Bridges also discusses “The Big Lebowski,” Taylor Swift, “One Battle After Another,” his recovery from cancer, and a T-Mobile ad campaign.

Jeff Bridges reacts to Tron: Ares’ underwhelming box office performance: ‘Things can grow on you’

Bridges also discusses "The Big Lebowski," Taylor Swift, "One Battle After Another," his recovery from cancer, and a T-Mobile ad campaign.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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October 28, 2025 6:19 p.m. ET

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Jeff Bridges in 'Tron: Ares'. Credit:

- Jeff Bridges tells ** that the narrative around *Tron: Ares*' box office performance reminds him of his 1980 Western *Heaven's Gate*.

- Bridges also reflects on how recovering from cancer and COVID-19 has changed his perspective on life.

- The actor also discusses *The Big Lebowski*, Taylor Swift, *One Battle After Another*, the Coen brothers, and more.

Jeff Bridges continues to abide.

The *Big Lebowski* star, 75, stepped back from screen acting following a bout with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2020 and a serious case of COVID-19 shortly thereafter. Now, he's back on the silver screen in *Tron: Ares*, featuring his first movie performance since 2018's *Bad Times at the El Royale*. The film sees Bridges reprise a version of his character Kevin Flynn, whom he previously played in 1982's *Tron* and its 2010 follow-up *Tron: Legacy*.

Beyond his big-screen comeback, Bridges also stars in a new ad campaign for T-Mobile, which sees him ask Zoe Saldaña and her husband Marco Perego for advice on how he should audition for, well, a T-Mobile commercial.

In a wide-ranging conversation with **, Bridges reflects on the commercial,  the next chapter of his career, *Tron: Ares*' reception, *The Big Lebowski* (and its influence on *One Battle After Another*), working with Taylors Swift and Sheridan, and more.

Jeff Bridges at the 'Tron: Ares' panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

Amy Sussman/Getty

**: How did you end up in a T-Mobile commercial?**

**JEFF BRIDGES: **[Laughs] I don't really know. I think I was made aware that I was up for it from my commercial agent, and pretty much, you know, like that. Oh, and also Brian Klugman, the director is a dear friend of my manager. And so there was a connection there as well.

**In the commercial, you're preparing to audition for an ad. When was the last time you actually had to audition for a role?**

Oh, man. Well, the one that pops into my mind was *Starman* for John Carpenter. I remember auditioning for that. I like auditioning, actually. You know, I always thought of the audition as an actual performance, and getting the part was sort of the cherry on the top. To look at the auditions as the gig was an interesting thing.

**What was it like working with Zoe Saldaña on this series of ads?**

Oh, she was wonderful, and so was Marco. Both of them are great spirits and really easygoing. We had a good time playing together.

How Jeff Bridges bonded with Method-acting Jared Leto, on 'Tron: Ares'

'Tron: Ares' trailer sends Jared Leto racing out of the digital world

**It was great seeing you back on the big screen in *Tron: Ares* recently. And I know you've been busy with FX's *The Old Man*, but this was your first movie role in seven years.**

**What was it like getting back in the swing of things?**

It was a lot of fun. Jared Leto was wonderful to work with, and so was Joachim Rønning, the director. It was only for a few days, but it was fun getting back on the Grid!

**Did you intentionally take that much time off for movie roles? Was that a purposeful choice?**

Well, I got sick, and I was down for about — oh gosh, I don't know, it felt like forever. I don't know how many years. But that pretty much put a damper on getting back to work. I thought I might have retired, but then I kind of bounced back with *The Old Man*, the whole crew and cast were good enough to stay on board even after this long hiatus, whichI think was over a year. We did two seasons and I think it took us five years! Something like that.

Jeff Bridges in 'Tron: Ares'.

**How has your health affected your recent projects, and how are you feeling now? Has anything changed about your approach after that period of time?**

Yeah, I'm feeling great now and when you go through an experience like that — this is how it affected me, anyway — it brought all kinds of gratitude to the fore. Just being alive and saying, "Oh, I'm getting a second crack at this. Why not just relax and have some fun?" And I think of what my mom used to tell me when I'd go off to work. She says, "Remember, have fun and don't take it too seriously." [Laughs] And so her words echo in my mind, even now.

**You have a couple more movies coming up, including a *Beowulf* movie and a Terry Gilliam movie where you play God. What's your vision for your future?**

I dunno. I'm just kind of playing it as it lays. The *Beowulf* thing is a movie called *Grendel*, which is based off the bad guy in *Beowulf*. And I'm looking forward to that if that happens — I don't know, we'll see. It's been kind of an on-again and off-again project. And the Terry Gilliam thing — I talked to Terry about it, but it's something that's still in the works. I don't know if it's been financed yet or not. But I love working with Terry.

**And do you hope to keep working on movies and TV shows after that?**

Again, that line "Play it as it lays" pops up into my head. I'm just taking it one day at a time as it rolls. My general M.O. is I kinda resist working as much as possible. And when I say work, I'm talking about making movies, because I've got so many other interests in my life. But so I kind of resist, and if the pull is strong enough, it'll pull me into engagement.

Jeff Bridges in 'Heaven's Gate'.

United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection

**Back on the subject of *Tron*: Hollywood recently has become increasingly focused on movies' opening weekend grosses, and some have deemed *Ares* a disappointment because of that first weekend gross compared to expectations. What do you make of that narrative and the amount of emphasis that some are placing on opening weekends?**

That's not really my wheelhouse. [Laughs] I don't really know about that. It's interesting, though, how movies are received at opening weekend. I remember *Heaven's Gate* was considered, you know, very disappointing or a flop, but nowadays it's considered kind of a masterpiece.

My wife took some wonderful photographs while we were shooting *Heaven's Gate*, and here in Santa Barbara, her photographs are on display at the Tamsen Gallery, which is right next door to the Arlington Theater. And next month there's gonna be a screening of *Heaven's Gate* that everyone's invited to. And it's the director's cut, you know, Michael Cimino — it's gonna be great. So it's interesting how things can grow on you.

Even as an individual, often, I have not liked a movie. And then a couple weeks or months later, I'll see it again. I'll say, "What was I thinking?" [Laughs] As the Dude would say, "That's just like your opinion, man."

Jeff Bridges in 'The Big Lebowski'.

Merrick Morton/Focus Features

**Speaking of the Dude, you recently reprised that role on *Jimmy Kimmel Live*. What was it like putting the cardigan back on, and how did you feel about bringing that character back to speak to the moment in 2025?**

The Dude has a life of his own, and occasionally I'll be called upon to rekindle him. I had a wonderful experience earlier this year showing photographs that I took on *Big Lebowski* with this wide lens camera that my wife and I are recreating — the factory that built that camera burned down 30 years ago. So I did a few performances with my stand-in, Loyd Catlett, we've done about 70 movies together. And so we got on the stage and had a screening of *Lebowski* and showed my photographs.

I love that character. Sometimes guys will ask me if ever get tired of talking about it. No, I'm so proud of being involved with the Coen Brothers and with that particular movie. It was a wonderful experience for me.

**You've previously said that the costume designer, Mary Zophres, used some of your personal clothes to wardrobe the Dude. Was his robe yours prior to the movie, and did you keep anything from that wardrobe that wasn't already yours?**

I don't think that robe was mine in the movie. The sweater wasn't mine, but I have the original sweater now, which is nice. The jelly shoes were mine, and the T-shirts were mine. Different things like that. But I scored with the sweater!

Leonardo DiCaprio in 'One Battle After Another'.

**Leonardo DiCaprio has said that his performance as a stoner in *One Battle After Another *drew a lot of inspiration from you in *Lebowski*. What's your reaction to that? Have you seen the movie?**

That's a wonderful thing to hear. I haven't heard any interviews from him, but, gosh, I saw that movie — what a great movie, my gosh! And the performances were all so wonderful. Leo just kicked ass, and everyone — Sean, the whole cast — it was just a wonderful experience. I love seeing a good movie like that, and I'm pretty highfalutin as far as, you know, because I do it too, so it's sometimes it's hard for me to get lost in the story compared to a random person out on the street. But that one really got me. I just really enjoyed it on so many levels.

**Did you see any parallels between the Dude and Leo's character in that? How does it feel to hear that comparison being made?**

I can see comparisons. Both of those guys, you look at 'em with a certain lens, and they look like lazy sons of bitches. They don't really have anything to really give to the world or anything. But on closer examination, you see they're kind of deeper than that, or their spirits run deeper than that. So I like the comparison.

**On the subject of the Coen Brothers, another one of my favorite performances of yours is *True Grit*. Have you kept in touch with the Coens at all? Have you had any discussions with either of them about working with them again?**

No, we don't cross paths that much. But whenever we do, it's just a wonderful experience. We really enjoy each other. I dig that. And God, they're masters, man. They make it look so effortless — and it ain't entirely effortless, a lot of it goes into the writing that's so wonderful.

Jeff Bridges and Taylor Swift in 'The Giver'.

David Bloomer/Weinstein Company/Courtesy Everett

**About a decade ago, you worked with Taylor Swift in *The Giver*. What are your memories of that experience? Have you kept in touch or followed her career since then?**

Oh, yeah. I mean, I, you know, when you mention her name, I say, "Oh, that's one of my movie daughters!" And I've got a few of those, my movie kids. It's wonderful to follow them, their careers just like you with your own kid, you know? So I really enjoy that. I'm thinking of other ones now. You know, Drew Barrymore was my girl in a movie. Oh God, I gotta get a whole slew of 'em.

**You also collaborated with another Taylor who has exploded in popularity since you've collaborated with them: Taylor Sheridan, who wrote *Hell or High Water*. **

Oh, yeah. Oh God. Prolific guy.

**Has there been any discussion of you working with him again on any of his projects? On paper, it seems like you'd be perfect for one of its shows.**

No, no, not, not recently, no. I had a good time on *Hell or High Water*. The director, David Mackenzie, he was so good. I had a great time working on that.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Bridges can currently be seen in *Tron: Ares*, which is now playing in theaters. You can also catch him on the small screen and online in T-Mobile's ad campaign costarring Zoe Saldaña, promoting the company's iPhone 17 Pro deal, in which new and existing customers can snag the latest iPhone with an eligible trade-in in any condition.

Watch Bridges and Saldaña in the ad above.

*This interview has been edited for clarity and length.*

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Movies”