The Old Man's Jeff Bridges on health struggles: "I couldn't walk"

Read on for that, reality TV, movies vs TV and more...

What's the view from your sofa?

We’ve just moved to a new house where there’s a big screen in my living room. I’ve always wanted one. I don’t know quite how big it is, but it’s enough.

What have you enjoyed watching lately?

We watch a lot of TV at home. I know it’s not new, but have you seen Pen15? That’s a really great show. Maya Erskine is absolutely wonderful in it. She’s in Mr & Mrs Smith, too. A great star. Of course, Succession is a fantastic series. I also really enjoy True Detective.

Are you into reality TV?

Do I watch the reality stuff? Politics, man! I mean… Oh, God. What’s going to happen this year? It’ll be intense.

You've worked in both television and movies — which do you prefer?

It’s fascinating to compare the two. Back in the day, my dad [actor Lloyd Bridges] made many a TV show. I saw how he struggled with not having as much time as he needed to create the quality he really wanted. But that’s all changed now. I don’t see any difference between television and movies today, except you don’t know where the story’s going with a TV show and you have more time to learn about the characters. You don’t have to rush anything with TV.

What's your earliest TV memory?

If you watched a show called Sea Hunt and saw an eight-year-old kid on screen, that was probably me. That was my dad’s show in the late '50s. I remember him sitting me on his bed to teach me all the basics of acting. How crazy is that? He approached his work with so much joy, which left a big impression on me.

You've struggled with some serious health issues over the past few years, including a cancer diagnosis in 2020. How are you doing today?

I feel great now, but it’s been tough. In the middle of shooting the first season [of The Old Man], the pandemic broke out and we took a break from filming. Then I discovered a nine-inch by 12-inch tumour in my body. I went through chemo, but then the treatment centre notified me that I’d been exposed to Covid. Chemo had stripped my immune system, so I had no immunity. Covid made the cancer look like nothing.

How did you get back on your feet?

To be honest, I didn’t think I could do it. I was out. I mean, I couldn’t walk – but I decided to give myself little goals. The first was standing up. I think 90 seconds was my record. Next, my goal was to walk to the other side of the room. Eventually, I came up with another goal. My daughter, Hayley, was getting married and I said, "Oh, do you think I can walk her down the aisle?" So I trained for that.

Did you reach the wedding goal?

It turned out that not only could I walk her down the aisle, but I could also dance with her. Then I’d have to quickly return to my seat and get my oxygen in. I kept getting progressively better. It certainly helped that I had a wonderful trainer. I’m good now. I feel terrific.

Has your return to good health helped you tackle the stunts and fight scenes in the new series of The Old Man?

Oh, yes. Doing fight scenes is a lot of fun. Throughout my career, I’ve been involved in quite a few fights. The older you get, it gets a little harder. But we’ve been very fortunate to have some master stunt co-ordinators involved, and they’ve gifted us the most beautiful fight scenes. I’ve done many in my career.

Next up, you’re revisiting Tron in a new Disney movie with Jared Leto. What can you tell us about it?

That was a lot of fun to shoot. Jared is the star of the show and I got to play my old character Kevin Flynn again. It was wild. I brought my original Tron helmet to set one day. It’s a reworked hockey helmet, but I presented it to Jared as a passing of the torch. I think it’s going to be a wonderful movie.

The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.