Jeff Bridgesis shining a light on his supportive family while looking back on his career.
In his speech, Bridges, 73, shared that he’s wearing his late fatherLloyd Bridges’s cuff links since the award show fell on his dad’s birthday. The actor died in 1998 at age 85.
“It’s my dad’s birthday today, January 15. I’m wearing his cuff links. I wouldn’t be up here without my dad,” said Bridges. “No, he’s the reason that I’m up here. I can remember him loving showbiz so much, loving acting so much, and as a kid I said, ‘You know, Dad, I’m not sure I wanna be an actor.’ He goes, ‘What are you talkin’ about?' I said, ‘I wanna do painting maybe, music.’ He said, ‘Jeff, don’t be ridiculous. Being an actor, they’re gonna call on you to do all of those things you’re interested in. And besides that, you’re gonna get to tell all these wonderful stories from all these different perspectives of people that are alive. This is a wonderful profession.’ "
Kevin Winter/Getty
“He’s so right,“The Old Manactor continued. “I’m so glad I listened to the old man!”
Bridges said his family has been “so supportive,” also highlighting his mom Dorothy — the “best actor of the bunch,” he said — and his siblings Beau, Cindy, plus his “gorgeous, wonderfully talented"wife Susan: “We’ve been married 48 years,” he proudly declared as the audience cheered. He also gave shoutouts totheir kids: Isabelle, Jessica and Hayley.
“Family — that’s kinda what it all comes down to,” he later added.
Susan Geston and Jeff Bridges.Phillip Faraone/Getty
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Back in 2014, Bridges sharedlessons he learned from his parents, explaining that they “were great examples” for him.
“How my father dealt with fame, it didn’t seem that unusual to me. He was such a lover of showbiz, loved [doing interviews], loved signing autographs,” he said at the time. “He taught me the basics of acting, but what I really got from him was the joy he experienced while working.”
Bridges appeared with his father in 1994’sBlown Away, a memory he still cherished: “I remember when he came on the set, in a genuine way he was just joyful — it was contagious. It would go through the community. With joy comes relaxation about the way things are, and with that comes getting out of your own way. And you end up with some good work.”
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The Critics Choice Association announced that Bridges would be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award last month. “We are thrilled to be honoring the one and only Jeff Bridges with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Critics Choice Awards,” CCA CEO Joey Berlin said in a statement at the time.
“From his debut with his dad onSea Hunt,to his iconic performance as The Dude inThe Big Lebowski,to his Oscar-winning performance inCrazy Heart,right through his amazing work inThe Old Man, his decades-spanning career is unmatched,” Berlin added.
Bridges has been nominated for sevenAcademy Awardsover the course of his career, first receiving a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1971’sThe Last Picture Show. Bridges has won one Oscar, for his performance in 2009’sCrazy Heart, for which he also received a Critics Choice Award.
In total, the actor has received three Critics Choice Award nominations in his career, including for his performances in 2010’sTrue Gritand 2016’sHell or High Water.
source: people.com
