He’s still The Dude 25 years on! Jeff Bridges reunites with Big Lebowski pal John Goodman

The Dude and his bowling buddy Walter reunited after 25 years when John Goodman presented Jeff Bridges with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Critics’ Choice Awards.

The 70-year-old Goodman delivered a heartfelt speech about his longtime friend before presenting the 73-year-old Goldman with the award.

Goodman revealed all of the ‘camaraderie and friendship’ they felt behind-the-scenes translated to the screen, ‘all because of Jeff. 

Friendship: Goodman revealed all of the ‘camaraderie and friendship’ they felt behind-the-scenes translated to the screen, ‘all because of Jeff’ 

‘He was so committed and would deliver his hilarious “Dude-isms” so effortlessly that no one ever knew where Jeff ended and the dude began,’ Goodman said, adding he, ‘continues to play such a wide range of characters and tends to lose himself in all of them, before they showed a clip package and Bridges took the stage to accept his award. 

‘Thank you, John! Thank you, John. Thank you, critics. The dude, from Lebowski, he would say, this is just like your opinion, man,’ Bridges joked.

He added it was his father’s Lloyd Bridges’ (who passed away in 1998 at 85) birthday today and he, ‘wouldn’t be up here without my dad. He’s the reason I’m up here.

Committed: ‘He was so committed and would deliver his hilarious “Dude-isms” so effortlessly that no one ever knew where Jeff ended and the dude began,’ Goodman said, adding he, ‘continues to play such a wide range of characters and tends to lose himself in all of them, before they showed a clip package and Bridges took the stage to accept his award

Thanks: ‘Thank you, John! Thank you, John. Thank you, critics. The dude, from Lebowski, he would say, this is just like your opinion, man,’ Bridges joked 

‘I can remember him loving shoulders so much. He loved acting so much. As a kid, you know, I said dad, I’m not sure if I want to be an actor and he goes, what are you talking about? I said painting may be music,’ Bridges said.

‘He said Jeff, don’t be ridiculous. Being an actor, they’re going to call on you to do all those things that you’re interested in. Besides that, get to tell tell all these wonderful stories from all these different perspectives, people that are alive,’ Bridges added. 

‘This is a wonderful profession. He is so right. I am so glad I listened to him. The family that I grew up in was so supportive. My mother, some of you guys might have met her, she was the best actor in the bunch,’ he said of his mother Dorothy Bridges, 

Love: ‘I can remember him loving shoulders so much. He loved acting so much. As a kid, you know, I said dad, I’m not sure if I want to be an actor and he goes, what are you talking about? I said painting may be music,’ Bridges said

He went on to thank his brother Beau Bridges and their sister Cindy for being ‘so supportive,’ before praising his wife Susan Getson.

‘And I get to be supported by my beautiful, wonderfully talented wife, sue. We have been married 48 years. Three incredible daughters, Isabel, Jessie, and Haley,’ Bridges said, joking that he admitted he checked out his IMDB page, ‘to prepare for the night, adding, ‘I said wow. I’ve made a lot of movies! My gosh. All these little lifetimes, right?’  

‘These actors. It’s like these little families. Families that are coming together, trying to work together and make something beautiful. Pull up this one-time magic trick of making a movie. Doing our best,’ he added.

Thanks: He went on to thank his brother Beau Bridges and their sister Cindy for being ‘so supportive,’ before praising his wife Susan Getson

Supportive: ‘And I get to be supported by my beautiful, wonderfully talented wife, sue. We have been married 48 years. Three incredible daughters, Isabel, Jessie, and Haley,’ Bridges said, joking that he admitted he checked out his IMDB page, ‘to prepare for the night, adding, ‘I said wow. I’ve made a lot of movies! My gosh. All these little lifetimes, right?’

‘So families, that’s kind of what it all comes down to. I don’t have time to list all these great experiences I had making movies but I would like to shine the light on two guys who were very influential in my life and my career, Peter Bogdanovich and Bob Rafelson,’ he said.

‘Peter of course directed “Last picture show.” The great company, pbs producer. Mentioning picture show, I’ve got to mention Lloyd Catlin. He has been my stand-in for 70 movies. Talk about extended families, he is certainly in there,’ Bridges said.

‘My gosh. I wanted to say something else and I forgot and I told them not to put that thing up there, you know. But telling stories. That’s the privilege us actors get to do,’ he said.

‘We get to see some wonderful lines. One of my favorite lines was from a movie “Star man.” Playing an alien. Happened to be sort of a critic 

5:37:58 PM 5:38:19 PM in a way. He certainly had a strong opinion. Strong opinions about us. He said you know what I love most about it, you are your best when things are at their worst. And I love that because

5:38:40 PM especially in these days, we are going through some tough times, guys. We could use our best. It makes me, it makes me want to tell the best story, live the best story and we can.

5:39:02 PM Together we can do that. We can make something beautiful. So love you, guys, all of you. Critics, everyone in the room. Great to be in cahoots with you.