Jeff Bridges explains what it was like to film The Old Man with a tumor in a new health update. Bridges received a cancer diagnosis back in 2020, when a tumor in his body was discovered, and he was subsequently diagnosed with lymphoma. About a year later, he announced that he was in remission of the disease. Bridges’ first performance after his lymphoma diagnosis was in The Old Man season 1, which debuted in 2022. The Old Man season 2 has been confirmed and will release its first two episodes on Thursday, September 12.

During an interview at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour (via Entertainment Weekly), Bridges speaks about the process of filming for The Old Man with a tumor. The actor explained that in the first season of The Old Man, he was tasked with “doing these fight scenes” all the while having “a 9-inch by 12-inch tumor in [his] body.” Despite the apparent difficulty of this condition, Bridges claimed that this “didn’t hurt at all,” which was as “surprising” to him as it may seem to most people. Check out the full quote from Bridges below:

I’m feeling great now. What is so bizarre, to me anyway, in the first season when I was doing these fight scenes, I had a 9-inch by 12-inch tumor in my body, in my stomach, that didn’t hurt at all. So that’s surprising to me.

Why The Old Man Is One Of Jeff Bridges’ Best Roles

Filming with an active tumor is an impressive feat for the actor, especially because his cancer diagnosis was relatively new at the time he was filming The Old Man. Bridges was likely highly motivated to do well in this role, as The Old Man acted as a form of an acting comeback for the performer. Before the action series, Bridges had experienced somewhat of a hiatus from acting. Bridges’ last role before The Old Man was back in 2018, with his part in Bad Times at the El Royale.

Not only did Bridges return to acting with The Old Man, but he did so with immense success. As Bridges said later in his recent interview, he is “an old man, [he doesn’t] have to play it.” That is to say that playing retired CIA agent Dan Chase feels like a naturalistic progression in Bridges’ career, as the septuagenarian has aged elegantly into the role. His quiet yet powerful performance in the one-man army series feels like a great next step in what has been a fantastic overall career, making The Old Man one of his best roles.

As Bridges maintains good health, his career is also accelerating beyond The Old Man. Bridges is involved in the major sequel project Tron: Ares, which is currently set for release on October 10, 2025. Bridges stars as the eponymous monster in the Beowulf epic Grendel, which features a talented cast including Bryan Cranston, Sam Elliot, Thomasin McKenzie, and Dave Bautista. The Old Man season 2 may be the next project from Bridges, but it is certainly not his last as he continues his career through his twilight years.

Source: EW