Jeff Bridges reveals tumor has diminished ‘to the size of a marble’ amid ongoing battle with cancer
Jeff Bridges says a tumor in his body that was once 9 by 12 inches has shrunk significantly during his battle with lymphoma.
The Big Lebowski star, 73, chats with AARP in a piece published Tuesday that gave fans an update on his health nearly three years after revealing he was battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The Oscar winner told the newspaper that the tumor had shrunk “to the size of a marble” after extensive chemotherapy.
The Hollywood veteran, of films like Crazy Heart, The Last Picture Show, and True Grit, revealed he battled blood cancer in October 2020 and said in fall 2021 that he was in remission.
He said of filming the FX series The Old Man prior to his diagnosis, “I did those fight scenes for the first episode of The Old Man and didn’t know I had a 9 by 12 inch tumor in my body. .’
The latest: Jeff Bridges, 73, says in a new interview with AARP that a tumor in his body has shrunk significantly during his battle with lymphoma
He said in the AARP interview that his health deteriorated sharply after a battle with the coronavirus in January 2021, before the vaccine was released.
Bridges called his wife Susan Geston an “absolute champ” because “she really fought to keep me off a fan” in the turbulent time frame.
“I didn’t want to be there, and the doctors didn’t necessarily want me to, but she was adamant,” Bridges said.
The actor was hospitalized for nearly five months and underwent restorative plasma treatment, which uses blood from people who have recovered from the condition.
He talked about the complicated recovery process when he underwent chemotherapy with a weakened immune system.
“Getting much better was a matter of setting very small goals,” the actor said. “In the beginning they said, ‘How long can you stand?
“My record stood at 45 seconds for a while before I collapsed. And then they said, “Oh look, you’re standing for a second! That’s so cool, can you walk five feet now?”‘
Bridges said he felt his long acting career was in jeopardy at the time of the health battle.
Bridges said in the AARP interview that his health deteriorated sharply after a battle with the coronavirus in January 2021, ahead of the vaccine’s release
The actor was hospitalized for nearly five months and underwent restorative plasma treatment, which uses blood from people who have recovered from the condition
The Hollywood veteran is known for his extensive body of work, including movies like The Big Lebowski, Crazy Heart, The Last Picture Show, and True Grit.
Bridges said he felt his long acting career was in jeopardy at the time of the health battle
Bridges called his wife Susan Geston an “absolute champ” because “she really fought to keep me off a fan” in the turbulent time frame. The couple was photographed in LA last month
“I really didn’t think I’d ever work again,” Bridges said. So at first I said, “Well, we’ll see.” But eventually that became, “Maybe I can.” I must admit I was still afraid to go back to work.’
Bridges told the publication he is feeling better and has started recording his FX show.
“I’m so blessed to have this cast,” he said of the series, which also stars Amy Brenneman and John Lithgow. “To get back to what drives you, it feels great, man.”
Bridges said the health struggle has revived his artistic inclinations, saying, “I feel like the times are calling for us to be as creative as possible.”
“We should all work together to make it into something beautiful, like we do in movies.”