Matthew McConaughey and Jeff Bridges discuss David Wooderson and The Dude
Sometimes a character in a film is so iconic that the actor playing them are inevitably forever tied to them, indistinguishable even. Two such characters are David Wooderson in Dazed and Confused, played by Matthew McConaughey, and The Dude from The Big Lebowski, played by Jeff Bridges. The two legendary actors once sat down to discuss their highly-celebrated roles.
McConaughey opened the conversation, saying: “Iconic characters, dude. This is probably part of the reason I felt a kinship with you, as I played a character early on in my career, my first film, a guy named David Wooderson from Dazed and Confused. Wooderson and The Dude would have a nice walk around together or whatever they’d do, right.”
He then added that he doesn’t mind when people approach him in the street as though he were the real Wooderson and not just the actor that played him. “Some people come up to me and say the first line of the Dazed line, and I’ll say the second half back,” McConaughey said. “And they’re my favourite fans, but there are certain Wooderson fans who’ll just quote Wooderson to me.”
McConaughey asked Bridges about his most iconic character, The Dude from The Big Lebowski. McConaughey wondered whether, as with him and Wooderson, people ever came up and did The Dude quotes to him. Bridges replied, “I love that man; I’m such a fan of that movie; what a good movie. Whether I was in it or not, it would probably be one of my favourite movies. Any kind of recognition from that movie, I never get tired of it.”
Bridges also revealed that he has a band called The Abiders, taken from the iconic Dude line, “I abide. The dude abides, man.” In fact, one of Bridges’ favourite moments in life was when they performed at Lebowski Fest. “We showed up, and that was my Beatles moment, playing to a sea of Dudes and bowling pins,” Bridges said.
McConaughey was not overly surprised that Bridges not only enjoyed the recognition for his iconic role but actually embraced it. He commented: “I knew that was going to be your answer. That you were just going to go, ‘Oh, I love it. I’m proud of the movie; I embrace it. The band’s name’s The Abiders; we go and play at The Dude Fest.’ But that wouldn’t be everybody’s answer. There would be some people like, ‘Oh, I’m tired of them asking me to play my greatest hit. Would you please see me for what I’m trying to do now?'”
Bridges reiterated the fact that The Big Lebowski is so iconic that he could never really get bored of it. He concluded: “You look at that movie, and it’s just bold. I’ll be watching the TV, Lebowski will come on, and I’ll think, ‘I’ll just watch until [John] Turturro licks the ball, and I’ll move on’. But then I can’t stop because each scene is just candy, man. It’s just so good.”
