An Estranged Relationship
Jack Nicholson is well known to be a ladies’ man, so it’s no surprise that he has fathered several children with multiple women. Tessa Gourin was born to Jack and Jennine Gourin, but she grew up without her dad, which was how he wanted it.
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“My mom wanted both him and I to have a relationship, but he wasn’t interested,” Tessa explained. His decision made her mother advise her not to tell anyone she had a famous dad.
“Simply Collateral Damage”
Although she didn’t grow up poor and even attended reputable private schools made possible by her father, she still felt neglected. “I kind of compared my life to the Orphan Annie’s,” she said. Jack has not recognized her publicly, and she thinks the problem tracks back to her parents’ relationship.
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“He is complicated, and my mom has her own baggage. I was simply collateral damage with the combination of the two of them.”
The Nepotism Card
In an essay, Tessa wrote about her life and discussed how upsetting it is whenever she’s described as Jack’s illegitimate daughter or his “alleged” child. She also discussed “nepo-babies,” saying she felt frustrated when other celebrity children got their desired spot easily instead of working for it without playing the nepotism card.
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Tessa has wanted to act since she was little, but her mom advised against it, fearing that Tessa’s father’s position in the industry would cause her daughter to be blacklisted.
A Driving Force
“I respect Jack Nicholson as an actor. I wouldn’t be a true artist if I discredited Jack’s acting. Being a great father and making good art are two different things,” Tessa said.
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She said she wouldn’t let the unlucky card she was dealt destroy her. She explained that every outstanding artist lets the hardship and issues in their lives push them forward. That is what she plans to do with hers.