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Jeffrey Leon Bridges was born on December 4, 1949 in Los Angeles, California, the son of well-known film and TV star Lloyd Bridges and his long-time wife Dorothy Dean Bridges(née Simpson). He grew up amid the happening Hollywood scene with big brother Beau Bridges. Both boys popped up, without billing, alongside their mother in the film Libertad bajo palabra (1951), and appeared on occasion with their famous dad on his popular underwater TV series Investigador submarino (1958) while growing up. At age 14, Jeff toured with his father in a stage production of "Anniversary Waltz". The "troublesome teen" years proved just that for Jeff and his parents were compelled at one point to intervene when problems with drugs and marijuana got out of hand.He recovered and began shaping his nascent young adult career appearing on TV as a younger version of his father in the acclaimed TV-movie Silent Night, Lonely Night (1969), and in the strange Burgess Meredith film El tercer ojo (1970). Following fine notices for his portrayal of a white student caught up in the racially-themed Odio en las aulas (1970), his career-maker arrived just a year later when he earned a coming-of-age role in the critically-acclaimed ensemble film La última película (1971). The Peter Bogdanovich- directed film made stars out off its young leads (Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, Cybill Shepherd) and Oscar winners out of its older cast (Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman). The part of Duane Jackson, for which Jeff received his first Oscar-nomination (for "best supporting actor"), set the tone for the types of roles Jeff would acquaint himself with his fans -- rambling, reckless, rascally and usually unpredictable).
Owning a casual carefree handsomeness and armed with a perpetual grin and sly charm, he started immediately on an intriguing 70s sojourn into offbeat filming. Chief among them were his boxer on his way up opposite a declining Stacy Keach in Fat City, ciudad dorada (1972); his Civil War-era conman in the western Pistoleros en el infierno (1972); his redneck stock car racer in El último héroe americano (1973); his young student anarchist opposite a stellar veteran cast in Eugene O'Neill's El repartidor de hielo (1973); his bank-robbing (also Oscar-nominated) sidekick to Clint Eastwood in Un botín de 500.000 dólares (1974); his aimless cattle rustler in Vidas sin barreras (1975); his low-level western writer who wants to be a real-life cowboy in Hearts of the West (1975); and his brother of an assassinated President who pursues leads to the crime in Muertes de invierno (1979). All are simply marvelous characters that should have propelled him to the very top rungs of stardom...but strangely didn't.
Perhaps it was his trademark ease and naturalistic approach that made him somewhat under appreciated at that time when Hollywood was run by a Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino-like intensity. Neverthless, Jeff continued to be a scene-stealing favorite into the next decade, notably as the video game programmer in the 1982 science-fiction cult classic Tron (1982), and the struggling musician brother vying with brother Beau Bridges over the attentions of sexy singer Michelle Pfeiffer in Los fabulosos Baker Boys (1989). Jeff became a third-time Oscar nominee with his highly intriguing (and strangely sexy) portrayal of a blank-faced alien in Starman. El hombre de las estrellas (1984), and earned even higher regard as the ever-optimistic inventor Preston Tucker in Tucker, un hombre y su sueño (1988).
Since then Jeff has continued to pour on the Bridges magic on film. Few enjoy such an enduring popularity while maintaining equal respect with the critics. El rey pescador(1991), Corazón roto (1992), Sin miedo a la vida (1993), El gran Lebowski (1998) (now a cult phenomenon) and Candidata al poder (2000) (which gave him a fourth Oscar nomination) are prime examples. More recently he seized the moment as a bald-pated villain as Robert Downey Jr.'s nemesis in Iron Man (2008) and then, at age 60, he capped his rewarding career by winning the elusive Oscar, plus the Golden Globe and Screen Actor Guild awards (among many others), for his down-and-out country singer Bad Blake in Corazón rebelde (2009). Bridges next starred in Tron: Legacy (2010), reprising one of his more famous roles, and received another Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role in the Western remake Valor de ley (2010). In 2014, he co-produced and starred in an adaptation of the Lois Lowry science fiction drama The Giver (2014).
Jeff has been married since 1977 to non-professional Susan Geston (they met on the set of Vidas sin barreras (1975)). The couple have three daughters, Isabelle (born 1981), Jessica (born 1983), and Hayley (born 1985). He hobbies as a photographer on and off his film sets, and has been known to play around as a cartoonist and pop musician. His ancestry is English, as well as some Irish and Swiss-German. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net
Trade Mark
Gregarious demeanorOften plays very relaxed and mellow characters
Regularly has played "everyman" type roles up against considerable adversity, especially in his more dramatic roles
In his early years, often played very handsome but obstinate, idealistic or even rude young men who desire to buck authority
Trivia (77)
Met his wife, Susan Bridges, in 1975 while filming Vidas sin barreras (1975) - she was working as a maid on a dude ranch.
Son of Lloyd Bridges and Dorothy Dean Bridges, brother of Beau Bridges and Cindy Bridges.
Uncle of Casey Bridges, Jordan Bridges, Dylan Bridges, Emily Bridges, Jeffrey Bridges and Jamey Geston.
Actor spouses Larry Parks and Betty Garrett were his godparents.
Is a talented guitarist.
Has stated Corazón roto (1992) and Sin miedo a la vida (1993) as his favorites.
Born at 11:58 PM PST.
Between takes, he shoots still photographs as a hobby.
Has played roles with the first name 'Jack' seven times, and with the surname 'Jackson' four times.
Served in the United States Coast Guard.
Is a big fan of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys.
He is well known for his liberal political views.
His performance as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski in El gran Lebowski (1998) is ranked #90 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of AllTime.
Was considered for the part of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976).
Is mentioned in the song "Jeff Bridges" by Midnight Choir.
Went to Palisades Charter High School in Los Angeles.
He was considered, along with Nick Nolte, for the role of Det. Sonny Crockett on Corrupción en Miami (1984). Both were deemed too expensive, and Don Johnson got the part.
Was considered for the part of Jack in Speed - Máxima potencia (1994).
Was considered for the role of Dan Gallagher in Atracción fatal (1987).
It was during the filming of El repartidor de hielo (1973) that he decided to focus solely on acting, and make it his profession. Up until then, he has said that he "just enjoyed the ride".
Good friends with Nick Nolte and Gary Busey.
Considered for the lead in Manhattan Sur (1985).
Considered for Christopher Walken's role in El cazador (1978).
His brother, Garrett Myles, died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) on August 3, 1948.
Auditioned for the part of 'Cpt. Willard' in Apocalypse Now (1979), as did his good friend Nick Nolte.
His good friend, Terry Gilliam, wanted him for the part of "James Cole" in Doce monos(1995). Bruce Willis got the part because he was a more bankable star.
He was one of many considered for the role of 'John Rambo' in Acorralado (1982) when the script was still circulating.
Considered for the lead in La cosa (El enigma del otro mundo) (1982).
He was strongly considered for the lead role of 'Quaid' in Desafío total (1990).
The lead role of 'Jack' in Speed - Máxima potencia (1994) was originally written for him.
He was offered the male lead in Love Story (1970). His brother Beau Bridges was the director's first choice. Both turned it down.
He was considered for the lead in Kinsey (2004).
Corrected rumors that he turned down the role of 'Hooper' in Tiburón (1975) in an interview with Howard Stern.
Offered the part of Bobby Grady in La pasión de China Blue (1984).
Considered for the lead in Big (1988).
Close friend and collaborator of directors John Carpenter and Terry Gilliam.
He is a big fan of actors Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin. Favorite movie is La fragata infernal(1962).
Fan and friend of Kris Kristofferson. They both appeared in La puerta del cielo (1980), and Kristofferson famously sang "Help Me Make it Through the Night" in Fat City, ciudad dorada (1972), which starred Bridges.
Bridges and Nick Nolte were considered as possible candidates for the two leads in Heat(1995), roles that famously went to Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
Director Michael Mann strongly considered Bridges for the lead in Ladrón (1981), but among other things, he was believed to be too young to be able to pull of the role of a seasoned criminal.
Did some of his education at a military academy.
Was director Taylor Hackford's original choice for the lead role in Oficial y caballero(1982), but he had to turn it down due to a busy schedule.
Turned down the lead role of 'Jack Cates' in Límite: 48 horas (1982), because he didn't want to do a simple cop movie. The role went to Nick Nolte. Bridges later worked with the director Walter Hill in Wild Bill (1995).
Enjoys cigars, and smokes a couple every day.
Is described as being an extremely laid-back guy.
Was thought to have turned down the lead role in Indiana Jones, one of the most famous movie characters of all time, in En busca del arca perdida (1981). But he said this wasn't true in an interview with Howard Stern.
Friend of Tommy Lee Jones and Kurt Russell.
Jon Hamm states Bridges as his favorite actor.
Eagerly pursued the lead in Profesión: El especialista (1980). Bridges was reportedly very keen to play Cameron, a fugitive who hides out at a movie set and accidentally becomes a stunt man.
Jacknife (1989) was developed as a vehicle for Bridges. He turned it down, and Robert De Niro took on the lead role.
He was considered for the part of Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman (1989).
Was in a relationship with Candy Clark in the early 70s. They met on the set of Fat City, ciudad dorada (1972).
Uncle of Ezekiel (Zeke) Jeffrey Bridges, the youngest child of Beau Bridges.
Turned down the role of "Snake Plissken" in 1997: Rescate en Nueva York (1981). The role went to Kurt Russell. Strangely Bridges was also considered for the lead in La cosa (El enigma del otro mundo) (1982) A role also played by Kurt Russell.
Was set to star in Conexión Tequila (1988) with Nick Nolte, but when Nolte dropped out, so did he. Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell starred in the film.
Turned down a part in The California Kid (1974).
Turned down the part of 'Zachariah' in Zachariah (1971) to work on La última película(1971).
Was considered for the part of "McKenna" in Fríamente... sin motivos personales (1972) when Cliff Robertson was set to star in the film.
The first actor to be nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in a film that also starred Clint Eastwood. Bridges was nominated for Un botín de 500.000 dólares(1974).
When a Freshman at Brentwood Academy in 1964, he was on the High School Football "A" Team.
Is only the fifth actor in Oscar history to be nominated for an award for playing a part that had already won a previous actor an award. John Wayne won Best Actor for playing Rooster Cogburn in Valor de ley (1969), the same role that earned Bridges a nomination. Previously, Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro both won Oscars for playing Vito Corleone in El padrino (1972) and El padrino. Parte II (1974). Gérard Depardieu was nominated for playing the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), the same role that had won an Oscar for José Ferrer forty years earlier and Peter O'toole earned a Best Actor Nomination for 1969's "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" the same role for which Robert Donat had won the Best Actor prize 3 decades prior. Also, the academy acknowledged both Charles Laughton and Robert Shaw for their portrayals of King Henry VIII: Laughton in an award winning performance in The Private Life of Henry VIII and Shaw in A Man For All Seasons. Bridges, O'toole and Depardieu were nominated for a direct remake of an earlier Oscar-winning film while Deniro earned his Statuette for a sequel and Shaw was nominated for a completely different story revolving around his shared character.
National Spokesperson and Founder of, "No Kid Hungry" (2010-2011)
Along with Bruce Boxleitner, he is one of only two actors to appear in both Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010).
In 2011, he took a year off from acting to focus on recording, promoting and touring for his self-titled album.
In 2010, both he and Colin Firth were nominated for the Academy Award in the category 'Best Leading Actor' (for Corazón rebelde (2009) and Un hombre soltero (2009) respectively). Bridges won the award. The next year, both men were again contending in the same category (for Valor de ley (2010) and El discurso del rey (2010) respectively), with Firth winning this time.
Before asking out wife-to-be Susan Geston while shooting Vidas sin barreras (1975) on location in Montana, Jeff snapped a photo of her just before having his proposal abruptly declined. Thereafter, the happily married man carried the photo as a reminder of that brush-off.
Refers to the art of acting as using his "pretend-muscle".
The longest he has gone without an Oscar nomination is 16 years, between Starman. El hombre de las estrellas (1984) and Candidata al poder (2000).
Became a father for the 1st time at age 31 when his wife Susan Bridges gave birth to their daughter Isabelle Annie Bridges, aka Isabelle Bridges, on August 6, 1981.
Became a father for the 2nd time at age 33 when his wife Susan Bridges gave birth to their daughter Jessica Lily Bridges on June 14, 1983.
Became a father for the 3rd time at age 35 when his wife Susan Bridges gave birth to their daughter Haley Roselouise Bridges on October 17, 1985.
Became a grandfather for the 1st time at age 61 when his daughter Isabelle Bridges gave birth to a daughter Grace on March 31, 2011.
Uncle of Marcel Bridges, the son of his sister Lucinda.
As of 2014, has appeared in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: La última película (1971), Seabiscuit, más allá de la leyenda (2003) and Valor de ley(2010).
Jeff's father was from a family that had long lived in the United States (since the 1600s on many lines), and had English ancestry. Jeff's maternal grandfather was an English immigrant (born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England), while Jeff's maternal grandmother had Irish and Swiss-German ancestry.
He turned down the films Pretty Woman (1990) and Ghost (Más allá del amor) (1990).
Jeff Bridges has played a human in an "alien" world inside a computer in Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010); an alien on Earth in Starman (1984); and a psychiatrist for an alien in K-Pax (2001).
Personal Quotes
As far as the lack of hits goes, I think perhaps it's because I've played a lot of different roles and have not created a persona that the public can latch on to. I have played everything from psychopathic killers to romantic leading men, and in picking such diverse roles I have avoided typecasting.I don't think I ever went down that movie star path. I always enjoy taking a 90-degree turn from the last thing I did.
A large part of acting is just pretending. You get to work with these other great make-believers, all making believe as hard as they can. What I learned most from my father wasn't anything he said; it was just the way he behaved. He loved his work so much that, whenever he came on set, he brought that with him, and other people rose to it.
Basically, one of the hardest things about being an actor is getting your first break. I'm a product of nepotism. The doors were open to me. I'd done several movies before I decided what I wanted to do. There was a certain amount of guilt and worry about whether I really had what it takes. I thought I'd spare my girls that.
My father [Lloyd Bridges] encouraged his kids to go into showbiz, not because he wanted to live vicariously through them, but because he dug it so much. Growing up there was like a mild competition with my father and my brother, not so much maybe in reality, but in my own mind.
Most cynics are really crushed romantics: they've been hurt, they're sensitive, and their cynicism is a shell that's protecting this tiny, dear part in them that's still alive.
When you start to engage with your creative processes, it shakes up all your impulses, and they all kind of inform one another.
I kind of rebelled against it. I resisted it. I didn't know what I wanted to do when I was a kid and was reluctant to go into, y'know, Dad's line of business.
I had years of partying, and I was kind of surprised and happy I survived it all. Now, being a parent, I look back on it thinking, Oh God, the things you did!
(on working with Kevin Spacey on K-Pax - Un universo aparte (2001) and their similarities in working] I've been a big fan of his work -- Sospechosos habituales (1995), American Beauty (1999), L.A. Confidential (1997). He's a really good actor and he turns out to be a wonderful guy as well. We approach acting in the same way in that we both enjoy the process. We both like rehearsals and we understand the value of them. There are some actors who don't like to engage with other actors; they just like to relate to each other between "Action!" and "Cut!" But I've always felt that getting to know the people you're working with can inform and enrich the work. The closer you get, even if you're playing opposites, the better the work. Some actors are afraid of leaving it all off-camera or getting the characters confused, but I don't see it that way. I often feel that the actual movie is like the skin sloughed off the snake; it's the by-product of the real valuable stuff, which is the real-life experience of doing it.
[on his father, actor Lloyd Bridges] My father, unlike his father, was very supportive of all his kids getting involved in movies and acting in general. He loved what he did and wanted to turn his kids onto it. He thought it was a great way of meeting people, being creative, and traveling around the world and doing what you love to do.
I went from high school -- bang! -- into the movies. I did spend a few weeks in acting classes in New York when my father was there doing "Cactus Flower". But most of my training really came from my parents and my brother [Beau Bridges].
For a long while I wasn't sure I was going to make acting my main focus professionally. I was interested in music, painting and other creative pursuits. I did the movies with a little more capricious an attitude; I wasn't so seriously minded as a total professional. Then came El repartidor de hielo (1973) We had eight weeks of rehearsals and then we shot for two weeks. So it was almost the reverse of how most movies are made. During those eight weeks, I was sitting around with these great actors and this great director, just shooting the breeze and, of course, going over the material. I was also getting to know how other actors of that caliber work on things like this. It was very enlightening. After that experience, I decided, "Hey, I can do this. And I can do this for the rest of my life in a professional way".
[on deciding to do El gran Lebowski (1998)] When I was offered the part of The Dude in "The Big Lebowski", I went through a big thing in my head worrying if this was going to be a bad example for my girls. The guy was kind of an anti-hero, a pot-smoking, slacker kind of guy, and I was really racking my brain about it. I always want to feel free to play any role, a despicable guy or a good guy -- the full range of human experience. But this one was really giving me problems. So I assembled the family and told them my problem. After a long pause, my middle girl said, "Dad, you're an actor. We know that it's all pretend what you do. We know that when you kiss some lady on the screen that you still love Mom. We know you're an actor". So I had their permission, their blessing, to go play a character like The Dude. That was great that they understood that. And I count on the audiences to understand that what I do in my personal life and what I do on the screen are not some kind of example for them to base their lives on. Hopefully, when people see a movie, they know it's a movie.
I'm very proud of La última película (1971). It was absolutely thrilling when I got that part. Peter Bogdanovitch was just great, and the whole ensemble was too - Cloris Leachman and Ellen Burstyn and Tim Bottoms and Cybill. When we were doing it, we all had the feeling that we were doing something unique and special. For me, that film stands alone. It's not like any other movie I can think of. It just hangs there by itself. It's still and slow and quiet.
I'm glad I survived the '60s. They were dangerous. Fun, too. Everything in your life teaches you something.
I've been involved with two big flop Westerns [Heaven's Gate and Wild Bill]. I don't know if Americans still care about Westerns. I hope they do. There are some wonderful ones still to be made. - 2001.
Acting is tough some times. It can be a complicated case. A lot of ins, a lot of outs, a lot of what-have-yous, a lot of strands to keep in your head, man. But, you know, you manage.
[on La puerta del cielo (1980)] I remember going to the New York premiere. I'm not sure he (Michael Cimino) had seen the movie complete; he was scrambling to put it together. Afterward we heard that terrible stuttering applause, and it was that sinking feeling. We tried to tell ourselves, "Well, maybe they liked it so much that they are stunned into silence."
Probably 150 less movies are going to be made next year (2010), and that's very concerning to all actors. It's hard enough finding a great script, but now it's going to be tougher. -- on how the economy is affecting the film industry.
To get a good script at any age is kind of a rare thing. The movie-going audience is mainly young guys, and (producers) want to target them. It kind of makes sense from their standpoint, but an interesting story is an interesting story. I remember being a younger guy liking to see movies with older folks in them, so that never deterred me. -- on ageism in the film industry.
The hardest thing about acting is getting a foot in the door and that was all handled by my dad. The fact is, I'm a product of nepotism. And that took some getting used to. Life will supply you with gutters. Having a famous father. Feeling that stench of nepotism. That's a gutter right there.
[on what advice he'd give to himself as a young actor starting out] Have fun. Don't take it too seriously. Don't mistake this for reality. Be sincere, but don't get too serious. But that's a life direction too, it doesn't just apply to movies.
[on El gran Lebowski (1998)] It's kind of a masterpiece, man. It's like The Godfather - I see it on the tube and I think I'm just going to watch a couple of scenes, but I end up watching the whole thing.
[on Corazón rebelde (2009)] This one was kind of a challenge - I find I'm most challenged by things I really care about, because I really want to do them well. It causes quite a bit of anxiety. But that very thing you're afraid of is kind of like a blessing in disguise. If you didn't have that fear, you wouldn't have the other side - courage and bravery, positive emotions. As an actor, you get used to those fears, and you're almost happy when they show up. It makes you learn your lines and prepare. Then when it's finally time to pull the trigger on the thing, you relax and let it come out.
I like to think of myself as a character actor, though there's some redundancy in that... I'm very pleased with my career, the stories I've told. I consider myself very lucky as to how it all came down. I don't really care about having more fame than I have. [2010]
[on incorporating digitized images of deceased actors in current films] I don't know quite how I feel about that. I guess it's progress. You can't slow that thing down. I imagine they'll soon be able to - if they don't do this already - take a little De Niro, a little Brando, a little Bridges and just a drop of Julie Andrews and shake that up. It's gonna get weird.
[on releasing his first album of songs] People like to put things in a box - and they do that with their own lives too, they limit things - but it's all art to me. To me, all art is truth. People try to define things and make it easier for their mind to digest things, I guess. But music has been part of my life since I was a kid. Music meant more to me when I was young, but I went into acting because of family and because because it was the path of least resistance.
On Michelle Pfeiffer: I bet her a thousand dollars after that movie (The Fabulous Baker Boys) came out that she'd be offered a recording deal, and she still owes me.
On Michelle Pfeiffer: She's a wonderful combination of beauty, mystery and funk. The funk factor is her ordinariness, the surfer girl from Orange County. These elements are mixed with her courage to do things she is frightened of and the talent to make us believe.
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