"Nobody pushed him into being an actor": Dennis Quaid opens up on naming son, Jack, after a Hollywood legend 

The Parent Trap alum Dennis Quaid recently revealed the reason why he named his son ‘Jack’ after Hollywood legend, Jack Nicholsonin. While speaking to E! News journalist Francesca Amiker in an exclusive interview published on April 11, the actor revealed that his son was named so. Now, Jack Quaid is an actor himself who has starred in numerous films, including Running Wild.

Dennis Quaid shared how he and his wife, Meg Ryan, managed to find a name for their son. The story reportedly involved his brother, Randy, receiving his big break in Hollywood. Danny Quaid revealed that Randy was set to star in the film Missouri Breaks, and he accompanied his sibling. Speaking about the experience, Dennis said:

“So I drove my brother’s car up to Montana. My very first movie set, I’m watching these actors, my real heroes. We hung out at Jack Nicholson’s house every night. He and Randy were good friends.”

These interactions reportedly led to Dennis and Meg naming their son Jack Quaid. Speaking about how their child is now part of the entertainment industry, Dennis Quaid said:

“Nobody pushed him into being an actor. He was 4 years old, and he’s carrying around a video camera, making little movies, and he’s still doing that.”

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Jack Quaid’s acting credentials explored as Dennis Quaid opens up son entering Hollywood

Jack Henry Quaid made his acting debut after appearing in the 2012 cult-favorite The Hunger Games. Speaking about the same, his 70-year-old father revealed in the aforementioned interview that Jack was in his high school's drama department. Dennis Quaid also added that he did not want his son to be a child actor due to the pressure that came with it. Dennis then said:

“The next thing I know, his first movie is 'Hunger Games'. And the second thing he’s doing, he’s working with Martin Scorsese.”

Jack, now 31, played the role of Clark Morelle in the television series Vinyl, which was created by Mick Jagger, Rich Cohen, Terence Winter, and Martin Scorsese. The show follows the 1970s New York music scene. Richie Finestra, the fictional president and founder of American Century Records, attempts to make a place for himself in the changing atmosphere as his personal life is left in shambles.

Jack Quaid studied at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Once he entered Hollywood, he starred in numerous films and series, including Ithaca, Logan Lucky, Plus One, Batman: The Long Halloween: Part One, Scream, Oppenheimer, The Boys, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and The Ready Room, amongst others.

The actor has opened up about being the son of two industry specials in the past. He said in an interview with People magazine in January 2022 that he rarely asked his parents for advice on how to perform certain scenes. He also added that he felt grateful to have grown up in a family that understood his passion for acting. Jack said:

“I didn’t grow up in a house that didn’t quite understand what that meant or a house that would tell me, ‘Oh that probably isn’t the wisest choice, you should have a backup plan.’”

As Jack continues to make his mark in the film business, Dennis Quaid is promoting his upcoming film, The Long Game, which is expected to hit cinemas on April 12. The historical drama is an adaptation of the novel Mustang Miracle.