Jeff Bridges Opens Up About His Battle With Two Deadly Illnesses

On January 15, 2023, Jeff received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles. He dedicated the award, presented by his dear friend and co-star John Goodman, to his late father, Lloyd Bridges.

The Hollywood icon appreciated his family members, who he revealed were supportive. However, the overwhelming honor caused Jeff to forget to touch on something that had affected his life in the past few years.

Thankfully, ET caught up with the actor in a press room backstage, and Jeff could speak more freely about the issues on his mind. During the interview, the Big Lebowski opened up about his tough battle with two serious illnesses that could have claimed his life.

Jeff told the outlet he battled with cancer and COVID-19 for two years. According to the actor, it was a very dark time in his life, and he was convinced he wouldn't make it, let alone return to the big screen.

However, Jeff said he had his family, who never left his side. The actor confessed that they supported him, which gave him enough strength to fight and return to filming The Old Man, which he had begun before the pandemic and lymphoma diagnosis.

Jeff described the period of his terrible battle as a "two-year long weekend." According to him, when he returned to work, he would always tell his colleague that the whole experience didn't seem real.

To the actor, it seemed like he had the weirdest dream, where he was in the hospital. However, the support he received from his colleagues, Amy Brennaman and John Lithgow, was what he needed.

Jeff said he was grateful, adding that The Old Man was terrific. The Hollywood icon also shared his excitement about filming another season of the series in March 2023.

Fans can stream Season 1 of The Old Man on Hulu. The show's second season is yet to be released but is expected to premiere sometime next year. After its release, season Two is also expected to be available for streaming via Hulu.