Jeff Bridges has always been The Dude.
After launching his acting career in the 1970s, he’s been nominated for an Oscar seven times.
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But he’s not a one-trick pony, either, as he’s also a photographer and musician. He also possesses a huge fortitude, which will help the actor through his recent cancer diagnosis.
Come learn more about him here.
1. He recently announced that he has lymphoma.
The actor made the announcement via his Twitter account on Monday, October 19. He even started it with a reference with The Big Lebowski .
“As the Dude would say… New [expletive] has come to light,” he tweeted.
“I have been diagnosed with lymphoma,” he wrote.
“Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good.”
After receiving an outpouring of support, he issued out a follow-up tweet, thanking fans.
2. He comes from a famous family.
Bridges spent most of his childhood on set since he was born to actors, Lloyd and Dorothy Bridges .
He even had his first role as a baby, playing Jane Greer’s son in 1951’s The Company She Keeps .
3. He didn’t originally want to be an actor.
While his father encouraged Bridges and his siblings to join showbiz, Bridges was hesitant.
“Like most kids, you don’t want to do what your folks want you to do,” he told Morning Edition . “You’ve got your own thing.”
4. He’s a country music singer.
He got the idea to release a country music album after playing a country singer named Bad Blake in the 2009 film, Crazy Heart .
He even recorded the album with some of the people who helped him portray a musician on-screen.
His first album was called Jeff Bridges.
“The wonderful thing about acting,” Bridges told Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep, “is that you can use all of your talents and interests in your work.
6. He’s commited to helping children.
“Our children are our future, and it’s up to me – and to all of us – to make sure we prepare them to be productive citizens and thrive in our communities,” he said in an article he wrote for CNN.
In 1983, he founded the End Hunger Network, an organization that feeds starving children.
Then, in 2010 he became the national spokesperson for the No Kid Hungry organization, which aims to feed hungry children in the US.
7. He served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve.
By doing so, he followed in his brother and father’s footsteps. Bridges served as a Boatswain’s mate between 1967 and 1975.
“You return from the watch at about 4 a.m. and get dressed in your wool suit and go up there—that was a pretty terrible living condition,” he told Military.com .
But in the end, it was still worth it to him.
“But, again, all the tough times make great memories when you look back. Like, I’m glad it’s in the rearview mirror.”
He left in the end to take his parents advice and become an actor.
8. He’s an Oscar-winning actor.
Yep. The Dude is for real. Bridges has been nominated for seven Oscars since 1972.
He was nominated for his first Oscar in The Last Picture Show . But his first Oscar win came with his role in Crazy Heart .
9. He’s been married to his wife, Susan Geston, since 1977.
The pair met on the set of Rancho Deluxe in 1975.
“I knew I was madly in love with my wife the minute I saw her,” Jeff told Conan O’Brien on his late-night show.
Although he was terrified of marriage at first, he knew he had to marry her.
“I said, ‘Oh God, I can’t let this woman go,'” Jeff told OWN .
The pair wed in 1977 and have been going strong ever since. Today, they have three daughters, together: Isabelle, Jessica, and Haley.
10. His house was wiped out in a violent mudslide in California.
“I had a first-hand experience of climate change,” he told The Independant about losing his California house to the mudslide that killed 21 people.
“It brings it home. It makes the whole situation stand out.”
The experience propelled him to get involved with advocating for the environment.
He co-produced and narrated a documentary about environmental challenges, Living in the Future’s Past .
“I love the Earth,” he said , “and I want to make it a beautiful place, not only for myself but for my kids, my grandkids, you know, the future.
11. He’s a photographer.
In 2003, he released his first book of photographs, titled Pictures in 2003. It contained behind-the-scenes photographs from movie sets over 30 years.
His second book, Pictures Volume Two , was released in 2019.
12. He would reprise his role as The Dude in *The Big Lebowski* if it was offered.
“Yeah, it might be fun playing a little cameo as The Dude,” he told Business Insider .
“It might be good. But I’m hoping they will make a little Lebowski [sequel] because it’s all set up.”
He even has a storyline in mind: “I impregnated Maude, you know. As The Stranger says, there’s a little Lebowski on the way, you know?”
“If the Coen brothers called me, I would have to consider that seriously, sure,” he added.
