'Heartsick' Jack Nicholson 'Crushed' by Diane Keaton's Death, Now 'Fears He Could Be Next'

Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson has become a famously reclusive figure, but the devastating news of Diane Keaton's death has reportedly shattered his isolation. The 88-year-old icon is said to be heartsick over the loss of his 79-year-old friend and former co-star, an event that has left him confronting his own mortality.

Friends reportedly fear for The Shining star, who is now struggling with the fact that he never had the chance to say goodbye to one of his closest confidantes.

An insider tells GLOBE: 'He's stunned and very cut up over her passing, it feels like he's lost a sister.' The loss is said to be a profound emotional blow for the ageing star, who has retreated almost entirely from the public eye.

How Jack Nicholson Is Mourning a 'Sister'

The bond between the two stars was forged over decades. They first co-starred in the 1981 historical drama Reds, but it was their reunion for the 2003 smash hit Something's Gotta Give where their friendship truly solidified.

That film holds a special place in Nicholson's life. 'It was one of Jack's last big hurrahs in Hollywood before he went into full-blown retirement,' a tipster explained.

Their connection wasn't just for the cameras. The source noted: 'He couldn't have asked for a better experience than working with her. They also spent a good amount of time together off set. He would confide in her and vice versa.'

This deep, personal connection endured long after the cameras stopped rolling. The spy says that Keaton was one of the very few people in Nicholson's insular world whom he felt he could 'fully open up to.' Their friendship was a rare constant for years, making her sudden absence all the more jarring for the Hollywood icon.

Jack Nicholson Confronts a 'Painful Reality'

With Keaton's passing, sources claim a 'real fear' has set in that Jack may not have much time left either. This loss has reportedly forced him to look into the abyss of his own mortality.

Nicholson has been an increasing recluse since his retirement from acting in 2010. He repeatedly turns down offers for a comeback and rarely socialises. He seldom ventures out of his home in the Hollywood Hills, a fact which has only fuelled fears that he is suffering from a serious illness, such as obesity or dementia.

These fears were amplified in 2023 when, in a rare sighting, photographers captured the legendary actor looking 'bedraggled and out of sorts' while gazing into space from the balcony of his luxury mansion. The images sparked a fresh wave of concern over his well-being.

'Jack has led an incredible life and a lot of people would agree he's pretty lucky to still be around after all the partying he did in his hey-day,' notes an insider. But that long life now comes with a heavy price.

'Sadly, he's at an age now where a lot of his friends and contemporaries are passing away, and that's a very painful reality for him to be dealing with,' the tipster says. 'He's a fighter, but at the end of the day he's only human.'