Nicholas King Nolte (/ˈnoʊlti/; born February 8, 1941) is an American actor renowned for his leading man roles in dramas and romances. He first rose to fame for his role in the ABC miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man (1976), which also earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. He then bagged the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for The Prince of Tides (1991), and received three Academy Award nominations for The Prince of Tides (1991), Affliction (1998), and Warrior (2011). Other notable films of Nolte include The Deep (1977), Who'll Stop the Rain (1978), North Dallas Forty (1979), 48 Hrs. (1982), Under Fire (1983), Teachers (1984), and Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), among others. Nolte has also made significant contributions in the television industry, including his work in the HBO series Luck (2011–2012), the Fox miniseries Gracepoint (2014), the Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019) and Peacock crime drama Poker Face (2023). From 2016 to 2017, he portrayed President Richard Graves in the Epix series Graves, which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy

Born in Omaha, Nebraska on February 8, 1941, Nolte began his acting career by working in regional theater after having his studies terminated due to poor grades. His career got a significant boost when he became a model in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He has received widespread acclaim for playing a wide variety of characters showcasing his trademark athleticism and gravelly voice throughout his career. Despite his 'bad-boy reputation' and personal challenges with substance abuse, Nolte's undeterred commitment to his craft led to numerous significant contributions to cinema and television.