Jeff Bridges

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson" - Episode Featuring Jeff Bridges

Release Date: September 25, 2024
Guests: Jeff Bridges
Hosts: Ted Danson & Woody Harrelson

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1. Introduction and Background

In this heartfelt episode, Ted Danson reconnects with his long-time friend Jeff Bridges. Their conversation delves deep into Jeff's multifaceted life, exploring his illustrious acting career, personal challenges, and philanthropic endeavors.

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2. Jeff Bridges: Beyond the Actor

Ted Danson introduces Jeff Bridges as "one of those actors people say this about tennis players too. You know, he's so good that when you work with him, he makes you better." This sets the tone for an engaging discussion about Jeff's ability to elevate his co-stars and immerse himself fully into his characters.

• Notable Quote:
  Ted Danson [01:08]: "He just sucks you into his reality. And he's one of my favorite people."

Jeff reminisces about their collaboration on the film "The Amateurs," highlighting it as one of his career highlights. Tes demonstrates Jeff's versatility, from portraying "the dude in The Big Lebowski" to "the outlaw country singer Bad Blake in Crazy Heart."

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3. Personal Life and Health Struggles

The conversation takes a poignant turn as Jeff shares his battle with cancer.

• Jeff Bridges [04:45]:
  "I have a 9 by 12 inch mass in my stomach."

Despite the grim diagnosis, Jeff's resilience shines through. He details the challenges of his treatment and the unexpected complication with COVID-19 due to a compromised immune system. His wife, Susan, emerges as a pillar of strength during this tumultuous period.

• Ted Danson [04:11]:
  "I almost could tear up thinking about Susan."

Jeff reflects on the introspective journey his illness prompted, emphasizing the importance of surrendering to the situation and finding growth through adversity.

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4. Career Highlights and Collaborations

Jeff discusses his extensive career, including his Emmy-nominated role in FX's "The Old Man," where he plays a former CIA agent. He encourages listeners to watch the series, praising its depth and his character's complexity.

• Jeff Bridges [04:00]:
  "That's what the high is. And that's what we kind of go for in life."

The hosts reminisce about Jeff's early days in acting, his father's influence, and their collaborative projects. Jeff fondly recalls working with characters and directors who have left a lasting impact on his career.

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5. Philanthropy: No Kid Hungry

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Jeff's philanthropic efforts, particularly No Kid Hungry, an organization aimed at eradicating child hunger.

• Jeff Bridges [47:32]:
  "We created this, the End Hunger Network…"

Jeff narrates the inception of his advocacy, driven by the conviction that hunger is a solvable problem with the right political will. He collaborates with Share Our Strength, eventually becoming the spokesperson for No Kid Hungry, ensuring sustainable solutions rather than temporary fixes.

• Ted Danson [52:44]:
  "You end up… you really do know, which gives you a lot of credit."

Their joint efforts highlight the power of celebrity influence when directed towards meaningful causes, demonstrating how fame can be harnessed beyond personal gain.

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6. Insights on Acting and Creativity

The hosts delve into the intricacies of acting, discussing improvisation, collaboration with directors like the Coen Brothers, and the importance of genuine connections on set.

• Jeff Bridges [36:33]:
  "I guess there's a portion of me that is definitely who I am."

Jeff emphasizes the balance between staying true to oneself while adapting to diverse roles, showcasing his dedication to authenticity in his performances.

Ted shares anecdotes about working with various actors and directors, highlighting the unpredictable yet rewarding nature of the acting profession.

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7. Personal Relationships and Growth

A significant theme of the episode revolves around Jeff and Ted's personal relationships, especially their marriages and the challenges they face together.

• Jeff Bridges [53:19]:
  "Take me to my edge and help me grow in that spot."

They discuss the dynamics of marriage, the importance of intimacy, and the continuous effort required to maintain a strong bond. Their conversations reveal vulnerability, mutual respect, and the enduring strength of their friendships.

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8. Music and Other Talents

Jeff showcases his musical talents, discussing his albums and collaborations with other musicians. His passion for music parallels his dedication to acting, illustrating his multifaceted artistry.

• Jeff Bridges [46:04]:
  "I resisted piano lessons. Now that's a resistance I'm sorry I made."

Despite initial resistance, Jeff embraces his musical side, composing and performing, which adds another layer to his creative expression.

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9. Closing Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Ted and Jeff reflect on the importance of using one's platform for good, the joys of creative collaboration, and the enduring bonds of friendship.

• Ted Danson [55:46]:
  "Other than just kind of ego, you can go, oh, it's okay to make use of the movie star."

They encourage listeners to find purpose in their passions and to leverage their unique positions to effect positive change in the world.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ted Danson [01:08]:
  "He just sucks you into his reality. And he's one of my favorite people."

• Jeff Bridges [04:45]:
  "I have a 9 by 12 inch mass in my stomach."

• Jeff Bridges [36:33]:
  "I guess there's a portion of me that is definitely who I am."

• Jeff Bridges [53:19]:
  "Take me to my edge and help me grow in that spot."

• Ted Danson [55:46]:
  "Other than just kind of ego, you can go, oh, it's okay to make use of the movie star."

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Conclusion

This episode of "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" offers an intimate look into Jeff Bridges' life, blending personal anecdotes with professional insights. Ted Danson and Jeff Bridges provide listeners with a narrative rich in authenticity, resilience, and the enduring power of friendship.

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Note: Advertisements and promotional segments have been excluded to focus solely on the meaningful content of the conversation.

Transcript

[Ted Danson]

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[Jeff Bridges]

I guess there's a portion of me that is definitely who I am. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Welcome back to where everybody knows your name. Just me. Today my friend Woody's making a film overseas. I had the best time talking to Jeff Bridges. He's one of those actors people say this about tennis players too. You know, he's so good that when you work with him, he makes you better. He just sucks you into his reality. And he's one of my favorite people. I had the pleasure of working with him once on a film called the Amateurs and it's one of my highlights. You know, he makes getting into a character's skin seem so easy, whether he's playing the dude in the Big Lebowski or the outlaw country singer Bad Blake in Crazy Heart. He just draws you in. We had a great rambling conversation. I had the privilege of working with his father, so I got to know him kind of early on. But there's so much more to Jeff than his acting. I mean, he's an amazing musician. He has albums you can download. He's an award winning photographer. He's a Buddhist practitioner and a grandparent and is married to the amazing Susan. He's starring in a fantastic FX drama series called the Old Man. He plays a former CIA agent, Dan Chase, which earned him an Emmy nomination. I've seen it. It's just an amazing series. I really encourage you to watch it. And season two is airing now, so such an honor to call him a friend. Here is Jeff Bridget.

[Jeff Bridges]

Okay, but you've been.

[Ted Danson]

Well, yes, we're on, by the way.

[Jeff Bridges]

We're on.

[Ted Danson]

We're going.

[Jeff Bridges]

So.

[Ted Danson]

Yes, yes, I have been. Well, I am blessed with. As are you. One of the. You know, I'm with the most perfect human being in the world.

[Jeff Bridges]

For me, God isn't the marriage is a wonderful thing. Especially.

[Ted Danson]

Well, so is Susan. We're in the same league here.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, God. But marriage, that opportunity to play with the so called other and you're doing that together and you get to feel and you're in this playing field. Say, we're going to do this. We're attached. And then to be able to jam like that and the opposite. The opposite. That's all makes it even better. You know how different we are.

[Ted Danson]

Absolutely. And to go this period of life, which definitely you do see the arc of life at this time.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

You know, I'm 76, about to be 77. To have a partner at this time, that all you do is laugh with. When one of us is in fear the other, we can go, hey, it's okay.

[Jeff Bridges]

We're all right.

[Ted Danson]

You know, to be witnessed. Great, amazing.

[Jeff Bridges]

And have the growth continue like the. Because it's basically all about intimacy, right?

[Ted Danson]

Yes.

[Jeff Bridges]

I mean, that's what the hot. That's the high. Right. And that's what we kind of go for in life, not only with people, but the whole deal. And to have a partner, man, that you can do that with.

[Ted Danson]

Very blessed. That can remind you, hey, can I jump in? Because I want to jump into. Because it's coming off of partner and. Oh, I almost could almost tear up thinking about Susan. More than. Because I have been in a hospital with pneumonia. And look at Mary and see the fact that she wasn't sure which way this was going to go. But it's the partner to that moment in your life where you had Covid and went into the hospital for a month. Is that right?

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And it was.

[Jeff Bridges]

You didn't know I had cancer, Right? Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Before that.

[Jeff Bridges]

Before that. Can tell the story quickly. I'll try.

[Ted Danson]

Yes, please. No, not quickly.

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, I'm doing the old man. You know, sue and I were going to go to Montana. We were all excited about it. And I'm on the floor and I'm feeling my stomach. Doing some stomach exercises. I feel like I've got a bone in my stomach. Bones there, you say? Yeah. You ought to get that checked out. No, no, it doesn't hurt. We go to Montana for two months, hiking around, come back, and we got two weeks before old man's going to start up again. I say, I better get the thing checked out. Here, check it out. I've got a 9 by 12 inch mass in my stomach.

[Ted Danson]

9 by 12 inch inside.

[Jeff Bridges]

Inside my stomach. And I think of the old man doing all those fight scenes with this thing in my stomach.

[Ted Danson]

Wow. And other than feeling it, you didn't have any other sensation of. I'm not well.

[Jeff Bridges]

No pain. No pain. Oh, well. In Montana, I would have night sweats. And I said, oh, that's because it's hot and humid and I sweating at night and my shins itched. And it felt so great to scratch him. Two signs that you have lymphoma shift.

[Ted Danson]

Now, when my start scratching my leg, I'm fucked.

[Jeff Bridges]

Does it feel good to scratch your leg? So I get the thing removed. This incredible doctor, so gifted.

[Ted Danson]

And he tells you it's cancerous.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, no. Yeah, it's a big. It's lymphoma cancer. Yeah. And they had a very hard time figuring out what kind of cancer it was or what was the right cocktail medicine for it. And they finally found this. I wish again, memory. I can't recall the names of the drugs now as I'm trying to remember, but they gave me this one thing, they tried, and the thing just imploded. Just because it wasn't something you operate it on is. He had to find the cocktail, and it shrunk down to the size of a pea, and it's remained that way. Now, I have MRIs every once in a while, right. But in this treatment, I'm going to the treatment, getting the one that's working. January 6th, I come home, I'm seeing. I'm seeing on TV what's happening, and I say, oh, this is wild. What the hell? Surreal. You've got a letter. Oh, okay. I get this letter. Open this card. It's from the treatment center where I've been giving. He says, you've been exposed to Covid. I said, what. What does that mean? You know, A couple of days later, I found out what it meant, you know, because this treatment, you had no immune system. I had no. He just stripped. That was the idea of it. And so that Covid made the cancer look like nothing, man. And for a month, right. For a month in the hospital, and, you know, we didn't know about, you know, again, sue, you know, she would ask, is he going to die? You know, they wouldn't. They wouldn't say no, say no. You know, and she said, you know, she used a lot of cuss words, said, you better not let. But she's very strong. Strong woman.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah. I sometimes think it's almost easier to be the patient in a way.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, God.

[Ted Danson]

Because, you know what?

[Jeff Bridges]

You're dealing with so much more. I mean, and, you know, it's almost a cliche, but times like that, you hear people say, that was a gift, and you really get a present that you can't get any other way than going to.

[Ted Danson]

That you're humbled.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. To that place, you know, but did you know it?

[Ted Danson]

Did you know, oh, this is dangerous? Or were you just too busy dealing with the moment to moment of not feeling great? Do you know what I mean? Did you have a philosophical thought of, oh, this could be it filled with that stuff?

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, for some big time. I met you say, oh, people die. And this is me doing that. I said, okay, interesting part to play. Okay, I'm up for it. You know. You know, as an actor, you go and you don't. I don't know how to do it. Yeah, you're just going to do it and that. And it will be done. And that's what happened. You know, I said, oh, this is me. This is mine. Okay. You know, and the doctors would, you know, a doctor would come up to him, but I'm down and really low. You gotta fight, Jeff. You're not fighting. You gotta fight. I said, what the is he talking about fight? I don't, I don't, I don't know.

[Ted Danson]

How does one.

[Jeff Bridges]

What is. How does one fight in that. And I was in surrender mode.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Just like take me, do it. Do it, do it too.

[Ted Danson]

I was working with your brother Bo at that moment.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh man. Were you? What's your.

[Ted Danson]

It was The, I think Mr. Mayor and he had a two or whatever, you know, episode arc. So we talked a lot about you. That's how I knew what was. You were going on. And he mentioned that, well, you know, you know, Jeff, he just went, well, here's something else I get to experience in life and kind of embraced it.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Until some doctor said, no, no, that.

[Jeff Bridges]

Was the only assignment. It was, you know, to, to surrender what's. What's going down, you know. Yeah, but you know, there's so many different ways to approach it. That was one of the things I've learned during that experience. Some people fighting is that's what. Is what required for that person, you know. Now my daughter Jesse lived with sue while I was going through this thing. She moved down from Oakland for her. Wonderful. Both of them experienced the whole thing completely different. You know, their strategy about how do I deal with my loved one, you know, who's going to die? You know, and it was interesting to see that and we. And coming to the realization all of us. Isn't it interesting we all react to this so called similar thing in such unique ways and can we love each other and hold compassion for our own weirdness and everyone else is, you know, that doesn't quite fit the picture. Oh, good. You learn stuff and Lots of stuff.

[Ted Danson]

This wasn't Mary and myself, but I had. The mother of my kids had a massive stroke during delivery.

[Jeff Bridges]

I was going to tell that. I was going to ask you, is it okay to tell that story, Talk about that, because that is amazing.

[Ted Danson]

We had. I'm just saying that how you hold it, you know, differently. It was similar in many ways. But the point, the reason why I brought it up just now was afterwards, after she was out of the woods, she was still dealing with it. I mean, she had to deal with it her whole life. It was. Had an impact on her physicality. We would go, let's go to a movie. We'd finally, you know, we had a babysitter for Kate, our daughter. And we'd get to the parking lot and never get past the parking lot because we would have these fights that were basically. Where were you when I was having the stroke? Why didn't you keep that from happening? Which was conceivably a valid question and mine was even more irrational. I don't trust you anymore. You almost died. You said you were not gonna leave me ever. You almost died. Go on.

[Jeff Bridges]

No, I was just. I'm confused because Mary had a heavy operation. I thought you were going to tell that story. No, no, this is another whole story. So. Yeah, but they both had strokes.

[Ted Danson]

No, no, no. Interesting.

[Jeff Bridges]

All right, let me clear that up.

[Ted Danson]

Right away because, yeah, Mary. This is a different kind of brain story. Mary, about 15 years ago, I think it had happened to her before. You guys worked together on open road. Yeah, yeah. She. She went in to have a. Something, I don't know. And you know, like it was a band aid in essence, to walk out the night, you know, but they had to put her under completely, which means anesthetic on the whole thing, anesthesia. And probably let her blood pressure drop too low and maybe there was a little mini stroke or a little something that happened, you know, nothing that she walked out thinking of, actually. She was told that years later by somebody who said, I bet I know what happened. A doctor. Anyway, she came out of that with a brain that operated differently. Literally. She went from somebody who had a normal relationship to music. Loved it, appreciated, didn't really play an instrument, to somebody who was obsessed and could not stop hearing music in her head. You know, she says in hindsight she wasn't any different than that five year old musician who picked up a guitar and started playing at 5 and had music. You know, they probably obsess on music too. But she went from 0 to 100 overnight. I thought I was married to somebody different.

[Jeff Bridges]

Talk about a gift in a so called bad thing. So, yes, she became a.

[Ted Danson]

She's a songwriter.

[Jeff Bridges]

A songwriter. Cut.

[Ted Danson]

She writes very universal. I want to go back. Okay, so this is how I first met you was through your daddy. Your dad. Lloyd and I made a movie called Cousins, which was from the French cuisine. And he was brilliant in it and so sweet to me. He played my father and afterwards just started including me in some of. Even a family meal or two of yours. You know, our parties.

[Jeff Bridges]

My mom. Yes.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, big hit of your mom. Magnificent. But you were very rock and roll at that point. You were kind of at that.

[Jeff Bridges]

I'm trying to figure how many years ago that was. How old were you in your 30s?

[Ted Danson]

This was 80, maybe 85, 86. So you were off and running in a car.

[Jeff Bridges]

How old were you at that time?

[Ted Danson]

Guessing 38.

[Jeff Bridges]

37.

[Ted Danson]

38, something like that. Isabella Rossellini was in 30s.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. I can't remember what I was doing.

[Ted Danson]

At that time, but I'll tell you, I don't remember the exact movie. But you were. I was awestruck. And you were kind of in the corner doing music with either Bo or. I don't know what you were doing, but it had a guitar. And that's my first glimpse of you. And then I think I may have bumped into it. And we'll talk about some of these things, I think at a fundraiser for. No kids Hungry. Didn't you start that years ago?

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

So I bumped into you because of that. And then I think Moguls, the Amateurs, the Amit Moguls.

[Jeff Bridges]

Now you see, isn't that such a bittersweet. As you say that word, I get all these kind of sad, happy emotions.

[Ted Danson]

Why is sad?

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, because it was among, I think about five or six other movies that were financed by this guy who was a total crooked. And the movie never got released, you know. And I mean, you can see it. I think it's online, you know, it's called the Amateurs. Yes, but we did it when it was called the Moguls and we had such a great time. It's actually kind of brilliant, don't you think, Tone? It's as if Frank Capra made a porn film. But its tone is kind of unique, you know, I mean, and this guy, Mike Traeger, who directed it and wrote it, was such a dream to work with.

[Ted Danson]

Wonderful guy.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, yeah. And all of the cast, you had.

[Ted Danson]

Some of the best character actors around. Oh, Joey pants.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. But that, you know, as we talk movies, all these. Because they're like little lifetimes, aren't they? They're all kind of like connected and you know, you.

[Ted Danson]

Families, Little families. Yeah, yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Like we're related in a sense, you know, My father played your father.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah, yeah. That was an amazing show. That was your second and you were nominated for an Oscar.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. Wow.

[Ted Danson]

Did that mess you up?

[Jeff Bridges]

No, no, it didn't.

[Ted Danson]

It wasn't like, oh, oh no, now I have something to live up to.

[Jeff Bridges]

Or let me say no, I don't think it did. I was so surprised, you know, it was back in the day when there was no PR push, you know, there was none of that. And I remember I'm, you know, a 19, 20 year old kid waking up in the bed at 4:00 in the morning and somebody saying, you know, you're nominated from the camera. What, what are you talking about? You know, out of nowhere. And it was a thrill. And as far as, you know, fame, you know, like you mentioned my dad, you know, with Sea Hunt and his fame in the 60s.

[Ted Danson]

Huge.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, I was pretty. So fame. I saw how he handled it and I handle it basically the same way.

[Ted Danson]

I'm assuming he taught you well. Because I've never seen fame or anything or publicity or anything about you that wasn't, that was you spinning out because of success. Oh, yeah, he, he did. He. I mean, he took both of you, the whole family under his wing. Right. And you were a theatrical family, you worked with them.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, man. Oh yeah. So many show biz family, you know, the parents get, the kids don't go into it. My dad was just the opposite. He loved all at the aspects of it, the publicity, the signing autographs, the course, the acting. And he was, you know, a really a schooled actor. You know, when that Sea Hunt movie, TV show happened, he was so successful and he was so good in it that people thought, oh, he's a skin diver. So that's the kind of scripts that he was offered. But he could do anything. He was. There's a part of my uncle in a movie called Blown Away. And I went up to the guy and I said, hey, I got somebody. He kind of looks like me. Good actor. What do you think? Lloyd Bridges, you ever hear of this guy? And they said, oh yeah, but he's, he's really more of a comic. I say, what are you talking about?

[Ted Danson]

He's thinking, airplane, Airplane.

[Jeff Bridges]

You know what I mean? And I say, are you kidding me? You're gonna make the guy come in and read for the Part and he said, woody, you know. And so my dad, of course, came in and, you know, nailed it. But my dad, he taught me all the. All the basics. You know, when I was a little kid, maybe eight, and he was doing Sea Hunt, and there was a, you know, a part for a little kid, he'd say, hey, you want to, you know, come to work and play with dad?

[Ted Danson]

And.

[Jeff Bridges]

And he, you know, all right, now do my lines. I remember sitting on his bed and we do line that keys. Now go back, go out there and do it. Do it completely differently. Now come in with a different attitude. You know, you've all those different things.

[Ted Danson]

Wonderful. Oh, my God.

[Jeff Bridges]

But the main thing that you experienced from him, that he taught me that it wasn't anything he necessarily said, but how he approached the work was with such joy. Did you enjoy.

[Ted Danson]

And seriousness.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, serious. Oh, yes. But he was having a good time.

[Ted Danson]

Yes.

[Jeff Bridges]

Huh.

[Ted Danson]

See, I remember I clocked you once during Moguls, the film, when we were working together. And you. I don't know why this should surprise me, but you're about ready to start a scene. But there's 30 seconds or a minute, and you would immediately start improvising. And you didn't make a big announcement. You just said, hey, let's try this. And you'd start. And it was so effortlessly getting you in the mood to go pretend in this scene. And there was a seriousness. No, we're good actors. We're serious actors. Let's give it everything. We've got kind of feeling that trickles down, I think, around you.

[Jeff Bridges]

What comes to mind as stories are triggered is Kevin Bacon. Have you ever worked with Kevin?

[Ted Danson]

Never had the pleasure. Met him several times.

[Jeff Bridges]

So we're doing a big special effects crazy movie together, and now it's got all the principal players in the room, and it's a big, you know, special effect thing. And a lot of lines we have to say and complicated scene. And Kevin calls us together and he says, I remember, guys, everything depends on this, you know, so had such English on it, right? Because that's ridiculous. We're making a movie, you know. But, yeah, you're right. This moment, this is it, man.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Everything depends on what we're going to do, you know, I love that when.

[Ted Danson]

Done well, acting is a great gift to how to live your life.

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, that was like, you know, saying, my dad just encouraged us, you know. And I remember when I was saying, I don't know, I'm in kind of into my music, dad, he says, jeff, don't be ridiculous. They're going to call upon all of your dreams and talents. That's what it's all about. You'll get to do that, you know.

[Ted Danson]

And you might win an academy.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, not in my wildest dreams. You know.

[Ted Danson]

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[Jeff Bridges]

Well, the guy who I mentioned, John Goodwin, wrote one of the tunes. Anyway, he wrote the title song. But T Bone, T Bone and Steven Bruton wrote the majority of the songs. And then Greg Brown. Are you hip to Greg Brown? Are you? And Mary.

[Ted Danson]

I'm sure Mary is, yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Because he's a great writer. He gave us a song.

[Ted Danson]

Wow. Maggie was good in that, too. Gyllenhaal.

[Jeff Bridges]

Wasn't she great? Had you worked with her before?

[Ted Danson]

No, but I know her family.

[Jeff Bridges]

She was so wonderful to work with.

[Ted Danson]

Gosh, really good. Let me do one more memory then. I have other places I would love to go with you, but. So we had moguls, which was, you know, for me, an amazing highlight. And. But we'll do this later. I'm looking. As I'm saying, speaking of jumping around, you're an astounding photographer. And you do.

[Jeff Bridges]

Those will trigger different thoughts.

[Ted Danson]

Photographs of everything you've ever been in since I can't remember when.

[Jeff Bridges]

Which movie Star man.

[Ted Danson]

Star man. Yeah. Anyway, you and Mary were in a film together. Open Road with Kate Mara and Justin Timberlake. Justin Timberlake and.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, and Harry Dean.

[Ted Danson]

Harry Dean Stanton.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And we had one night we rehearsed at our home and we rehearsed in our home in Ojai. And you stayed nearby in some bed and breakfast, but we had Justin Timberlake and a few other Kate Mara were.

[Jeff Bridges]

I've got pictures of that.

[Ted Danson]

All staying in our home. And then at night we had the most. I remember one night, I think Bill Paxton came over, he lived nearby and there was this hootenanny, you know, you guys, I don't know, I can't remember if Justin sang. But what knocked me out, besides you was Harry Dean's band. Oh yeah, yeah, his Spanish ballads.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh yeah. Well, Google. Yeah, you can Google.

[Ted Danson]

He had a standing gig, didn't he, in LA for years.

[Jeff Bridges]

Good.

[Ted Danson]

And he said he didn't speak a word of Spanish and yet his, you know, it was all in Spanish, all those things he was singing and it was just. You truly thought it was.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. He's remarkable. Paris, Texas, you know, Great movie that.

[Ted Danson]

Was he right before the first time you did a table read? We were making breakfast for everybody. I, I was the caterer on that film. And Harry was outside and asked me for a cup of coffee and I brought it to him and he said, could you, could you put a little something in it? And I thought he meant like cream or sugar or something. No, he needed just a little shot of something, you know, tequila in his coffee. Because he was nervous and it was the read through and it was just. I don't know why, it just touched me so much.

[Jeff Bridges]

We're talking trigger. You triggered a scene that I have with Harry Dean in a movie called Rancho Deluxe. And it's the movie I met my wife on.

[Ted Danson]

Yes.

[Jeff Bridges]

And there's a scene. It was a bold choice, man. It's kind of like the climax of the movie. This is online, people. Wherever your camera is, you can check this scene out. Harry Dean, Jeff Bridges, ping pong or. Yeah, no, Pong, just the game Pong. And it's kind of the climax of the movie. And the director decided to do this rather long scene with us playing pong and in our reflection, that was the whole thing. And. Oh, it was. I thought it was a great scene, man. And of course there's improvisation involved because you don't know if you're going to make the shot or not. It was wonderful. You know how good that feels. Capture something real. But Harry Dean, wow, what a gift. He was.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah. Amazing. Amazing. You won a nomination. Was that with Clint Eastwood? Rancho Deluxe?

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. No, no, no. That was Thunderbolt Lightfoot.

[Ted Danson]

Oh. Oh, sorry.

[Jeff Bridges]

But Rancho Deluxe was with my buddy Tom McGuin wrote it.

[Ted Danson]

Was Sam Waterston in that?

[Jeff Bridges]

Sam Waterston was in it, man. You played. I've done a couple of things with Sam. You must have done Sam.

[Ted Danson]

But I love the fact that somebody. That when you went up to Susan on that movie, you saw something. Well, I should let you tell it, but someone captured that moment on film.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh. Oh, well, this, you know, one of. They were talking about how wonderful marriage is. And whenever I have a little slight doubt of it, this image comes to mind of what happened that you're talking about. So I'm in this. I'm in the hot tub at Chico Hot Springs in Montana with Sam and Harry Dean and Richard Bright. Do you remember Richard Bright? Yeah. And we're in this hot tub, and I'm looking around, I see this girl in this bandana. She's gorgeous. And I can't take my eyes off her. I'm just drawn to her. And she's got two black eyes and a broken nose juxtaposed to that beauty. And I'm going. And I finally, you know, it's tough to ask a girl out, you know, it's tough to do that, you know, to say, hey, you want to go out? You know, But I finally, you know, got myself together and saw her there as we were rapping, and I said, you know, would you like to, you know, hi, I'm Jeff. Would you like to go out with me tonight? And she says, no. I said, no. I said, oh, really? She says, no, it's a small town. Maybe I'll see you around. I said, okay. Now we cut. 30 years later. Turns out that her prophecy did prove to come true, that we met at the wrap party, danced and fell in love. And I could make a long story. I'm going to go short. But now we cut 30 years later, and we've been married, you know, now about 25 years. And I'm going through my mail and I get this letter from this guy who is the makeup man on Rancho Deluxe, the show that I met Sue. And he said, I was going through my files and I saw this picture of you talking to a local girl. And he sent it, and there's a picture of me asking sue out and her saying, no. Click. And I have that. I have. It's a. He took a closeup of her, too. So I have a two. That two shot I've seen. Oh, I must have said, because I'm So proud. If I was looking for my wallet, don't have it. But yeah. Yeah, that's. So whenever I.

[Ted Danson]

Did he know that it was your turnout? He just said, some local girl.

[Jeff Bridges]

No, that's right. That's it. He had no idea.

[Ted Danson]

I love that. That's fantastic. Talk to me a little bit about the Coen brothers. You did what too.

[Jeff Bridges]

Have you worked? Well, you did.

[Ted Danson]

I never have.

[Jeff Bridges]

But you did the TV show that was based on, which was so good in that.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Those turned out to be really did, didn't they?

[Ted Danson]

I kept thinking, why are you remaking?

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, exactly. That's what I said to the Cohen brothers when they wanted me to do True Grit. I said, why are you making this?

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

John Wayne did that big thing and you're going to remake. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Won an Academy Award.

[Jeff Bridges]

And they said, yeah, exactly. I said. They said, have you read the Charles Portis book? I said, no. I said, read it. And I read it. It's like, oh, it reads like a Coen brothers script.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

So I say, oh, obvious, you know, but, oh, gosh, they're wonderful to work with.

[Ted Danson]

Wait, wasn't. Am I miss thinking here.

[Jeff Bridges]

Big, big Lebowski.

[Ted Danson]

Lebowski was Coen Brothers.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Great. Yeah. Yeah. So everybody I see, I think. I think the dude was take was written, knowing you, because, I mean, that's what they said. Oh, really? They did?

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. They said, you know, after I saw Blood simple and I was knocked, I said, oh, that's great. And then they say, we've written something for you. I said, really? And they said. I said, what? This is like nothing like I had ever done, but somehow.

[Ted Danson]

I love that sometimes people approach you going thinking like, the dude is some, you know, creation that made you be. No, you are the Dude. You always have been and still are.

[Jeff Bridges]

I guess there's a portion of me that is definitely who I am.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah. I don't mean there wasn't artistry involved, but that.

[Jeff Bridges]

Not. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

That kind of happy go lucky. But, you know.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Deep water is going on behind the eyes.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, gosh. But they were incredible to work. What a great show. You know, these. This little book that you said. Talked about that we did. I have books like that from Starman up to.

[Ted Danson]

With all your photographs.

[Jeff Bridges]

So I got my Lebowski book. I can go through that and boom, boom. Each of those images I remember. And you know, working with John Goodman, you know, you must have worked with him sometime, huh?

[Ted Danson]

I haven't. Marion.

[Jeff Bridges]

So he was such a cool guy.

[Ted Danson]

Really cool.

[Jeff Bridges]

And we had rehearsal you know. You know, as I said with the Coen brothers, they write so well that it all seems like improvisation off.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah, you're right.

[Jeff Bridges]

No, man, you stuck to it. You know, you wanted to play the music as it was written on there. You know, you could interpret it and, you know, give ideas and stuff, and they were open for that. But there it was, you know, and we stuck to every. Fuck, every man in the right place, you know. You know, because it was like music, you know, so it was brilliant. And we had the time to work with it, and I think we did some improv to kind of discover the realness of the scene. But the, you know, so much I look for in a director is just the attitude that they create on the set. Right. You know, how it's all going to happen. And they've just set this thing about.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

You know. Yeah. Here. What popped in my mind, different kinds of directors, hot directors, cold directors, you know, hot directors say, yeah. Oh, yeah. You know, they're really enthusiastic, but genuinely so. And that's wonderful. And then there's the cool guys say, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, this. Like, there's no big deal. We're just here doing our thing. No, nothing important, you know, and that kind of. That's a little bit more their thing.

[Ted Danson]

And then there's some people also that make you feel like you have carte blanche, that you can do no wrong. Whatever choice you make is going to be perfect. Yeah, they may directly you and move you and. But that feeling of, oh, I'm in. I'm in the. The groove and I can do no wrong is a wonderful place to act from.

[Jeff Bridges]

I remember Chimino, Michael Cimino, his first movie, Thunderbolt and Life Bug, one of my early movies. And, oh, you know, get to. I went, remember riding the Harley up in Montana, you know, and preparing for this character and thinking about who he was and. And about two days before we started shooting, I went into Mike's office and I said, oh, man, I'm so sorry. Why I led you down this road for. I'm not right for this part. I can't. I don't know who this. You know, I'm sorry. I apologize. I'll do everything I can. Of course, you don't have to pay me, but, you know, God, I just can't do it. My. You know. And Mike said, oh, you know the game tag? And I said, yeah, you're it. And I say, what do you mean? He says, you're it. It's like, what you Said you couldn't make a mistake if you wanted to because you're it.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Wow. Interesting acting lesson.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah, that was with Clint Easley.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. That must have been a mino. You know, after that, we did Heaven's Gate, right.

[Ted Danson]

For about two years or something where.

[Jeff Bridges]

He would do 60 takes, you know, and Thunderbolt and life. Clint, you know, only liked to do one, maybe two, maybe three at the.

[Ted Danson]

Top as an actor, not just as the director.

[Jeff Bridges]

He was a producer. He was. He gave Cimino his shot to direct this thing, and Cimino wrote it, too. So I go up to Mike and I say, oh, I got an idea. What if I do? And he said, well, you have to go to the boss, you know, And Clint would, you know, hearing you go, yeah, give the kid a shot.

[Ted Danson]

That's crazy. Have you ever worked with my co star here, Woody Harrelson?

[Jeff Bridges]

No, but I. Every time. Oh, you should. I cannot believe every time we bump into each other, I get immediate boom, you know, just. Oh, yeah, man, you would love him. No, I do. I mean, I admire his acting so much and just his character, you know, from. You know what, I probably Google surfed him, you know, but I always dig him.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

He has one of the world's best dispensaries. I try to plug it whenever I do. Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

But isn't it interesting now he's not smoking or does he smoke occasionally? He does. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

It depends on what day of the week. But, yes, he does. See, not when he works.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

I was terrified that when we started doing this that I was going to have to be stoned with him every day to do this. Not when I work.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm like that, too.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

I can't smoke now because of my lungs and my, you know, my health, but I'll do those. The tincture occasionally, you know, I take.

[Ted Danson]

A gummy to go to help with because I have a lot of arthritis. So I wake up kind of uncomfortable in the middle of the night. So I take this gummy that has percentage of courtesy and everything. And I've always said it just helps me sleep. One night our dog woke us up like about four hours into my sleep, which I've never been awake for. I was. I was. I woke up going, what the is wrong with me? And I was, oh, you're stoned. Oh, you're really stoned, you know.

[Jeff Bridges]

Right.

[Ted Danson]

But I had never been awake for the stone part.

[Jeff Bridges]

Exactly. Isn't it amazing how pot. You know, remember when we were in.

[Ted Danson]

High school, you know, buds and twigs.

[Jeff Bridges]

But it rests. I mean you get busted. And now it's become a big health thing and it's, you know, people are looking at it so differently.

[Ted Danson]

Rightfully so. Although now, because when I go to work, I need every, you know, brain cell showing up for work.

[Jeff Bridges]

Absolutely.

[Ted Danson]

Pull it off. It's like no. And then a couple of our kids are like, like having in house narcs and then we have grandkids. So the idea of you have actually an evening to pull this off is, you know, far and few. I'm just trying to tell our audience that we're not stoned right now.

[Jeff Bridges]

Absolutely.

[Ted Danson]

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[Jeff Bridges]

Today.

[Ted Danson]

Music do music. You started. You were going to be more a music guy than you were an actor, right?

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, well, I don't know. I mean, you know, my dad, my. Both my parents and my mom too, who is very gung ho. You know, what kid wants to do what their parents want them to do and they're teenagers, you know, I, you know, I resist. You know, I noticed that in my life. I resist a lot. But it's kind of served me well in a funny sort of way, I think.

[Ted Danson]

And you resisted what, piano lessons or.

[Jeff Bridges]

I resist. I resist so much thing. I resisted piano lessons. Now that's a resistance I'm sorry I made because, you know, I remember my last piece was for release, you know, and I bitched, bitch, I don't want to do it, mommy. Okay, but you're going to be sorry. And she's so right now I play but nothing like I would have been able to play if I had done some wood shedding, you know. And that's the way I feel about the guitar. You know, when you're, you know, kids like to play on video games. Well, some kids back in the day, video game was this, you know, and they just to be. To have that, you know, be so fast.

[Ted Danson]

What do you write? Lyrics and compose stuff. So what you compose on guitar or piano?

[Jeff Bridges]

Both.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. How about Mary? What is she.

[Ted Danson]

She has done piano slower for her because she's not totally proficient, but she can. She's composed two or three songs on her own on the piano. And then. Okay, one other thing or many other things. But how did no Kid Hungry. Tell me the origin of that and the why and the how.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, well, goes back. Right.

[Ted Danson]

Well, tell me. Sorry. Tell me what it is first. I can't describe enough, but obviously it's about feeding kids almost.

[Jeff Bridges]

To tell you about what kind of what it is, I've got to tell this story. I'm going to say I'll do an acting challenge to try to truncate in a creative, elegant way. Don't truncate. Well, back in.

[Ted Danson]

When was EST for me? 75 I did in New York.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, yeah. So you remember the hunger project?

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

And you remember Werner Earhart, who's become sort of a controversial cat.

[Ted Danson]

I got a lot out of it.

[Jeff Bridges]

But I got a lot out of it. I went with Sue. She didn't digging.

[Ted Danson]

No. Mary wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.

[Jeff Bridges]

But I got off as an acting thing. It was like little inner improvs and so it was wild. But then his hunger project was really moved me when he presented the problem. What the existence of hunger. The fact that it doesn't have to be that way. That we know how to end it. And it's not about scarcity, you know, it's about creating the political will.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Which finally gets down to the will of us who elect the politicians.

[Ted Danson]

Yep.

[Jeff Bridges]

And to not just make a gesture like, you know, you see a guy in the corner, you feel sorry for him, you give him 10 bucks. That eases your guilt. Do something that is sustainable, something that you can keep doing until.

[Ted Danson]

Right.

[Jeff Bridges]

Till it's done. Till the job is done. And one that fits into your zone, your wheelhouse. So I asked myself, what can I do? I said, well, I'm in the entertainment business. I do all these promotions. I'm doing what I'm doing right now. Pitching something. Now you're asking me, I gotta talk about it. Right. So I said, oh, I can find some other guys and we can make a. An organization that supports communicating this problem and what can be done about it. So we created this, the End Hunger Network. And that was wonderful. I would go to Washington to do a lot of lobbying and I'd have my. My things that I want to tell this senator. And I get the meeting and I say my thing and the guy is getting it. He goes, wonderful. Gosh, go look into that. That's really incredible. Joey, let's get a shot of me and Mr. Bridges, you know.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

And then he walked down the hall after the meeting and said, what. What just happened here? That's a gunslinger, man. This is what he. He got what he wanted.

[Ted Danson]

And he.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. And it really took the wind out of my south. And then I met. I was doing something at the Boys and Girls Club in Santa Barbara, and I meet this guy, Billy Shore, who has an organization called Share Our Strength. And we started both of these about, you know, my organization, Hunger Network, and his started about the same time. Anyway, he came up to me, he says, hey, I want to make a proposition to you. I want you to be the spokesperson for no Kid Hungry. I said, well, what's that? He said, well, rather than concentrating on the feds and how they can, you know, change the situation, we're working with mayors and governors and local people, you.

[Ted Danson]

Know, people who are answerable.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. And who are there and really firsthand. And so he pitched this idea and it just sunk in. And we've had just incredible results doing it that way. And that trickles up to the politicians, you know.

[Ted Danson]

Yep.

[Jeff Bridges]

So that's kind of. And basically it's getting nutrition to kids that need it, that can't afford it. You know, school programs and summer is particularly, you know, Tough time for kids, but there's numbers that they can call and, you know, I mean, it's. It's. I'm very happy to be involved with.

[Ted Danson]

I discovered through my work with ocean activism, that my job is to stand in front of the tent and say, thank you for watching. Cheers. Appreciate it. I'd love to have you meet this marine biologist who's standing behind me. You know, she has something really important to say. That has kind of always been my job. But by being consistent like you just described with hunger, you. You learn a lot. You're not just a spokesperson. You really do know, which gives you a lot of credit, you know, I think, you know, you end up. Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Thank you.

[Ted Danson]

He's been here for a long time. This is a worthwhile thing. He's not just fly by night.

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, you know, what you're saying. Triggers in me is that subject. We started the whole conversation with marriage. I had just thought to marry life or to marry the world or in your dream, you know, that relationship of, like, you can do what you want, but we're here. This is what we're doing, you know.

[Ted Danson]

This is what we're doing. Meaning this is life. This is what we're doing.

[Jeff Bridges]

This is life. And we're married. So you can bitch about it, you know, and that's totally fine because I'm going to bitch at you. Back at you, too. But here we are together. We're married. What kind of marriage do you want? What do you, you know. Oh, you want intimacy. Oh, well, what does that look like? What does that mean? Well, I want to, you know, I. What's scary is asking. Take me to my edge.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Take me where I don't want to go and help me grow in that spot, you know, and life will do that, you know, like, with the hunger thing, I had to give myself a little caveat, you know, because what they're. What Werner was initially asking. That's big stuff to make that kind of commitment and think, oh, I'll probably fail. And I was supposed to sign. They had a thing you could sign. So the little caveat that I made in my mind to be able to sign on was that go to the light, to this dream that you're realizing is, you know, the truth. As far as you can see. Go towards that. But if it gets too heavy or you don't asking too much, you can just turn around and just, you know, feel the light on your back. You don't have to do it, but you're in it. You're married. To the idea. And then you can turn around and do those things. So as I approach the hunger work, they'll ask something that I go, I was going to do this, I was going to do that. And sometimes I'll go like that and just say, you know, it's okay to say no. It's okay to say no. And then sometimes they'll say, you know, I do this with myself. Every once in a while, I'll say, do a little experiment on myself. I'm going to do it when I don't feel like doing it, see what happens, and I'll do it, and boom, a bloom will happen. There will be that gift.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

You know, that little gift that the challenge gives you.

[Ted Danson]

But I think having that caveat in your brain also probably keeps you from just quitting. Oh, yes, totally.

[Jeff Bridges]

That's what I can do.

[Ted Danson]

I can let some steam off.

[Jeff Bridges]

You don't have to break. You can bend with this stuff. Yeah. And that's what's allowed me. And then to get that little kick of like, oh, no, this is me following my dream. This is where I'm needed. This is the part that I can play to see that. And when that you, oh, I'm in the groove. I'm in the. That furthers the next one. And you remember that feeling. And you can carry that on. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

It also makes fame and celebrity something you can make use of. It has a purpose.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Other than just kind of ego. You can go, oh, it's okay to make use of Jeff Bridges.

[Jeff Bridges]

That's right.

[Ted Danson]

The movie star. Because I'm going to go try to work on this hunger thing.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

You know, and make use of my celebrity like other people do. But I'm going to use it, too.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Right.

[Ted Danson]

I think that saved me early on, for some reason, I learned that during kind of the height of Cheers, I bumped into an ocean advocate who was trying to stop Occidental Petroleum from and slant drilling into Santa Monica Bay.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And we worked together and found a solution and beat them. And it was very naive, but some part of me. And to be honest, I was stoned. I know where I was. I was en route to some event, some probably award show, and I was a little buzzed. And I came up with the idea, basically the idea starting an environmental organization and hiring this environmental lawyer, my friend. And it was like this naive thing, but then, sorry, this is longer than.

[Jeff Bridges]

No, this is naivete.

[Ted Danson]

I love talking about going to Washington. The first time we announced our little organization, and no one was really focusing on Oceans in the mid-80s, that much. And so we decided to go and. To Washington and Congress announced this and we had very sweet people, Al Gore and all of the. Barbara Boxer and all of the California delegates, you know, standing behind me in this big, huge press room in Washington, you know, wood things. And I literally. It's the only time in my life I've experienced what it means to have an out of body experience. It was so powerful and probably some part of me knew, oh, this is going to be your life's work, that I literally found myself looking down at myself talking and in the whole room. And it lasted about three or four seconds. Then I said, you better fucking focus on what you're saying. And I came back into my body, but I had one of those moments of, oh, this is what, where you're meant to be.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, that's right. And you can. We often, all through life, we resist that, don't we?

[Ted Danson]

Yep.

[Jeff Bridges]

We fight. Talk about fighting. We fight against it. You know, Remember, was it Marianne Williamson or. I think it was her, you know, saying something about, we're not afraid of failing, but we're afraid of really being as great as the. That the opportunity and that, the possibility. And that's frightening. And I can really. I think that's true. It's not, you know, and you have.

[Ted Danson]

To sacrifice a lot. You have to give up your ego. You have to give up your, you know, willing. You have to be willing not to be right all the time. You have to get over yourself. You have all these things that you have to let go of.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, it's like. It's like the stranger says in Lebowski, you know, Sam Elliot says, yeah, sometimes you eat the bar and sometimes the bar eats you. You can know all the tricks, all your strategies. Life, you just.

[Ted Danson]

Mary and I have this joke that is sadly not an exaggeration. Whenever she has an idea and I go, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We both know that this is a brilliant idea she came up with. I'm like the ragtail to her kite, you know, it's like I'm always trying.

[Jeff Bridges]

To pull her back in. That's how sue is really. And I love that, man. That's so wonderful. Gosh, that's a great thing. Sue and I, we have, you know, and we have them fewer and fewer now. It's. I kind of miss, in a way, our prime battle, the prime evil battle that goes back, you know, before we anything. And we have. We've developed this method when we get like, that we'll get a little closer than we are now. You know, like I'm just looking at each other's eyes and whoever wants to go first can go first. And they just say their thing until they've run out. And then the other person, while they're doing, you know, saying their thing, you're not making notes on what I'm going to say, my rebuttal. You're just receiving. That's your task. And then it switched and the other person says her thing. And that is just to receive it and understand it with no real kind of aimless about where it's all going to go. So the prime battle is you don't get it. You don't get it. What it's like having a relationship with you and what you do all the time, man. You don't get it. And what came so clear to me many years is, God, you're so true. I don't get it and you don't get me. And here we are, we're married. What do we do about that? Isn't it wonderful that neither one of us. But we're in love and just accept that edge. It's the same kind of edge when you're asked to demand to love this person. And you keep. Grows and it grows and finally it gets so big. It's so precious, man. And so we haven't had one of those. They happen kind of more solemn because you. You're getting this buildup of intimacy. We had one the other day and it was. And it was slight and you kind of learned all. You say, oh, no, it's just you go, yeah, and you're running that in your mind. And I regret a little bit not cashing in and say, come on, let's sit and do our exercise here. And then of course, you know, because you remembered that answer, you know what it's all about, but you forgot you had another chance to hit it again. But no, you let it go and now it slips back into where it was, you know. Timing, huh?

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

When you. When you pull the trigger on trust, too.

[Ted Danson]

Trust. I think we're both blessed, Lucky. Whatever. But if you don't have. If you're not with somebody who isn't willing to look at themselves, it's not very conducive for you to look at yourself.

[Jeff Bridges]

Are you hip to Byron, Katie?

[Ted Danson]

Tell me.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, she's really interesting. She's this woman. Her history is fascinating. I'm not going to go into that, but Google her. Think both you and Mary would dig her because she had this shift, like Mary's shift. She had this kind of an enlightened shift. Anyway, she was really down. She developed this thing called the work. You heard of it?

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

And so, like, if you had a problem, like, you know, Mary never listens to my good ideas, you know, that was. And there's a worksheet that you fill out, you know, and you don't try to be enlightened or anything. You just do. It's that hard feeling. You write it down. And then the first question that you're asked, is that true? And then you write, why that's true. And then the second question is, are you certain that that is true? And that just opens it all up. And then I'm gonna run through it very quickly. You can edit this down. But then I think the next was, what would you feel like if you didn't have that feeling? You know? And then I can't remember what the fourth was. And then there's the turnaround where you replace what you said about the person. Like, you know, I never listened to Mary's. You know, you dream, and you just. You don't. Not to make you feel. Just to sit with those different words that, you know, it's like music. How does that make you feel? You know?

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

And that's something that I think is useful.

[Ted Danson]

It is. I have this thing I've noticed recently, where the only time anger is kind of in the air with us, first off, it's usually there's either fear or love, I think, in the world. And if you're coming from fear, nothing good will come of it, really. And if both of us are in fear, we're screwed. We're going to have some anger. If one of us is in fear, the other one can go, it's. No, I get it. But it's all right. You're just scared. It's okay. We'll be fine. Da, da da da. When we're both in fear, that's when. And I realize I only get angry at Mary when I'm wrong because I don't want to be that person you just reflected, you know, that mirror you stuck in my face? I don't want to be that. And I'm pissed off that you're making me look at this person. I don't want to be value.

[Jeff Bridges]

Now, who else in the world could do that? So we're so fortunate to have the. Have the problem, right, the challenge.

[Ted Danson]

And if she's wrong, I'm fine. It's like, oh, that's sweet. Look, she's wrong, you know, but it's almost always me getting mad because I don't want to be.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh.

[Ted Danson]

Who I just realized.

[Jeff Bridges]

And it's all inner work, isn't it? It's all, you know, it's wild.

[Ted Danson]

Let's talk about your show for a second.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, yeah, the Old Man.

[Ted Danson]

It is brilliant, by the way. I saw the first season. I had read this script for some reason, and it was an amazing script, and it's so pleasurable to believably see somebody. I don't know how old you were when you started that, but 70 maybe.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, yeah. Yeah, Probably.

[Ted Danson]

I can't remember, but whatever it's called, The Old Man.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And the old man fucking kicks ass because he's been around the block.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah. Well, you got several old men. You got, you know, John Liv, who's.

[Ted Danson]

One of my favorite actors on the planet, so.

[Jeff Bridges]

Great. And then you have Joel, you know, who kind of trumps us all. Joel Gray, who's, like, in his 90s.

[Ted Danson]

Yes.

[Jeff Bridges]

And he was wonderful to work with. But, yeah, the script, you know, and as I mentioned, the word resist, that. I resist things. That's how I kind of went into this. As I go into both things. I spend so much energy, you know, when somebody says, hey, what about this? And it would strike you, oh, no. And I start to resist because I think of all of the things that it will imply, you know, all the time away from my family, all the other things that I want to do that I can't do, all the other cool things that are coming down the road that I won't be able to do because now. So I resist, resist, resist. And, you know, and then I get. And talk about fear. You don't want to meet with the creatives because I'll get sucked into their dream, and I don't want to. So I resist that, you know? And so Tim Stack, he's a friend, and he gave me the book the Old man by Thomas Perry, maybe, you know, six years, seven years ago. And I read the script, and like you, I liked it. The script. And I told Sue, I said, this is pretty good, you know, and she says, yeah, Tim gave you that book years ago. I said, you're kidding me. I said, no. So I. I read the script, dug it again, mentioned I was afraid of meeting the creators, to get sucked into their dream, but that was the next move or let it go.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

So I met with one of your guys, Littlefield.

[Ted Danson]

Warren.

[Jeff Bridges]

Warren Gosh. And John Steinberg. And they got Me, their dreams and how they were going to do it.

[Ted Danson]

And they had just come off of Fargo.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Which was a really well done show.

[Jeff Bridges]

And I remember part of my resistance was due to my dad, who did several TV series, and I saw how hard he had to work to do it and the slight dissatisfaction of that versus movies, you know, and so I thought about that. But then I started to see, you know, some of this great work coming off the screen. You know, you go, wow, man. Secession.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Wasn't that good, man? And fresh? Or what about Pen15? Have you seen that?

[Ted Danson]

Yes.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, what an acting lesson. Those girls playing 13 at 34.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

And pulling it off seamlessly and having all. Oh, gosh, wasn't that delightful?

[Ted Danson]

Yeah. And then one of them went off to do the TV version of Mr. And Mrs. Smith.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, no, she's great. I gotta chance to get on the video with her and, you know.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

Tell her how excited I was by. Great actress. And they got. And they directed it, wrote it, they. Can you imagine? They started trying to pitch it at 24, but can you try? Imagine trying to get money for that, for that dream. But they were talking about Married to a Dream. Thank God, he just pulled it off.

[Ted Danson]

Wow. So do you still. Let me ask some questions. Because one of the things I loved about the first season and the script was the dogs.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, yeah, Dogs, Dogs, dogs. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Dog dogs. Yeah. Which was brilliant. Was that hard to pull off filming?

[Jeff Bridges]

Did they.

[Ted Danson]

Were they great?

[Jeff Bridges]

No, no, they were. You know, there was a lot more of them than you see. You know, they're all made up to look like one.

[Ted Danson]

Ferocious.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, no, made up, literally with makeup to make them all appear to be the same animal.

[Ted Danson]

So it is. There was one dog character.

[Jeff Bridges]

No, there's two dogs. Yeah, two Rottweilers.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

And.

[Ted Danson]

Which gives the old man an edge when it comes to the bad guy. Do they make it to the second season? I can't remember.

[Jeff Bridges]

I don't know if I should tell.

[Ted Danson]

Never mind.

[Jeff Bridges]

Maybe I'll say anything.

[Ted Danson]

It is a brilliant show, really.

[Jeff Bridges]

You know, it's always the casting, not just the actors, but the team that you bring together. And then you, boom, let that rip and see what it is. And the team that we've assembled is just remarkable. You know, John Steinberg, the scripts that he writes, and all the. I didn't know how I would dig all the different directors, but every director has been great. Every cinematographer has been great. The look of the thing is.

[Ted Danson]

So do you have different cinematographers?

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, do they Tune. They switch off, switch all over all.

[Jeff Bridges]

The time, you know, and not knowing, you know, it's very much like life, not knowing what's going to happen. Like, you know, if there is a third season, I don't know.

[Ted Danson]

Wait, so you've shot the second and it's about to come out? Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

September 12th. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

I've circled John Lithgow several times, but the first time I understudied him in a Broadway show called the Comedians. And gosh, I'm trying to. He and Jonathan Price.

[Jeff Bridges]

Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Were just there. It was about standups in England and. Just brilliant. It was just brilliant. But then I got to kind of circle him here and there. He's a lovely man.

[Jeff Bridges]

Yeah, Great. Great guy. One of the things that I find so fascinating about acting is how available love is, you know, and friendship and this thing, this old and old thing, you know, and when you get two people intending to create that, it's pretty quick, man.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

And, you know, I. And I. Whether it's a bad guy or a good guy, you know, in the movie, I always try to get quite intimate with him and get down to it. Say, like, and now let's let it have its way with us, you know. But, you know, and I always feel. Because now creates relaxation too.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

You know, trying to be something that you're not with somebody, you know. So John and I both kicked into that and just had a great time.

[Ted Danson]

I love. I love actors.

[Jeff Bridges]

Isn't it incredible?

[Ted Danson]

Writers, directors. I love creativity.

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, this. This thing that we're talking about, about. And I sense it with you. And it becomes so natural that it's not an intended thing. It just happens because you. You. That's how you do it. You know, I've noticed that with you, you know, immediate. Yeah. That whole troop that we were on with moguls was like that. But there's some actors. Please only call me by my character's name. And don't. And don't. Don't want to hang out. That works too. You know, I know that goes to so many different ways to do it.

[Ted Danson]

I worked with somebody once, a leading lady, who. She would come and do what she'd worked on the night before, and you had just better fit in because there was no. And I thought, this sucks. She's going to suck. Then I looked at rushes and she was fucking brilliant.

[Jeff Bridges]

Right.

[Ted Danson]

You know, you don't know. People approach things in different ways.

[Jeff Bridges]

Your rushes there. What if you've experienced this where you do a day of shooting and you said, man, I kicked ass in this. I was fucking. I was so emotionally full. And then you see the dailies and you say, what? Who is that asshole? Oh, you're cathartic. Well, okay, but you know, that has nothing to do with the story we're telling. You know, and other times when the director will say, all right, moving on, he'll say, no, I didn't. He says, no, that's it.

[Ted Danson]

And if you're not editing or producing or directing or something, you almost have to take the attitude, none of my business. Now it's none of my business. I did my thing and now it's their thing.

[Jeff Bridges]

It's like we make a painting and then they cut it up and make a collage out of it.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

And sometimes it comes out much better than your painting. What a great hang, man. Oh, wasn't that fun?

[Ted Danson]

Oh, man, yeah. I'm so happy.

[Jeff Bridges]

Thanks for having me, man.

[Ted Danson]

Ladies and gentlemen, Jeff Bridges. I had the best time catching up with him. I hope you did, too. Season two of the Old man is airing now on fx. Really encourage you to check it out. That's it for this week's episode. Special thanks to my buddy Woody and to our friends at Team Coco. If you like these episodes, tell a friend and subscribe on your favorite podcast app. If you have some time. Great rating. A review on Apple podcasts wouldn't hurt. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it. We'll see you next time. Where everybody knows you've been listening to where everybody knows your name with Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson.

[Jeff Bridges]

Sometimes.

[Ted Danson]

The show is produced by me, Nick Liao. Executive producers are Adam Sax, Colin Anderson, Jeff Ross and myself.

[Jeff Bridges]

Sarah Fedorovich is our supervising producer.

[Ted Danson]

Our senior producer is Matt Apodaca. Engineering and mixing by Joanna Samuel with support from Eduardo Perez. Research by Alyssa Gr? Tal. Talent booking by Paula Davis and Gina Batista. Our theme music is by Woody Harrelson, Antony Gen, Mary Steenbergen and John Osborne. Special thanks to Willie Navarre. We'll have more for you next time. Where everybody knows your name.

[Jeff Bridges]

The kind of burgers you get today tells you a lot about yourself. You're either someone who settles for sad, same old, same old burgers or you're at a Carl's Jr obsessed with a tangy OG Western bacon cheeseburger demanding a housemade guacamole, loaded guac bacon, fired up for the insanely hot El Diablo or craving a classic char world famous star.

[Ted Danson]

Give in to your flavor cravings.

[Jeff Bridges]

Get your mouth to Carl's Jr. Big Burger.

[Ted Danson]

Good burger with the $5 meal deal at McDonald's. Five hits different five gets you a McDouble or a McChicken and a small.

[Jeff Bridges]

Fry and a small drink and a four piece McNuggets.

[Ted Danson]

Five gets you more at McDonald's. Prices and participation may vary. For a limited time only.