hour. the dude. this is "piers morgan tonight." good evening. is it possible to have a 40-year career in hollywood, makeover, 60 movies, and still have a reputation as mr. nice guy? well, apparently it is if you're jeff bridges. and he joins me now for me to test his theory. everybody tells me in the business and out you're the nicest guy in show business. how do you plead? >> i'm going for guilty. what the hey? >> have you always been easy to work with? because the running theme of all your co-workers has always been you're just the nicest guy to work with. >> yeah, i think i have. you know? i take my lead from my old man, lloyd. lloyd bridges. you know, my dad. >> great actor. >> who loved showbiz so much. i got to work with him as a kid on "sea hunt." whenever there was a role for a little kid, he'd say come on, get out of school, come on, play with dad. you know, that kind of thing. but as an adult i got to work with him twice, on "tucker" and a movie called "blown away." and it was a little different experience. you know, as an adult i saw when he came on the set how much fun he was having and how that fun was kind of contagious, you know. and when you're having fun, you kind of relax and your best work bubbles out. >> and your mother actually came up with a similar sort of entraity to you, to have fun in your life. >> that was the tip that she would always give me. and my wife does it now. after i go off to a job. my mom used to say, my wife says now, she'll say, remember, have fun and don't take it too seriously. you know, that really -- that's a good tip. >> have you learned that? or have you -- because i notice the interesting career path you've taken. you've taken this year off to do music. but you also made about ten movies before you were really convinced you want to do this at all. >> oh, absolutely. >> the tear in your life's always been between the music and the movies. >> yeah, you know, like most kids i didn't want to do what my folks wanted me to do. you know, i had my own ideas. >> they were both movie stars. >> well, no, my mom wasn't a movie star. they met at -- in ucla. you know. in the drama department. and my mom is probably the best actor of the whole bunch. but they were so, you know, encouraging about the -- about show business, and my dad loved it so much. pretty much. but i had this music thing going that i just -- i really loved. and i had those dreams. but then the movie thing took off and it was like the path of least resistance kind of thing. and like i say, i enjoyed it. and so at a certain part of my -- i can tell you kind of the moment. you want me to tell you the -- this is kind of an in-depth interview. you go into those kinds of things. >> yeah. >> i was making a movie called "last american hero." this is maybe in my -- >> i remember it. >> -- 14th, 15th movie. and it was about -- playing a stock car driver. and normally, after a film i had this feeling of oh, i never want to make another movie again. it uses a funny kind of muscle, you know, this pretending business. and i said, i don't want to pretend anymore, i just want to be me. you know, that kind of thing. so i was going through that period right after that film. and about a week after that film was completed i got a call from my agent, very excited. and he said, oh, i've got great news. john frankenheimer wants you to be in "the iceman cometh," with robert ryan, frederick march, and lee marvin. and i said, oh, that's nice, i'm going to pass. he says, what do you mean? i said, i'm bushed, man. you know, i'm going to pass. he said, you're kidding me. i said no. he hung up. and about five minutes later lamont johnson, the director, from "last american hero," called me up. and he had a very low voice. and he said, "i heard you turned this iceman cometh down." i said, yeah, i'm bushed, lamont. he said, "you're bushed? ?" he said, "you are an ass." and he he hung up on me. and i said -- i'm one to do experiments on myself from time to time. and i thought, well, i'm wondering what my career path will be here. and i know i don't really partly want to do this. maybe i will do it and this will put the final nail in the coffin of my acting career. so i'll experiment. so i got on board on that film. and it was such an interesting experience. you know, most movies if you're lucky you get two weeks rehearsal and then you shoot for eight, ten weeks. this was like flipped around. it was a ten-week rehearsal with these great master actors and a wonderful director. and then we shot it in two weeks. it was a big play. and that play is like four hours long. so it was the chance of working with these old masters -- >> and is that when you really fell in love with the craft of acting? >> oh, yeah. yeah. i mean, something about it. it was an interesting thing. i thought early on maybe it's this anxiety, you do it for so long and it kind of goes. but on that film, "the iceman cometh," i learned it is not the case. wonderful actor. robert ryan. we had a lot of scenes over a table like this. and he was sitting there like this. he said, all right, we're ready to go, rolling. and he put his hands down, and i see these big puddles of sweat. and i said, bob, after all these years you're still nervous? he said, "oh, yeah, i'd really be scared if i wasn't scared." >> really? >> and then you see frederick march. he was like in his late 80s. and his anxiety, his not wanting to drop this great opportunity -- >> and do you get that? >> big-time. >> people imagine making movies because of the pace of them, unlike, say, live theater there's no real nerves because if you make a mistake you just redo it. >> oh, no. but it's the whole -- that term, "dropping the ball." that's what it feels like. remember, with "crazy heart," for instance, what an opportunity, to do this movie with -- >> for you it's the perfect film. >> oh, my gosh. >> you're playing the dream role. >> and my buddy t-bone, you know, burnett is in charge of the music. how wonderful. are you going to be able to pull it off? are you going to do it? it's like the wide receiver going out for that long ball, please let me catch this thing. it creates more anxiety. you know. >> and when you played that role, obviously, music being this great passion outside of movies for you. you could see it in the depiction of the character. you could have had this career, this washed-up old cowboy, has-been. >> i'm glad i listened to the old man. >> when you were wobbling about the movies, what did your dad say to you? >> what did he say? he didn't have to say much because these opportunities kind of kept -- "the last picture show." that happened when i was maybe 19, 20 years old. that got nominated for an abl academy award -- >> let's watch a little clip from "last picture show." >> what did you get so mad about? i didn't do nothing to you. >> screwing my girl ain't -- >> i didn't screw your girl. >> she's not your girl -- >> she is my girl. i've always lived here. i'm get herring back i'm telling you right now. she's going to marry me one of these days when we get a little more money. >> she's not going to marry you. >> she will. >> she's going to go off to college. i doubt i'll get to go with her myself when she gets off. i didn't see what it hurts to go with her this summer. she ain't going to marry you -- >> she is. don't you tell me. she'll never let you screw her. that's for sure. >> what do you think of when you see that? >> i'm thinking of timmy bottoms. what wonderful actor he is. he didn't get the recognition he deserved in that movie. but movies are full of that kind of thing. you know, the stuff that goes unnoticed. you know, that's all the -- >> what's the best role you think you've played and didn't get the recognition you thought it might? >> i don't know about the role, but as you ask that question i think of the movies i wish i would have seen more. and because so many things have to come together to make it a success not only financially but artistically, and a movie called "the amateurs." i don't know if you've ever seen it. it's available on dvd. it had a wonderful cast. you know. about roles, i don't know. it's a funny thing. when i look at my own work, i'm quite critical when i view it. i can't help but be. it almost seems like a green light and a red light that goes off saying yeah, yeah, oh -- >> are you a good critic of your own actor? >> a good critic, you mean -- >> are you a -- i mean, are you right? >> i think so. i think so. yeah. i think, you know, you kind of hone. you get better. >> you got oscar nominated six times, and then finally you get the gold. and it was a wonderful moment when you won the oscar. and we'll come back to that a bit later. but did you feel that despite all your best efforts, 60-odd movies, you were neve actually going to win an oscar? and does it begin to eat away at you? >> no, no, no. it's a relief. you know, when they don't call your name, oh, [ muted ], don't have to get up -- >> don't tell me -- >> oh, it's stoeltly true. >> a relief to lose? >> yeah. i think i even said in the thing, it kind of blows my underappreciated status. that was the cool place to be. that's the place you want to be. >> because it's more comfortable there. you're not as exposed, right? >> yeah. for all kinds of reasons. you know, it's just -- it's just nicer. you know, to be not put on the spot, you know, of having to, you know, beat anything else or anything. no, it's really -- it's wonderful to be acknowledged by your peers, you know, for guys to do what you do, to get that tip. in the nomination. that feels -- >> are you comfortable with the fact that right now you're about as big a movie star as america has? does that scare you? does that unnerve you? do you wish you could crawl back into the slightly more comfortable zone? >> kind of challenging. yeah. only when you say it. normally i don't think of that kind of stuff. >> very few people have had the kind of run of success you have. and yet very bravely, or perhaps it's because of your feeling of slightly unnerved by, it you're saying okay, let's just -- >> yeah, yeah. >> is it partly that? >> is it partly what? >> are you partly deliberately getting out of the movie game just to give it a break, to calm things down? you must be getting every script out there. >> yeah, yeah. i just -- i did a bunch back to back with "tron" and "true grit" came close together. talk about that pretend muscle getting exhausted. i was pretty wiped that way. but -- also, you know, with music, we might get into this later on, is this year i wanted to not do the movies but do music and also work on ending hunger in our country. >> we're going to talk about the charity. it's a very good charity. i'm just curious, before we go to a break, just about the psychology of jeff bridges, who at the peak of his powers, with everybody wanting to gf you the best roles out there, you walk away for a year. >> hmm. >> what should we read into this? it can't be just because you fancy a bit of music. >> well, it was just bushed. you know, that's the word. i was bushed. you know. and that's kind of always how i've played it. just -- you know, i've been so fortunate. my god. i mean, i'm a product of nepotism. you know. my dad -- the hardest thing about acting as a profession is getting the break. you know. as you know, you do a show all about that kind of stuff. that's the toughest thing. and my dad, you know, he was saying, come on, do this thing. he would -- so he got me in there. and once that kind of took off, i've never really been that ambitious, you know, or eager or any of that stuff. you know? it's funny. >> well, you should reserve the right to feel bushed. >> yeah, there you go. yeah. >> when we come back, i want to talk to you about the woman who you said this about. 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[whoosh, clang] you need lifelock-- the only identity protection company that now monitors bank accounts for takeover fraud. lifelock-- relentlessly protecting your identity. call 1-800-lifelock or go to lifelock.com today. take it back. hey! >> go to bed, frank, or this is going to get ugly. yeah? >> come on. ooh. >> [ bleep ] newlywed game. >> you hit me. >> that was of course you and your brother beau in the immortal "the fabulous baker boys." did you enjoy working with your brother? >> what a dream that was. beau, music, and michelle. my god. dream come true. >> the dream team. >> oh, man. yeah. >> i read you a quote before we went to the break about how your view on marriage changed. you said this is interesting when you met this woman called susan. and then last year you said, "i really am more in love with her now than ever." and that was 34 years later. >> yeah. >> what was it about her? how did you know she was going to be that interesting to you? >> it was the corny love at first sight thing. >> literally? >> oh, yeah. >> where were you? >> i met her on a movie set. i was in one of my favorite states, montana, making a movie called "rancho deluxe." we were doing a scene with sam waterst waterston, harry dean stanton, and richard bright, and we were soaking in a hot tub in a dude ranch up in montana called chico hot springs. >> i just love the image you're conjuring. >> oh, yes. and you know how guys -- you know, they'll take a magazine or something and they'll look like this, use that as a shield to check out the girls. you know. so i'm doing that. and i see this girl, gorgeous girl who's watching us. and she looks like she's working there or something. she's got a broken nose and two black eyes. and she's just gorgeous. i cannot take my eyes off her. and she busts me every time i look at her. and it's -- i don't know about for you, i would imagine for you, too, it's tough asking a girl out. you've got to really, you know, get the courage -- >> men find it much harder than women think they do. >> don't you think? >> totally. >> so i finally worked my courage up to ask her out and i say, would you like to go out tonight? and she goes, no. it's a small town, maybe i'll see you around. i said really? she goes, yeah. i said okay. and her prophecy came true and maybe -- it might have been that night or the night after that, i saw her in a bar and we danced and you know, that was it. now we cut 20 years later or something, i'm married. we've got three kids. i'm sitting at my desk opening my mail and i get a letter from the make-up man on that show and he says, i was going through my files and i came across a photograph that might be of interest to you. it's a shot -- it's two shots of you asking a local girl out for a date. and i look at the thing, and it's a picture of me asking my wife out for a date. >> from that first -- >> from that moment. and her saying no. and there was a picture taken. >> of the moment of rejection. >> of that moment. and a close-up because he thought -- she was the prettiest girl in the joint, you know. and he took a -- i'll show it to you right now. >> really? >> i carry it. this is my prized possession. and here it is. you won't -- you'll see -- you ask me why i fell in love or what -- well, there are the pictures right there. >> look at that. >> isn't that wild? and you can see -- >> that's absolutely -- >> that is the moment -- >> that's the picture. >> those are the first words that i ever spoke to my wife, asking her out. and her answer was no. >> that is absolutely extraordinary. >> and show how pretty she is with her two black eyes. >> you have the face of -- >> oh, i'm just cold cocked. >> this is her again? this is her with the black eyes? >> that's her with the black eyes. >> how did she get the black eyes? >> car accident. i thought it was her boyfriend. i was going to save her and all that. but no. >> i love this. >> isn't that sweet? >> what an amazing thing. >> so whenever i think was she the right woman? and there's no question. you know. >> why do you think you've been able to have such a happy sustainable marriage in a business which is so littered with failure in that department? >> luck i'm sure has a lot to do with it. my parents were very -- i was i was going to say happily, but they went through, you know, unhappy times, too. and i think sue and i, we've developed a practice of kind of leaning into those tough times, you know, and looking at those -- now, here's an opportunity for us to get a little more intimate, to know a little bit more about each other. and we don't shy away from it. it doesn't scare us, you know, so much. and in a marriage -- i was going to say -- we've been married, what, 34 years. i can't -- i forget that sometimes. but it's a long time. but it doesn't take 34 years to find out that you're going to clash and whether you take those clashes and say, all right, that's it, that's the line, i am out of here, or you take that as an opportunity to make the love grow a little bigger, to hold that, and to hold that, and then you do that quite a while and you do that quite a while and you make that your practice -- >> do you think too many people just throw in the towel too early? >> i think so, yeah. yeah. because the rewards become so wonderful and it becomes more and more precious, the deeper -- the more you do that, the deeper -- the deeper the intimacy becomes. that's the high in life, isn't it? be intimate? that's what we want to do, all of us, i think. >> also there's a great comfort, isn't there, from having that kind of relationship with somebody for so long, if you can be that close with someone, go through the peaks and troughs. >> oh, yeah. >> when you get the great moments, it must be ten times better. >> and i find that the clash is always -- it's kind of an ancient thing. it's almost a little different version of the same thing. you know, over and over. >> we're going to have a little break and come back and talk about my personal favorite part of your life, and it's obviously "the big lebowski." you are obviously to me always going to be the dude. so dude, when we come back, we're talking dude. ♪ [ female announcer ] you use the healing power of touch every day. the healing power of touch can be even more powerful. with precise from the makers of tylenol. precise pain relieving cream works quickly to activate sensory receptors. it helps block pain signals fast for relief you can feel precisely where you need it most. precise. only from the makers of tylenol. 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