The Chilling Homage: How Ray Nicholson’s Role In Smile 2 Channels His Father’s Iconic Horror Madness

The highly anticipated horror sequel, Smile 2, has officially landed, and one performance is drawing immediate and intense comparisons to a horror legend. As of this current date, December 11, 2025, the buzz surrounding Ray Nicholson's supporting role is not just about his striking resemblance to his famous father, Jack Nicholson, but a deliberate cinematic choice by director Parker Finn to pay a chilling, meta-horror homage to *The Shining*.

The film, which follows a pop superstar's descent into the "smiley contagion," cleverly uses the younger Nicholson to channel the very specific, unsettling madness that defined one of the genre's most iconic performances, making his brief but pivotal screen time one of the most talked-about elements of the 2024 supernatural psychological horror release.

Ray Nicholson: A Brief Biography and Filmography Profile

Ray Nicholson is an American actor carving out his own career path, though his lineage in Hollywood is undeniable. His role in *Smile 2* has brought his name to the forefront of the horror conversation, highlighting his ability to convey a deeply unsettling presence on screen.

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• Full Name: Raymond Broussard Nicholson
• Date of Birth: February 20, 1992
• Age (as of 2025): 33 years old
• Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
• Parents: Jack Nicholson (Actor) and Rebecca Broussard (Actress)
• Siblings: Lorraine Nicholson (Sister)
• Notable Film Roles: *Promising Young Woman* (2020), *Licorice Pizza* (2021), *The Benchwarmers* (2006)
• Other Work: Has also worked in the film industry as an assistant director for projects like *A Reunion* and *Boots*.
• Role in *Smile 2*: Paul Hudson, a character whose unsettling appearance is a key plot point.

The Chilling Connection: Paul Hudson, The Shining, and Jack Torrance

The core of the excitement around Ray Nicholson's casting lies in its intentionality. Director Parker Finn, who also wrote and directed the 2022 sleeper hit *Smile*, confirmed that casting Jack Nicholson's son was a direct and deliberate homage to Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic, *The Shining*.

A Family Resemblance with a Sinister Twist

In *Smile 2*, Ray Nicholson plays Paul Hudson, a character whose interaction with the new protagonist, pop superstar Skye Riley (played by Naomi Scott), is crucial to the plot. The film’s antagonist is a malevolent entity that manifests as victims with a grotesquely wide, unsettling smile, a phenomenon the cast and crew refer to as the "smiley contagion."

When Ray Nicholson’s character appears, his features—especially his unsettling, wide-mouthed grin—are designed to evoke the iconic, manic appearance of his father, Jack Nicholson, as the deranged writer Jack Torrance in *The Shining*.

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Finn reportedly cast Ray Nicholson due to the younger actor's striking resemblance to his father and his ability to channel a similar brand of on-screen madness. This decision allows *Smile 2* to tap into a deep vein of horror history, using the family connection to amplify the sequel's psychological terror.

The visual parallel is a brilliant piece of meta-horror filmmaking. By having the son of the original "smiling" madman deliver a similar, chilling expression, the film adds a layer of intertextual dread. It’s a nod that savvy horror fans immediately recognize, elevating a simple supporting role into a significant Easter egg and a tribute to one of horror’s greatest films.

Smile 2’s New Victim: The Pop Star and the World Tour

While the Ray Nicholson connection is a major talking point, the main narrative of *Smile 2* shifts the curse from the clinical setting of the first film to the high-pressure world of a global celebrity.

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The Plot of the Supernatural Sequel

The sequel, which premiered in October 2024, centers on Skye Riley, an international pop sensation on the brink of launching a massive, sold-out world tour. Skye’s life is meticulously managed by her mother/manager, Elizabeth Riley (Rosemarie DeWitt), and she is surrounded by a demanding entourage.

The film begins with the fallout from the first movie, addressing the fate of police officer Joel (Kyle Gallner), who was cursed in the 2022 installment. The demonic entity, which feeds on trauma and spreads through witnessing a horrifying suicide, finds its way to Skye after a disturbing encounter with a drug-addicted man who has been infected.

The curse now has a new, high-profile host, and its playground is the global stage. As the entity begins to torment Skye with increasingly disturbing and escalating hallucinations, the pressure of her impending world tour and the intense media scrutiny threaten to push her into a public, catastrophic breakdown. The stakes are higher than ever, as a pop star's public demise could potentially spread the "smiley contagion" to millions.

The Stellar Supporting Cast and Parker Finn’s Vision

In addition to Naomi Scott and Ray Nicholson, the cast includes Lukas Gage as Lewis Frigoli, Skye’s former friend, and Dylan Gelula. Director Parker Finn returns, proving once again his adeptness at crafting a stylish, psychological chiller that builds on the foundation of the original while resisting the temptation to simply repeat the same formula.

Finn’s directing style, which has been compared to modern masters like James Wan, relies on building a creeping sense of dread and utilizing practical effects to make the horror feel visceral and immediate. The sequel maintains the intense, unsettling atmosphere that made *Smile* a box office success, while expanding the lore of the entity and exploring new themes of celebrity, isolation, and the viral nature of public trauma.

Why Ray Nicholson’s Role is More Than a Cameo

While Ray Nicholson's screen time as Paul Hudson may be limited, his character is more than just a passing entity. His inclusion serves as the ultimate meta-commentary on the horror genre itself and the burden of a cinematic legacy.

The deliberate homage to Jack Torrance is a stroke of genius that elevates *Smile 2* beyond a typical horror sequel. It ties the modern, viral-based terror of the "smiley contagion" to the classic, psychological horror of *The Shining*, suggesting that certain forms of madness and cinematic fear are timeless and, perhaps, hereditary. By channeling his father's iconic performance, Ray Nicholson not only delivers a chilling moment but also confirms his place as a rising talent capable of handling complex, unsettling roles. The film’s success ensures that both the *Smile* franchise and the younger Nicholson's career will continue to be a major focus in the horror landscape for years to come.