For two years, Jeff Bridges was on one of the toughest journeys. As he told Entertainment Tonight after accepting the lifetime achievement award at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night, he didn’t think he was going to make it to the other side of that journey.
“I was sick for two years — with cancer and COVID — and when I talked about my family … I wanted to, you know, talk about their support during that time,” he told ET. “I didn’t think I was going to make it at all, let alone get going back to work.”
The Comeback We’ve Been Waiting For—Jeff Bridges Is Back After Devastating Health Battle
As Mamas Uncut previously reported, the beloved actor underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020 and came down with COVID-19 during those treatments, which only added to the difficult journey he was already on.
And while Bridges received the good news that his cancer was in remission in 2021, the treatment he underwent left him with several issues, including not being able to stand for more than 45 seconds at a time. As Mamas Uncut previously reported, that was a concern for Bridges in more ways than one, most importantly, he was scheduled to walk one of his beloved daughters down the aisle in just a few short months.
RELATED: The Incredible Sacrifices Jeff Bridges Took to Make Sure He Could Walk His Daughter Down the Aisle
Using that for motivation, Bridges dug deep and worked with a personal trainer in order to get his strength back. And his hard work paid off because when August 2021 rolled around, Bridges was back on his feet and was able to walk his youngest daughter, Hayley Roselouise Bridges, down the aisle.
Not only that, but Bridges was able to dance the night away as well.
While talking with ET at the Critics Choice awards, Bridges said it was the beautiful support of his family that eventually got him through and gave him the strength to get to his hit FX series The Old Man.
“We were stopped in the middle of the season and it was very surreal. It was like we had a two-year long weekend ya know? And then we came back to work and, you know, I’d say to Amy Brennamen and [John] Lithgow, and say, ‘I had the weirdest dream guys. I was in the hospital.’ I couldn’t believe it. But their support during those times — and also The Old Man. Doing that show was terrific and I’m so happy we’re going to do another season starting in March.”
Now, Bridges seems to be doing more than okay and we couldn’t be happier for him!
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