Jeff Bridges issues health update after cancer battle
As an actor who always projects a constant air of positivity, Jeff Bridges holding an optimistic perspective on his recent battles with cancer is nothing out of the ordinary.
Having spent over half a century as a recurring feature on the big screen, winning an Academy Award from seven nominations along the way after scooping ‘Best Actor’ for musical drama Crazy Heart, the veteran sought to stretch his wings by becoming the latest major name to take their talents to television.
Despite making his screen debut in 1951, Bridges had never played a leading role on TV until he signed on for espionage thriller The Old Man. In fact, only twice had he ever appeared in more than one episode of the same series, the last time was in 1963, and it was in his father’s anthology effort The Lloyd Bridges Show.
However, the production schedule was far from plain sailing, with shooting shut down in March 2020 after the pandemic ground the entire planet to a standstill. There were only three episodes left to film when The Old Man was given the all-clear, before Bridges was forced to withdraw after being diagnosed with lymphoma.
Although cameras continued rolling in his absence, Bridges underwent cancer treatment before announcing in September 2021 that he was in remission. In February 2022, The Old Man finally called it a wrap, premiered in June of that year, and earned the leading man a Golden Globe nomination for ‘Best Actor in a Drama Series’.
Having admitted that he was nearing death’s door during his initial illness, the actor revealed last year his tumour had been reduced to “the size of a marble.” During an appearance at the 49th Chaplin Award Gala at Lincoln Center, where he was being honoured, Bridges issued a health update to Page Six, sharing how his health is currently “great”.
Even though it could have realistically killed him, the ever-upbeat Bridges described his cancer battle as a “learning experience,” albeit one he’s thankful to have put in the rear-view mirror. “It’s amazing the way the mind can forget all that stuff,” he said. “I don’t think too much about the past.”
With a second season of The Old Man on the way, Bridges has also very recently lined up his first role in a movie since 2018’s Bad Times at the El Royale, with the star set to return as Kevin Flynn in the upcoming sci-fi sequel Tron: Ares.
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