Nick Nolte at age 77: Iconic Hollywood hunk now rocks a thick Santa Claus beard

Nick Nolte is pulling a Letterman.

The Hollywood heartthrob, now 77, has now taken to masking much of his face with an overgrown Santa-esque beard and matching mustache.

First, take a look at the star back in the '70s and '80s. The then-blonde hunk had every woman's pulse racing (and surely many men as well) as he rose to fame, eventually landing a coveted Golden Globe for Best Actor for "The Prince of Tides," for which he was also nominated for an Oscar.

Nolte's career has continued to flourish through the years, even during personal turmoil. His first major brush with the law was in the 1960s, when he was arrested for selling counterfeit documents and received a 45-year prison sentence. (The sentence was suspended.) Decades later, he would run into more legal trouble in 2002 when driving under the influence of drug GHB, better known as the "date rape drug."

Despite that drama, his career is currently at new highs: Nolte was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2017 for his role in "Graves," and his newest film is due out later this year. Plus, once a Sexiest Man Alive, always a Sexiest Man Alive!

Take a look at his recent transformation: