5 Years After Cancer Diagnosis, Jeff Bridges, 75, Shares Powerful Health Update

Jeff Bridges says he’s in a good place—mostly. Nearly five years after being diagnosed with lymphoma and three years into remission, the actor is sharing an honest look at his health, post-COVID struggles, and creative revival.

In an exclusive People interview, the 75-year-old Big Lebowski star said his health is “very good,” though he admitted that not everything is back to normal. “I’m feeling good,” he said, “but some things, it’s hard to tell if it’s the cancer and the COVID or if it’s just old age.”

Memory issues and a diminished sense of smell are among the lingering symptoms he attributes to long-term COVID effects. “I can’t smell,” he joked. “My wife laughs at me. She says, ‘I haven’t showered in days. You can’t smell?’”

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Bridges first announced his lymphoma diagnosis in October 2020 and began treatment soon after. In September 2021, he revealed the tumor had shrunk from 9 by 12 inches to the size of a marble, and he entered remission.

Though his body has endured two major health battles in recent years, Bridges continues to push forward creatively. He recently wrapped production on The Old Man and is preparing for the release of Tron: Ares. He also just dropped a surprise music project, Slow Magic 1977–1978, a collection of long-lost jam sessions recorded nearly 50 years ago.

The album features collaborations with legendary composer Keefus Ciancia and appearances from old friends, including members of Oingo Boingo and actor Burgess Meredith. “It’s been a wonderful journey, realizing these tunes in this way,” Bridges said.

For a man who once said his brush with mortality made life feel “brief and beautiful,” Jeff Bridges seems to be making the most of every minute.