All actors dream of having iconic movie roles, but only a few chosen ones get to live that
dream.
Jeff Bridges is the few who have etched himself in the annals of movie and cultural history
through his portrayals of characters like The Dude in The Big Lebowski.
But, in real life, Bridges also encapsulates the laid back and chill aura of his most famous
movie role, as he lives a pretty eclectic and interesting life.
So, without further ado, let’s countdown the 10 lifestyle facts of the acting legend,
Jeff Bridges.
Number 10.
Jeff Bridges’s Early Life Jeff Bridges was born on December 4th, 1949,
into a family of actors.
His father, Lloyd Bridges, was a film, stage, and television actor, who appeared in 150
films and earned 2 Emmy nominations, while also having the honour of getting a Hollywood
Hall of Fame plaque.
While Jeff’s mom, Dorothy Bridges, was an actor and a poet, and met her future husband,
Lloyd, at a UCLA stage production.
Bridges had 3 siblings.
His older brother, Beau, was also an actor, while his younger sister, Lucinda, went a
different path.
And tragically, his youngest brother, Garrett, passed away from sudden infant death syndrome
in 1948.
Bridges grew up in Holmby Hills in Los Angeles and said he had a really close relationship
with his older brother, who acted as a father figure, while his parents worked.
Bridges graduated from the University High School in 1967.
Can you guys name some other famous 2nd or 3rd generation actors?
Comment down below.
Number 9.
His Personal Life Bridges got married in 1977, after he met
Susan Geston while filming Rancho Deluxe.
Geston was working as a waitress at the time, and the couple would have three daughters.
Isabelle, Jessica, and Haley.
Bridges also has a granddaughter, Grace, from his oldest, Isabelle.
Bridges and Susan have stayed happily married, going on 45 years.
When it comes to religious beliefs, Bridges classifies himself as a Buddhist, crediting
transcendental meditation for helping him achieve peace and serenity throughout his
life, especially during those hectic filming days.
In 2020, Bridges announced he had been diagnosed with lymphoma, but since then, he’s been
in cancer remission.
Number 8.
How He Started Acting Growing up in a family of actors, it was only
a matter of time before Bridges dipped his toe in the water.
And he didn’t have to wait too long as Bridges was just two years old when he made his acting
debut in the film The Company She Keeps.
In the movie, he played the role of an infant.
We’re sure Bridges used his vast life experience to nail that role.
On a more serious note, Bridges took a deep dive into the acting world when he was 17
years old, as he went around touring with his father in a stage production of Anniversary
Waltz.
This seemed to have sparked his love for acting, as shortly after that, Bridges moved to New
York City and enrolled into Herbert Berghof Studio, in order to sharpen his acting skills.
Number 7.
Career Achievements Bridges has appeared on the big screen over
60 times, which include the iconic The Dude portrayal in the Big Lebowski, along with
highly touted performances in Crazy Heart, The Last Picture Show and Thunderbolt and
Lightfoot, among others.
Bridges has been nominated for the Oscars best supporting actor three times and best
actor twice.
He took home the Oscar for best actor for his role in Crazy Heart.
The ‌same movie role earned him a Golden Globe Award in 2009, while being nominated
for 4 other Golden Globes.
Bridges has also won an Emmy for Outstanding Leading Actor in Motion Picture, along with
the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award, which is awarded for outstanding contributions to
the world of entertainment.
Also, his list of accolades includes 2 Independent Spirit Awards, 2 Saturn Awards, Satellite
Award, and 7 Critic Association Awards.
Bridges is one of the oldest actors to win an Oscar.
Do you guys think you can name the oldest?
Comment down below.
Number 6.
Acting Earnings Recently, Bridges has appeared on the FX series,
Old Man, where he earns 1 million dollars per episode.
That’s an incredible jump from some of his earlier work, like Thunderbolt and Lightfoot,
where he pocketed 87 thousand dollars.
But, as his fame has risen, his paychecks have also increased.
As for The Fisher King, he made 3 million, while of The Mirror Has Two Faces, he took
him 5 million dollars.
While the salary for most of his other work is kept under wraps, partially because Bridges
is known for working on small budget movies, where the plot and the role take precedence
over the paycheck.
But, don’t think Bridges isn’t a shrewd businessman.
More on that later.
Number 5.
Music Career Bridges is multi-talented, as not only can
he act at a high level, but he’s a great musician as well.
He started playing the piano at a young age, and since then, he’s kept up his passion
for music.
Part of which paid off big time in the Crazy Heart movie, where he played a musician and
earned his best accolades.
Bridges has released 3 studio albums, with his self titled 2nd album, Jeff Bridges, sold
over 345,000 copies and came in at number 10 in U.S. charts, while reaching as high
as 5 in U.S. Rock category and 2nd in U.S. Folk category.
Number 4.
Social Media Presence Most big time celebs in Jeff’s position
stay away from social media, but it seems as if Bridges enjoys staying in touch with
his fans, who love him.
As on Instagram, he has almost 480 thousand followers, where he shares his music, art
pieces, behind the scene looks into filming, and of course, his journey post remission.
On twitter, Bridges has more than 380 thousand followers, and they get the same inside look
as his Instagram followers.
Bridges even has a YouTube page dedicated to his music, which has amassed over 2 million
views.
Number 3.
Military Service A little known fact about the acting legend
is that he spent time serving in the United States Coast Guard Reserve for seven years.
Bridges enlisted in 1967 in San Luis Obispo, California, and credits his time there for
his work ethic and discipline.
Some of the tasks he did as part of the coast guard were chip paint off of buoys.
He also fondly recalled all the times sea sickness had his fellow mates throwing up
everywhere and some of the miserable nights he had.
Bridges did mention that he was grateful for the opportunity and when he left, he had a
terminal rank of petty officer second class.
Can you name any other actors who served time in the military?
Comment down below.
Number 2.
Outside The Entertainment Industry As busy Bridges is on the screen, he’s equally
occupied off of it.
Bridges, along with other entertainers, founded the End Hunger Network in 1984.
He also became a spokesman for the No Kid Hungry campaign in 2010, for the organization
Share Our Strength.
Bridges has also worked alongside several environmental organizations, one of which
includes the Amazon Conservation Team.
Apart from his charitable efforts, Bridges is also involved in the real estate business.
As in 2014, He paid 6.85 million for a 4-acre equestrian property in Montecito.
He also sold his home for 7 million, while eventually selling that Montecito property
for 16 million.
Netting themselves a 10 million dollar profit.
Not bad for The Dude.
On top of that, the Bridges family profit massively from their father’s oceanfront
Malibu home.
They only have to pay 5,700 dollars in pretty taxes because of a special California law,
while renting the home out for an average of 16,000 dollars per month.
Of course, the payment for that is split 3 ways between the Bridges siblings.
Number 1.
His Net Worth Bridges has worn many hats throughout his
life, as he’s appeared in movies, television shows, put out studio albums and gone on tours,
while having his real estate ventures, along with producing duties, so there is a lot of
add up when it comes to his net worth.
It’s a bit tricky too, as most of his film salary isn’t public.
From most estimates, it’s believed that Bridges has a nearly 100 million dollar net
worth, making him one of the most profitable actors of all time.
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With that being said, you just watched the lifestyle and net worth of The Dude, Jeff
Bridges.
See you next time!