More recently, Anspach was in the news because of an ongoing dispute with actor Jack Nicholson. The two purportedly engaged in an off-screen romance and Anspach has maintained that her son Caleb was fathered by Nicholson, a claim which the actor reportedly acknowledged privately. It was when the matter became public thanks in part to a letter Anspach wrote to VANITY FAIR magazine in 1994 responding to a profile of Nicholson. Shortly thereafter, she claimed that the actor, who had loaned her money, demanded repayment. Her response was to take legal action. The case eventually was settled with Anspach retaining her home.