Veteran actor Nick Nolte, 85, made a rare public appearance on Tuesday, walking the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival for the premiere of Casey Affleck's new film, "Company."

This marks Nolte's first red carpet appearance in four years, with his last being at the 31st Philadelphia Film Festival in October 2022 for the premiere of "The Golden Voice." The 85-year-old's attendance at the Venice festival also coincides with the release of his second movie role of the year, "Crime 101," which premiered in February.

Nolte was joined at the festival by director Casey Affleck, "Company" co-stars Emily Alyn Lind, Scoot McNairy, Adelaide Clemens, and Affleck's girlfriend Caylee Cowan, as well as Nolte's son, Indiana.

During a press conference for the film, Nolte shared his approach to preparing for roles. "It's preparation, it's the amount of time. You get the story, and then I started to prepare for it," Nolte said, as reported by People. "And if you're lucky, the timing of your preparation matches the shooting schedule, and you hit moments that you didn't know if you could conjure them up if they are not."

Nolte described Affleck, 51, as a "good director" who fostered a supportive environment. "He doesn't try to push a performance out of you. Instead, he coaxes it along and works with you to figure out a way to play," Nolte stated.

Affleck, in turn, praised Nolte's ability to access deep emotional states quickly, calling it a skill honed over a "lifetime of doing it — and doing it well." Affleck added that upon Nolte's arrival on set, the cast and crew were excited to witness his process. "Nobody was disappointed because every take... there was not a wasted take, and trying to pick which one to use was really the only difficulty," Affleck commented.

Nolte, who was named People's Sexiest Man Alive in 1992, has largely remained out of the public eye in recent years. His recent acting credits include "Die My Love," released in 2025, and an appearance in an episode of "Poker Face" in 2023. Prior to the Venice Film Festival, the actor was last seen publicly in July 2025, alongside actor Josh Brolin, and also pictured buying groceries in Malibu in July 2024.