have that pressure? I don't know. Is that a good thing? Is that a bad thing? It's all of these things,' he said.
'Ultimately, I do know, by going step by step on this journey, I begin to understand [my dad] even more. And in a weird way, he becomes more human to me. I understand him more and it makes me love him more, even if we don't necessarily talk about it.'
Borderline is a comedy thriller film that centers on a '90s pop superstar, who is portrayed by Weaving, when her home is invaded by an obsessive fan who believes they are meant to get married.
After the helplessly romantic sociopath escaped from a mental institution and breaks into her Los Angeles home, a bodyguard (Dane) must protect the pop star and her athlete boyfriend from the increasingly determined stalker.
The movie was released in March 14 and is available on streaming services now.
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