Jack Nicholson, the legendary actor, had lived his life believing that his sister was his mother.

It wasn’t until 1974 that the startling truth was revealed to him by researchers, after being kept hidden for 37 years.

Born in Neptune City, New Jersey, in April 1937, Jack had been under the impression that June Nilson, who he thought was his sister, was actually his biological mother, a revelation reported by Snopes.

Reflecting on the revelation, Jack described it as a significant event but not one that left lasting trauma, stating, “I’d say it was a pretty dramatic event, but it wasn’t what I’d call traumatizing.”

The unveiling of this family secret occurred when Time magazine researchers unearthed the truth, informing Jack that his supposed parents, John and Ethel May Nicholson, were not his biological parents.

It turned out that June, the woman he thought was his sister, was indeed his mother.

Despite the shocking discovery, Jack expressed gratitude for finally learning the truth, revealing, “By the time I found out who my mother was, I was pretty well psychologically formed.

As a matter of fact, it made quite a few things clearer to me.”

Tragically, Jack’s mother, June, succumbed to cancer in 1963 when he was 26 years old.

She had harbored dreams of becoming an actress, a passion that she was unable to fully pursue.

In 1958, Jack embarked on his film career with his debut in the low-budget crime film “Cry Baby Killer,” portraying a young man entangled in a murder plot.

This marked the beginning of his journey in the world of cinema.

Throughout the 1960s, Jack continued to appear in various low-budget horror films such as “The Terror,” “Back Door to Hell,” and “Ride in the Whirlwind,” honing his craft and paving his way to stardom.

His breakthrough role came in 1969 when he starred in the iconic road movie “Easy Rider” as the alcoholic Southern lawyer George Hanson, a performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor and solidified his status as a rising star.

Subsequent critically acclaimed roles in films like “Five Easy Pieces” in 1970, where he portrayed a former musical prodigy, and “The Last Detail” in 1973, as a U.S. Navy petty officer, garnered him further Oscar nominations, establishing him as one of the premier actors of his era.

Despite rumors of retirement in 2013 due to memory issues affecting his work, Jack Nicholson has remained silent on the matter, with his last known appearance in the 2010 film “How Do You Know.”

His personal life, marked by a brief marriage to Sandra Knight from 1962 to 1968, resulted in a daughter named Jennifer before their separation and divorce.