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'Old Man' inspires Jeff Bridges to revisit 'Starman,' 'Lebowski' roles
By Fred Topel,
1 days ago
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Jeff Bridges said returning for Season 2 of his FX series The Old Man , premiering Thursday at 10 p.m. EDT on FX and streaming on Hulu, reminded him of movie characters he'd enjoy playing again.
Jeff Bridges said he can relate to his character in "The Old Man" at age 74. Photo courtesy of FX
Bridges, 74, plays retired CIA agent Dan Chase, who goes back into action to rescue his daughter (Alia Shawkat), with the help of FBI Assistant Director Harold Harper (John Lithgow).
The Oscar-winner for Crazy Heart and star of films from The Last Picture Show to Hell or High Water said he has two roles he'd be interested in following up.
" Starman, because Karen Allen is holding my baby," Bridges told reporters of the Television Critics Association in Pasadena, Calif. "The same goes for The Dude in The Big Lebowski ."
In Starman , Bridges played an alien who leaves a widow (Allen) pregnant before returning home. In The Big Lebowski , a femme fatale (Julianne Moore) sleeps with his character to conceive a baby.
Jeff Bridges stars in "The Old Man." File Photo by Serena Xu Ning/UPI
He will play video game creator Kevin Flynn a third time in the upcoming Tron: Ares , but says Jared Leto is taking over the sci-fi franchise as the lead.
Jeff Bridges, seen with wife Susan Geston, stars in "The Old Man." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
"It's so wild with Jared Leto, who's the star of the show," Bridges said. "I brought my original helmet from Tron , which is kind of a reworked hockey helmet, and I presented it to him, passing the torch."
Bridges said even playing Chase in a second season is different from a movie sequel. A movie, be it original or a sequel, is finite, he said..
From left to right, Artur Zai Barrera, Jef Bridges and John Lithgow star in "The Old Man." Photo courtesy of FX
"Making a movie, you get a beginning, middle and an end," Bridges said. "In a show like this, I don't know what's going to happen, just like you guys."
Bridges referenced another movie role when describing how he prepares for the role of Chase, saying that playing the aging agent is as natural as playing sibling pianists with his real-life brother, Beau, in The Fabulous Baker Boys.
Jeff Bridges, seen with wife Susan Geston, said their daughter's wedding motivated him to recover from chemotherapy and COVID-19. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
"If it was another actor, I'd say, 'How do we show that we're brothers here?'" Bridges said. "Because we are brothers, we could just relax about it, and the same goes for this show. I'm an old man, I don't have to play it."
Bridges said former CIA operative Christopher Huttleston is the show's consultant and helps him with the aspects of the show related to the agency.
Jeff Bridges said it's exciting not knowing where "The Old Man" story is going. Photo courtesy of FX
Coming from a show business family, Bridges said he has observed the evolution of television. His father, Lloyd, starred on shows like Sea Hunt and The Lloyd Bridges Show , and Bridges recalls it being difficult for his father.
"I saw how he struggled with the time that was not as much time as he needed and the quality wasn't the same as making movies, but that's all changed now," Bridges said. "I don't see any difference, except you don't know where the story's going, which is fascinating."
"In the first season, when I was doing these fight scenes, I had a 9-inch-by-12-inch tumor in my body, in my stomach, that didn't hurt at all," Bridges said. "I'm feeling great now."
Bridges' recovery was further complicated by contracting COVID-19 . He said he mounted his recovery step by step, first building his stamina to stand up and walk.
The 2022 wedding of Bridges' daughter, Hailey, provided further motivation.
"I said, 'Oh, do you think I could walk her down the aisle?'" Bridges said. "I danced with her and quickly took my seat and got my oxygen in."
Bridges worked privately with a trainer and credited The Old Man stunt coordinators, Tim Connolly and Thomas DuPont, with helping with the show's physical demands.
"There's still kind of a kid quality in me," Bridges said, describing the joy he gets "on the horse and stuff and how you just tumble and have fun."
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