In the long history of unforgettable Oscar moments, few feel as spontaneous, charming, and endlessly rewatchable as the night Jack Nicholson unexpectedly hijacked Jennifer Lawrence’s post-Oscar interview. The encounter, which took place on February 24, 2013, moments after the 85th Academy Awards, perfectly captured a passing-of-the-torch moment between old Hollywood royalty and a newly crowned star.
At just 22 years old, Lawrence had just won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook, directed by David O. Russell. Still buzzing from the shock of her win—and only minutes removed from her now-iconic stumble on the Oscars staircase—Lawrence was speaking with George Stephanopoulos for Good Morning America when the moment unfolded.
Out of nowhere, Nicholson leaned into the camera frame from the audience with his unmistakable grin and congratulated Lawrence on her performance. The crowd immediately erupted. Lawrence, mid-sentence, froze—her polished awards-season composure instantly replaced by wide-eyed disbelief. What followed was a masterclass in unscripted banter.
When Nicholson apologized for “crashing” the interview, Lawrence fired back with mock indignation: “Yeah, you’re being really rude!” As Nicholson began to retreat, he casually dropped a classic line: “You look like an old girlfriend of mine.” Without missing a beat, Lawrence shot back, “Oh, really? Do I look like a new girlfriend?” The audience roared.
Just when it seemed the moment was over, Lawrence buried her face in her hands, whispering in disbelief, “Is he still there?” Right on cue, Nicholson reappeared one last time and delivered the now-legendary whisper: “I’ll be waiting!” Lawrence collapsed into laughter and shock, the interview effectively—and delightfully—derailed.
The clip quickly became one of the most viral Oscar moments of all time, amassing more than 23 million views on YouTube by 2026. It also cemented Lawrence’s public persona: an Oscar winner who remained refreshingly human, unfiltered, and openly starstruck in the presence of a legend.
The story didn’t end there. Later that year, Lawrence revealed that Nicholson followed up by sending her a bottle of Cristal champagne, a bouquet of flowers, and a handwritten note that read, “Missing you already.” For Lawrence, the interaction marked the moment she truly felt she had arrived in Hollywood.
In hindsight, the exchange carries even more weight. As of 2026, it stands as one of Nicholson’s last major unscripted public moments at the Oscars before he quietly stepped away from the spotlight. For fans, it remains a joyful collision of eras—proof that sometimes the most memorable Hollywood magic isn’t rehearsed, written, or planned.
As Lawrence later said, pointing toward where Nicholson had disappeared that night: “That’s what I’m going to remember about tonight. That.”