“The Departed” star Jack Nicholson does his best for his five children. In his late 80s he keeps very close bond with his youngest “fabulous” blonde daughter and handsome son.

This famous movie star has been a Hollywood staple for many years and has been incredibly successful in the movie industry. However, he also has a home life that is just as fulfilling for him.

The actor is the father of five children, and he loves being a parent. He tries to make as much time as possible for all his children, even though he is busy with his career. The star also spends most of his time with his youngest children.

The children he’s acknowledged are Jennifer, Caleb, Honey, Lorraine, and Ray, with the youngest being the last two. While the celebrity is single, he has praised his children’s mothers, saying they were wonderful and mentioned that they co-parent well together.

The star has been in many relationships which resulted in his children. However, there was one relationship, 30 years ago, that resulted in a child that he wasn’t as open about as he was about his other children. In 1993, a waitress, Jennine Gourin, revealed that she and the actor had an affair.

She became pregnant, with him offering to pay all her hospital bills and care for her and the child financially. In August 1994, Jennine and her famous partner’s daughter was born. The actor sent Jennine flowers, and she confirmed:

“Jack was my first love. I thought he loved me. I had the best time of my life with him.”

The pair met while Jennine was waitressing at an exclusive Hollywood nightclub called “The Monkey Bar.” They had been seeing each other in secret for months before Jennine confirmed she was carrying his child. It took years before the celebrity’s daughter spoke up.

Abandoned Daughter Breaks Silence

Thirty years after she was born, Jack Nicholson’s daughter with Jennine, Tessa, broke her silence about being emotionally abandoned by her father. She revealed that she had flown out to see him several times when she was younger, but they were never close. Tessa said they “never had a relationship.”

She confirmed that she and her father had met at her mother’s insistence, but it was clear to her that her father “wanted no part in [her] life.” The actor’s daughter likened her interactions with her father to being on a date and knowing the other person wasn’t interested.

The young woman admitted that although it has taken her a while to understand why her father made the decision he did, she holds no resentment toward him. She also said she doesn’t hide the fact that Jack is her father.

Tessa noted that many people have absent fathers, and the suffering is not exclusive to her. However, she has come to be interested in her father in recent years and learned what she needed to know from watching YouTube videos.

Tessa acknowledged that she and her father share some character traits, and she wishes they could have shared their love for the arts. The YouTube clips she watched also made her aware that they have the same sense of humor.

She also clarified that the actor was never a “deadbeat dad,” seeing as his financial assistance helped her to grow up on the Upper East Side where she attended many prestigious private schools. Jack’s daughter concluded this about the type of relationship they have, saying:

“In the end, he’s a celebrity with whom I just happen to share DNA.”

While Tessa said she knows how talented her father is, it is frustrating to read about herself in the press because of the way she is referred to as if she is not Jack’s child, with words like “alleged.”

Tessa confirmed that being referred to as the star’s “illegitimate” child was aggravating because she does not feel like she is something to be ashamed of. She is a legitimate child, as much as his other children.

The actor’s daughter said that although her father had never publicly acknowledged that she was his biological child, she exists and is his, whether he likes it or not. She elaborated on her tough upbringing, stating:

“I’ve grown up feeling like I have to apologize for existing, and it’s exhausting.”

While there are things from her childhood and early adulthood that have hurt her in terms of her father, Tessa has forged ahead and made a beautiful life for herself.

Tessa’s Acting Talent and Beauty Amaze People

Tessa has grown up and built an artistic identity all her own while honoring the fact that her father is also creatively talented. While her primary creative outlet is acting, she is also a ceramicist.

She admitted that it is frustrating to be a celebrity child to Jack and not have the benefits that others receive. Tessa acknowledged that Hollywood is built on connections, and her father not acknowledging her has made her career more challenging.

However, the actor’s child wants to make it clear that she is talented enough to land the roles she yearns for without the scandal of her birth playing a role in that. She is already well on her way to securing the roles she wants.

Tessa always wanted to act and as a little girl, she dressed up as Orphan Annie, including the red wig which she refused to remove. She figured genetics played a role in her desire, but she also reckoned the idea of her father’s presence in her life also influenced her.

Her difficult childhood feelings played an advantage in her acting and she studied The Method with Tony Greco, her acting teacher. The lessons taught her how to express her “complex life experiences and relationships” when on the stage.

She used the character of Betty from the play “Middle of The Night” to process her relationship with her father. In February 2023, she was 28 and living in an East Village apartment. The abode also has a small art studio in the back where she works on different artworks.

One such item is a painting based on a picture taken of her as an infant, in her mother’s arms. Tessa has amassed a significant following on Instagram and followers have noticed how beautiful and talented she is. She once posted videos of herself on the platform, and her followers immediately began complimenting her.

One follower said they had watched the videos repeatedly and advised Tessa to consider acting. Another said they hoped Jack’s daughter will become a “mega superstar.” One other person simply remarked how pretty Tessa was.

She received similar comments on another photo she posted. Followers said she was beautiful, and one even said she looked like a goddess and that they were in love. Many other similar comments flood her posts. Luckily for Jack’s other children, he doted on them openly.

What Type of Father Is Jack to His Other Children?

Talking about how he spends his time with his children, Jack says he tries to be a good influence for his children without being overbearing. He wants his children to find out who they are on their own.

The actor said that he did things with his children that they might not enjoy, like going to the opera, because he knew that it would help them become well-rounded when they got older. He also shared that he read to them from the time they were children, as he believed it built a bond and helped them develop. His daughter, Jennifer, shared her feelings about her father, saying:

“I like being Jack Nicholson’s daughter, and I’m proud of him.”

While reading and the opera are essential activities to Jack and his children, he also likes to do things with them that err on the side of fun and games rather than culture. Usually, he does this by attending Los Angeles Lakers basketball games.

Jack has often been seen courtside at Lakers games, and his children join him at some of them. He is often seen with his daughter, Lorraine, and son, Ray, at the games. The star was last seen at a Lakers game with Ray in 2023.

The actor also includes his children in special Hollywood occasions, like in 2007, when Jack and his daughter dressed up and attended the Golden Globe Awards together, where they walked the red carpet.