Jeff Bridges recently shared an update on his health following a cancer diagnosis and a serious case of COVID-19 in the early months of 2021. In an interview with AARP, the Old Man star recalled filming the show’s first season and revealed that he was unaware of a 9-by-12-inch tumor on his body while performing a fight scene in the first episode.
Bridges had been scheduled to undergo chemotherapy soon after this discovery, but he was informed in January 2021 that the cancer treatment had weakened his immune system and he had contracted COVID-19. He stated that COVID-19 was much harder to deal with than cancer, as he did not have the immune system to fight it. Bridges described himself as being in “surrender mode” initially, accepting that his time had come, but he clarified that this was not the same as giving up.
Bridges spent five months in the hospital and was treated with plasma from other COVID-19 recovered patients. His wife, Sue, played a vital role in his recovery, advocating for his treatment and keeping him off the ventilator. Bridges is grateful for the cast of “The Old Man” as they give him a sense of purpose and joy. His tumor has since been reduced in size, and he is happy to be back doing what he loves.