Jack Nicholson’s Outrageous Censored Line in As Good As It Gets
Jack Nicholson opened up about a risqué line that was cut from 'As Good As It Gets,' admitting the filmmakers made the right decision to leave it out.
Few actors in Hollywood have ever matched Jack Nicholson’s reputation for pushing boundaries, both on and off the screen. Known for his bold choices and refusal to play it safe, Nicholson has always been the kind of star who rarely hears the word ‘no.’ But even he had to concede that one of his more provocative ideas went a step too far, and he actually agreed with the decision to leave it on the cutting room floor.
Throughout his career, Nicholson became infamous for his unpredictable antics during filming. He often insisted on adding risqué props to his scenes, sometimes catching his co-stars completely off guard. Matt Damon, for instance, was stunned when Nicholson unexpectedly pulled out a sex toy during a semi-improvised moment in The Departed. This wasn’t a one-off; director Bob Rafelson once recalled Nicholson’s blunt demand before shooting a scene in The Postman Always Rings Twice: “Get me a dildo.”
On-Set Antics and Nicholson’s Unfiltered Humor
His penchant for shock value didn’t stop there. While preparing for a love scene with Ellen Barkin in Man Trouble, Nicholson made sure his prop of choice was ready. “I’ve got my dildo this time,” he announced gleefully, even threatening, half-jokingly, to “kill everyone involved” if it was edited out. The prop stayed in, but to his disappointment, “nobody noticed the fucking thing.”
Given this history, it’s surprising that a line he suggested for As Good As It Gets was considered too much. In an interview, Nicholson explained that his co-star Helen Hunt once asked him to say something off-camera to help her laugh during a scene.
“She asked me in one spot where she had to laugh in the picture to say something offscreen when we got to that point; when we got there, I just said, ‘Tits’. And she went higher than a kite.”
The Censored Line That Crossed the Line
In the film ’s final scene, Nicholson’s character Melvin and Hunt’s Carol share a sweet moment at a bakery. The original script kept things wholesome, but Nicholson had a different idea for the ending.
“I also wanted another ending for the picture, and she agreed,” he explained. “I hope Jim doesn’t shoot me for saying this. When they walk to the bakery, I wanted to turn to Helen and say, ‘Warm rolls’. And she would say, ‘Wet pants’. Of course, they correctly censored me on that, but I mean, she liked it. They were looking for unpredictability, and I thought that would cover it.”
Ultimately, the filmmakers decided against Nicholson’s suggestion, opting for a more traditional conclusion. Even Nicholson admitted it was the right call, as the line would have been a jarring and awkward way to wrap up the story. The moment remains a fascinating glimpse into the actor ’s wild creative process and his willingness to test the limits of what’s acceptable on screen.