When I refer to a particular action that took place in the passed, but the notion is still true in the present, how do I properly write the following sentence ? And why. Ex: The first time someone told Robert he " looked or looks "? Like Nick Note , it offended him. I'm tempted to write " looks " because he still looks like him, nonetheless, I understand the action took place in the passed, hence it confuses me. Thank you.

'told' is Past Tense, but 'looking like Nick Nolte' was true then, and is still true today, as you speak these words.

Hence, "…told Robert he looks like…"