There are a few certainties in life. Taxes are due every year, The Dude will always abide, and he — Jeff Bridges — will celebrate a birthday each and every December.
Happy Birthday, Jeff Bridges!
And that’s because he was born on December 4, 1949, in Los Angeles, California, which means that this talented and much-beloved performer is turning 71 years old today! Bridges was but a wee lad of two when he made his professional debut in the drama film The Company She Keeps (1951).
In his youth, Bridges and his older brother, Beau, made numerous appearances on the television programs Sea Hunt (1958-1961) and The Lloyd Bridges Show (1962-1963), which starred their father. Bridges also appeared in an episode of Lassie (1969).
Meanwhile, 1971 proved to be a banner year for Bridges, as he not only took the lead role in the made-for-TV movie In Search of America, but he also appeared in his first major role: Duane Jackson in the Peter Bogdanovich-directed The Last Picture Show. For his efforts in the film, Bridges would receive an Academy Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category.
His subsequent credits include the films Fat City (1972), The Last American Hero (1973), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), the 1976 remake of King Kong, Heaven’s Gate (1980), the science-fiction epic Tron (1982) and its sequel, Tron Legacy (2010), as well as two films directed by Terry Gilliam – The Fisher King (1991) with Robin Williams and Tideland (2005). Bridges also appeared in episodes of Great Performances (1981) and Faerie Tale Theatre (1983).
In 1998, Bridges assumed the part that he would become most identified with: The Dude, the central character in the Coen brother’s film The Big Lebowski. Bridges would later reteam with the Coens on the 2010 western drama True Grit.
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Also of note in 2010, Bridges won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work as down-and-out country music star Otis “Bad” Blake in the film Crazy Heart. This marked Bridges’ fifth nomination and first in the Best Actor category.
His other acting credits include The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) with Michelle Pfeiffer, The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996) with Barbra Streisand (who also directed), The Contender (2000), Iron Man (2008) with Robert Downey, Jr., and Bad Times at the El Royale (2018).
Bridges has worked as a voice-over artist for documentary features, TV commercials, and animated fare. He is also a published author, amateur photographer, and singer. His discography currently contains three CDs, including an eponymous release in 2011.
The Oscar winner has been married to Susan Geston since 1977. Together, the couple has welcomed three daughters: Isabelle Annie (born August 6, 1981), Jessica Lily “Jessie” (born June 14, 1983), and Haley Roselouise (born October 17, 1985). In 2020, Bridges revealed that he is suffering from lymphoma.
Entertainment Hub would like to wish Jeff Bridges a very happy birthday, and you can too by clicking on the Twitter link below.
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