9 Milestones in the Evolution of Nick Nolte

The Prince of Tides (1991)

Five years later, Nolte would find himself in his most critically celebrated character (and title) yet in the Barbra Streisand-directed romantic drama The Prince of Tides. He stars as an unemployed, unhappy football coach who falls in love with the one person who can bring him joy in his time of despair -- his sister's therapist (Streisand). For this role (which he almost lost to Kevin Costner), Nolte won a Golden Globe for Best Actor and earned his first Oscar nomination, only to lose to Anthony Hopkins for The Silence of the Lambs.

Affliction (1997)

After a string of critical misses including Blue Chips, I Love Trouble (the Julia Roberts rom-com that he called the "worst film of his career;" Julia Roberts in turn called Nolte the worst actor she had ever worked with) and U Turn, Nick Nolte found success (and the only executive producer credit of his career) in Paul Schrader's devastating drama Affliction. Playing another blustery, personal crisis-stricken character -- this time around as small-town policeman Wade Whitehouse -- Nolte unravels mentally while investigating a hunting death in his economically depressed town and his anguished psyche. This would also mark the onscreen reunion between Nolte and his Heart Beat co-star Sissy Spacek. For what critics called "the performance of his career," Nolte earned his second Oscar nomination.

For that amazing (and sadly, unembeddable) toothache scene, click here.

That Infamous Mugshot (2002)

Was it so surprising that a man who could beautifully portray such broken characters onscreen had his own fractured personal life? Not really, but the harried mug shot that was made public in 2002 after the actor had been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving was shocking and became the butt of many late night jokes. Later, tests would show that Nolte was under the influence of GHB at the time of his arrest. The actor checked himself into a Connecticut hospital for counseling but would have to prove that he had recovered from abuse and addiction to reclaim his career.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

With the help of powerful supporting roles in Clean, Peaceful Warrior and especially Hotel Rwanda, Nolte was able to regain his career footing post-scandal. In Terry George's 2004 drama, Nolte co-starred as a Canadian colonel whose requests for intervention are ignored by the United Nations. The preciseness of this performance earned the actor, once again, critical praise.

Warrior (2011)

In his latest role, Nick Nolte again battles his demons onscreen, this time in Gavin O'Connor's tale of a father who desperately seeks forgiveness from his dueling MMA fighter sons. It is the kind of heartbreaking, multilayered performance we've grown to expect from Nolte after three decades of subtle, emotionally complex roles.

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