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‘I Can Do This’: Jeff Bridges Opens Up About Cancer Battle

Photo from IMDb – ‘Jeff Bridges in I (2022)’

‘I Can Do This’: Jeff Bridges Opens Up About Cancer Battle

By Movieguide® Contributor

Jeff Bridges recently walked the red carpet for the premier of his FX show THE OLD MAN, and fans were overjoyed to see the actor back after a series of health struggles. 

While filming the show, doctors diagnosed Bridges with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The actor underwent chemotherapy, and during treatment, contracted COVID-19. 

“I was kind of surrendering to the idea that I might die,” Bridges said of his illnesses. “That this might be the end of the race kind of thing, because that’s what’s going to happen to all of us at some point and maybe this was my time to go through that and I didn’t know.”

However, Bridges began to recover.  The TRUE GRIT actor said that he realized that he still wanted to fight to stay alive. 

“I would have little goals all through my illness,” he shared. “The first goal was seeing how long I could just stand up, and my record was 45 seconds for a long time. That was about as much as I could take, walking down the hallways of the hospital with your walker and your oxygen.”

Bridges continued, “And then my daughter Hailey was getting married to a wonderful guy Justin and I wanted to walk her down the aisle, do that wedding dance with my girl, and so I worked on that with my trainer Zach Wermers and we got that going. Then ‘The Old Man,’ I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to come back. But as I started to get my health back, I said, ‘Oh yeah, I can do this.’”

The actor is now in remission, and he expressed his thankfulness for the ability to work and enjoy time with his loved ones. 

​​“I think what I’ve found is when you go through something like that, you pull out everything you’ve got,” Bridges said. “All your spiritual, philosophic, all your yoga, whatever training you had in your life. You’re saying, ‘Now, come on, guys, give it what you’ve got!’ So, it was just getting deeper into who you are, I guess, in a way.”

Movieguide® previously reported on Bridges’ illness:

Actor Jeff Bridges shared a positive health update regarding his lymphoma diagnosis.

Bridges, 71, told fans via his website that his tumor has “drastically shrunk” after successful and ongoing treatment.

“I came home elated with the news,” Bridges wrote.

The TRUE GRIT star shared that the late Rozzell Sykes’ art helped him during treatment and that he adopted one Syke’smantras: “Be Love.”

Bridges was diagnosed on Oct. 19, 2020, but maintained a positive attitude despite the serious disease.

“Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good. I’m starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery,” Bridges told fans.

The Oscar-winning actor thanked friends and fans for their support and said that the time in the hospital made him appreciate the “preciousness” of life.

“This cancer thing is bringing on feelings of preciousness, and gratitude, and good old fashion love, and lots of it, big time,” Bridges wrote on his website. “I’m feeling so much of it comin’ my way, and man, I appreciate it. It’s contagious, all this love, like some kind of positive virus.”

Even with the chaos of 2020 and his cancer diagnosis, Bridges stays positive and wants to let “the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around [him]” in 2021.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.