
‘Emotions? They're no big thing, man!' Jeff Bridges on satisfaction, silver linings – and his secret life in music
The garage here serves as Bridges' jam space and ceramics workshop. He has drums set up for his grandson, and a picture of Captain Beefheart on the wall. Since December, when his FX series The Old Man was cancelled, the 75-year-old has been spending more of his days here. 'Now I've got some time for letting some other things bubble up and I'm really happy about that,' he says. 'A lot of music, some more art stuff.'
Bridges is good at finding the silver lining. Mention the recent loss of his Malibu home in the Los Angeles fires, for instance, and he is sanguine. 'We've lost five homes to fires, earthquakes, floods. We're waiting for the locusts,' he says. His 2020 diagnosis and subsequent treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma – or, in Bridges words, 'some real health issues' – is mentioned only in passing, as the catalyst for him to release more music: 'Hey,' he reasons, 'if you've got some stuff that you want to share, now's the time, man!' I tell him how despite it all he seems remarkably chipper, and he smiles. 'Absolutely,' he says. 'I'm happy.'
The primary focus of our conversation today is intended to be Slow Magic, a collection of Bridges songs lost for close to 50 years and now due to be released on Record Store Day. The way the release came about, he says, 'is so mysterious and wonderful to me. Shall I give you a little history?' He launches into a story that involves the musicians Keefus Ciancia and T Bone Burnett, a Squarespace advertisement for the Super Bowl, the 1975 comedy Hearts of the West, the New Age music charts, and a single cassette tape of some tunes Bridges had set down with some old high school buddies, labelled 'July 1978'. One soon grasps that much of Bridges' life has moved this way, in bursts of what we might regard as cosmic serendipity and connection.
Bridges was born into a well-known Hollywood family. His mother, Dorothy, and his father, Lloyd, were both actors, as was his older brother, Beau. Although the young Jeff showed promise in art and music, his father encouraged him to join the family business, taking him along to set, securing him minor roles on his productions. 'I had questions about what I was going to do, and my dad would say: 'Jeff, don't be ridiculous, that's the wonderful thing about acting, it's going to call upon all of your interests.''
All the family loved music. They would sit around the piano, singing show tunes together. One of Bridges' earliest memories involves the Broadway composer Meredith Willson visiting the family home to try to persuade his father to take the lead role in The Music Man. 'His wife, Rini, was playing the piano and Meredith Willson was coming up to me singing: 'You got trouble! Right here in River City!''
He was a teenager in the 1960s, just as music shifted gear from the early rock'n'roll of Chuck Berry and the Everly Brothers to the likes of the Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. 'I mean every day, can you imagine, waking up going to school and here are the new Beatles songs?' he says. 'And that happened over and over! You take it for granted, kind of, but it's amazing!'
Bridges' high school was largely made up of the children of the entertainment industry. He hung out with an artsy bohemian crowd, rather than the jocks, each school day starting by getting stoned in his Buick while he and his buddies listened to the radio: '[There was] a lot of drug experimentation you know, during those times.'
On Wednesday evenings, a group of them would meet for a jam session at his friend Steve Baim's home. 'There was a main rule that there were no songs allowed,' Bridges says. 'Singing was encouraged, and making up songs, but nothing that would be played on the radio or anything like that. Just a big jam session.' As they left high school and moved through their lives, the Wednesday Night Jams continued – a way of rooting the group in their city, their friendship and their creativity. At some point around 1977, Bridges, who had been writing music alongside acting, invited his friends over to record some of his tunes. 'And the album is a result of that.'
Despite his father's advice, music had always remained an alluring and viable career path for Bridges. In the late 60s he even sold two songs to Quincy Jones, who used one of them, Lost in Space, for the soundtrack of John and Mary, starring Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow. As time went on, the indecision continued. 'I'd done 10 movies, I'd been nominated for an Academy Award [best supporting actor for The Last Picture Show, 1971], and I still wasn't…' He pauses, and his eyes glance off to the assistant once more. 'Oh thank you dear, I appreciate that,' he says, taking the latest pair of spectacles. 'Those are the ones!' He says, then looks at them more closely. 'No, these are not the ones!'
Something of a shift happened after making 1973 motor sports movie The Last American Hero. 'I had a great time making it, but usually after a movie your pretend muscle gets exhausted,' Bridges says. 'You don't want to pretend any more, you just want to be who you really are and not be in character.'
Shortly after filming wrapped, his agent was approached by the director John Frankenheimer with a part in his adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh. Bridges knew it would be a big deal – Frederic March, Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin were already signed up. Nevertheless, he was unsure. He told his agent to turn down the role. Five minutes later, he received a call from Lamont Johnson, director of The Last American Hero. 'He said: 'I heard you turned down The Iceman Cometh?' I said 'Yeah Monty, I'm bushed, man.' And he says, 'You're bushed? You're an ass!' And he hung up on me!'
Bridges took stock and decided 'to do a little experiment on myself and go kind of against what my intuition is telling me'. He took the role, loved the movie, and decided he would throw his hat fully into the acting ring.
It was an early example of Bridges exploring what he regards as the resistant element in himself. 'I find I have a lot of resistance, that's kind of how I roll,' he says. 'To do a movie, to bring me to the party, I resist, I resist. And there's such satisfaction in exploring that resistance and getting on the other side, not being afraid of it.'
Lately, he has been examining his resistance to cold. 'I'm getting into the cold-plunging, I've been doing that for a while, and my relationship with cold has shifted a bit,' he says. 'Normally you think of cold as an enemy, but it's just a feeling. All of those different emotions that come up, they're no big thing man! Come on!' He was always this way, he says, always resistant. 'I don't think I've changed much since I was a little kid. I feel basically the same.' I ask Bridges how he would describe himself at his essence, and he leans back in his chair and thinks. After a moment, he smiles, broadly. 'Frightened, and game.'
He is reluctant to be drawn on how different his relationship with music might be to his relationship with acting – whether it still holds any of that same resistance, if it requires him to use his 'pretend' muscle. 'It's a facet of myself,' he says. 'I don't think we ultimately know who we really are all the time. The task for all these different things, whether it's acting, music, painting, ceramics, the main task is getting out of the way, letting the thing come through you. And it can be frightening sometimes. But sometimes it just has its way with you, and when that happens, man it's a gas! And when it happens with a bunch of other artists and you're all doing it together, it's real magic. It's the magic of trees and flowers.'
Music has often been the thing that has glued together the various facets of himself, and connected Bridges to others. 'Whether it's making a movie or music, you're harmonising,' he says. 'You're saying: let's combine our strengths here and see what we can come up with and make it beautiful and real.'
Often, he will make a playlist for the character he's playing (for the Dude in The Big Lebowski, it was 'a lot of Creedence'). 'Then you play them in the makeup trailer,' he says. 'You get made up with all the guys in the show, you make that transition from who you are back into your characters. You get painted, you share music.'
He recalls shooting 1984's Against All Odds in Mexico with Taylor Hackford, and how on their first night in Mexico 'we split a bottle of tequila, and went through the whole Beatles catalogue'. How, stuck for nine months on the set of Heaven's Gate in Montana, Kris Kristofferson and T Bone Burnett invited a string of musical friends to join them. 'And we would just jam all the time. When we weren't working, we were playing.' Later, when he was offered the lead in Crazy Heart, playing an alcoholic country singer trying to turn his life around, he took the part because Burnett signed on to write the score.
In 2003, Bridges appeared alongside Bob Dylan in Masked and Anonymous. One day the director, Larry Charles, made a suggestion: 'Why don't you and Bob go off and you teach Bob some acting? Go and do some improvisation or something.' Bridges, resistant, eventually agreed. 'He was so great to work with,' he says. 'He's such an incredible actor. I mean his presence, right?'
Not long afterwards, Bridges was in his trailer, playing guitar, when Dylan appeared in the doorway. 'He said 'Hey man, you want to jam?'' Bridges still looks flabbergasted. I ask if he saw A Complete Unknown. 'Yeah, yeah,' he says. 'They all did such a great job but …' He seems puzzled by the film's existence. 'You know, you got the real thing …'
Lately, Bridges has been spending a little time going through what he calls his 'song mine', wondering what to do with all the tunes he's written. He is still writing. The songs fill his notebooks and his GarageBand files. Sometimes he sets them down with Cianca in their band the Abiders. Sometimes he puts them out as rough sketches on his website under the banner Emergent Behaviour. He asks only that if you dig them, you might make a donation to his chosen charities, No Kid Hungry and the Amazon Conservation Team. 'Let's create beautifully together,' the website suggests.
'I wrote a song recently about my old buddy John Goodwin,' Bridges tells me. He and Goodwin grew up in the same neighbourhood, and Goodwin became a professional songwriter – he provided material for the Crazy Heart soundtrack, which won an Oscar and two Grammys, and for Bridges' self-titled 2011 album, recorded after the film's success.
Bridges has called his Goodwin tribute song We Know That One. 'I don't know what style you'd call it. It's my own style, kind of. Let me see if I can find it …' He picks up a tablet, peers at the screen. 'All right. Let's see here. Scrolling, scrolling, music, lyrics, my lyrics, my chorus, lyrics …'
In the quiet of his garage, Bridges leans far back in his chair, hands behind his head, and begins to sing. His voice is dusky, and warm and kind, and as he sings, something about him seems to glow. The music is having its way with him, and it is real magic; the magic of trees and flowers.
'From the top it looks deep, from the bottom it looks high,
Dive into the lake through the reflection of the sky.
No need feeling lonely Johnny, on this road heading home,
We're all heading that way, no one's really alone.
Can't you hear us laughing as we cover our gold with the ashes,
Our freedom, yeah we're ditching our souls.
Johnny can't you see we use hilarity to numb.
I think we're just too damn sensitive Johnny, we couldn't be that dumb.
Do we need some kind of friction? Do we need some kind of brakes?
Something dragging in the dirt, is that what it takes to get us home Johnny, get us home safe?
In that case, maybe laughing ain't too bad while we wait.
I can feel my soul waiting for me up ahead, tapping his foot, he's covered all bets.
He's waiting with yours Johnny, they're playing in the sun,
Hear that tune they're playing, we know that one …'
Slow Magic, 1977-78 will be released on Light in the Attic on 12 April
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The Smile singer said: "I've had to completely switch off social media because as soon as I look at it, it can be hours of my day gone." Meanwhile Sheridan Smith, 44, said her diagnosis had helped her understand her 'brain's background noise'. "I never know what to say and I overthink," she said, adding that she found herself "overanalysing" little things, like the "mums' WhatsApp group" at her son's school. "[I'm called] Shadow Sheridan because all I do is lurk," the Oliver award-winning actress said. Paloma Faith, 44, was in a similar position. She said she spent her "whole life struggling with certain things" which began to take on new meaning after she received the eye-opening diagnosis in 2023. "Lots of things start to add up," the singer said. "When you go through the assessment process you're like, 'Oh my God, that's part of it as well!' "They start asking you these questions and you're like, 'I didn't even think that was part of it'." Jessie J, 37, who was diagnosed after having her son Sky in 2023, said motherhood 'exposed' her ADHD, but she now considers it her 'superpower'. "It's made me re think about my whole life," she added. "The way I've been, the way I deal with things. The relationships I have had. How I work and how I love. "It's empowered me and honestly sometimes has overwhelmed me all at the same time." Dr Wallang says: 'Impulse eating and 'food crashes' are common in ADHD. 'Binge eating often stems from the impulsive drive for instant gratification, leading to overeating in short bursts. 'While diet doesn't cause ADHD, certain foods can significantly influence symptoms like hyperactivity, inattention and mood regulation. 'Highly processed foods and excess sugar can trigger irritability, restlessness and brain fog. 'There's also growing evidence connecting gut health to brain function via the gut–brain axis, suggesting an imbalanced diet could impact focus and emotional regulation. 'Regular, balanced meals can help maintain energy and mood, and people with ADHD should avoid long gaps between meals, limiting high-sugar or highly processed foods too.' 3. OVERSTIMULATION TYPICALLY I thrive in and love a busy and loud environment. But when I was on holiday last year, it all just got a bit too much and I had to sit away from noise and crowd. It just felt like I was being talked to too much and asked for too many opinions or thoughts on things with not enough space. Dr Wallang says: 'The ADHD brain struggles to filter out irrelevant stimuli. 'When there's too much going on – be it noise, visual clutter or background distractions – individuals can become overstimulated, making it even harder to focus, stay calm or complete tasks. 'Even for those used to high-energy settings, overstimulation can lead to mental fatigue. 9 'Creating dedicated 'optimal stimulation' spaces can help. 'These might include a tidy, low-clutter environment or noise-cancelling headphones. 'Regular quiet breaks also allow the brain to recover and stay regulated.' 4. DOOMSCROLLING I CAN be found falling into a real worm hole on even my busiest days with a big 'to-do' list being ignored. My screen time goes up when I'm busy and down when I'm quiet, which I don't quite understand either. Dr Wallang says: 'Dopamine is a key player in ADHD – and social media delivers constant, rapid hits of it. 'This can lead to compulsive scrolling, difficulty sustaining focus and worsened self-esteem through comparison. 'It's these quick dopamine hits which make social media especially appealing during busy or stressful times. 'Excessive screen time may add to mental overload though, so replacing digital input with healthier dopamine sources – like movement, creativity or face-to-face connection – supports better emotional balance.' 5. TIMES OF LIFE I'M of an age where perimenopause is a thing, yet I'm still having regular periods. While I never know when my time of the month is coming, my partner always gets a sense of it because of a mood shift. I can see it afterwards but never at the actual time. 9 9 Dr Wallang says: 'Hormones like oestrogen and progesterone interact with neurotransmitters that influence ADHD symptoms. 'This is especially relevant for women in times of hormonal fluctuation – such as puberty, pregnancy, the menstrual cycle, and menopause. 'Hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause can significantly impact mood and ADHD symptoms. 'Tracking your cycle to spot patterns is helpful. 'Discussing hormone-sensitive treatment options with your GP or specialist, alongside lifestyle adjustments and targeted support during hormone dips, can make a meaningful difference.' 6. ROUTINE FLUNKY I'M a feast or famine kinda gal when it comes to routine. You can either set your watch by my training and gym time or I turn into a sloth. I hate being told what to do and I thrive without routine more than with it. That said, I have three children and three dogs, so routine is inherently part of my day! The 9 'hidden' signs of ADHD in adults ADHD has long been associated with naughty schoolkids who cannot sit still in class. And that is part of it. Fidgeting, daydreaming and getting easily distracted are all symptoms of the behavioural condition, which is why it is often spotted in children. However, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is far more complex than simply having trouble focusing. Henry Shelford, CEO and co-founder of ADHD UK, says: 'If it isn't debilitating, it isn't ADHD.' In recent years, social media has given rise to trends which conflate specific personality traits or single behaviours with ADHD. You might be thinking, 'I'm always losing my keys, forgetting birthdays and I can never concentrate at work — I must have ADHD'. But it's not as simple as that. Though these may all point to the condition, Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, says: 'The key distinction lies in how much a behaviour impacts a person's daily life. 'Genuine ADHD symptoms affect multiple areas of life - work, relationships and emotional wellbeing - whereas personality traits are typically context-dependent and less disruptive.' ADHD UK's Henry, who has the condition himself, adds: 'Having ADHD is hard. One in ten men with ADHD and one in four women with ADHD will at some point try to take their own lives.' So how can ADHD manifest in someone's life? While hyperactivity is a common indicator, here are nine other subtle signs: Time blindness - losing track of time, underestimating how long tasks will take, regularly being late or excessively early Lack of organisation - a messy home, frequently misplacing items, forgetting deadlines Hyperfocus - becoming deeply engrossed in activities for hours Procrastination - feeling overwhelmed by to-do lists and struggling to determine what needs your attention first so focusing on less important tasks Heightened emotions - emotional struggles can manifest in angry outbursts, feeling flooded with joy or shutting down because you feel too much at once Being a 'yes man' - agreeing to new projects at work or dinner dates with friends when you're already busy (a desire to please) Impatience - interrupting people mid-conversation, finding it painful to stand in a queue, being overly-chatty Restlessness - tapping, pacing, fidgeting or feeling restless on the inside Easily distracted - by external things, like noises, or internal things like thoughts Dr Wallang says: 'People with ADHD often thrive on structure, even if they resist it. 'A lack of routine creates unpredictability – and that's when disorganisation, missed deadlines and emotional overwhelm can spiral. 'While some may seem to thrive without strict routines, many benefit from simple, repeatable daily habits. 'Even small anchors – like a walk with the dogs or cooking a family dinner - can reduce decision fatigue and help the brain feel more grounded. 'These healthy habits also support physical and mental wellbeing, which is especially important for managing ADHD.' 7. GLASS HALF EMPTY A NEGATIVE mindset is something I relate to a lot. I constantly feel like I'm the problem, like things are my fault, like I'm too much or I've done something wrong. I always worry that any given consequence is because of something I've done or not done, even when the sensible part of me knows that can't be the case. I worry a lot about things that might go wrong, lack confidence and doubt my success too. Dr Wallang says: 'Self-criticism, shame and a belief that you're 'lazy' or 'not good enough' are sadly common in adults with ADHD – especially those diagnosed later in life. 'This kind of thinking triggers stress responses and avoidance, fuelling the very behaviours people want to change. 'Being kind to yourself is essential; ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, not a character flaw or failure. 'Learning to replace blame and guilt with understanding and self-compassion can ease emotional burden.' How to get help UNFORTUNATELY, a GP cannot formally diagnose ADHD but they can refer you for a specialist assessment. Be warned, the wait can be long. Data suggests there are at least 196,000 adults on waiting lists across the UK. And a BBC investigation found in many areas it would take at least eight years to clear the backlog. For an adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, the NHS says their symptoms should have a moderate effect on different areas of their life, such as underachieving at work or having difficulties in relationships, and the person has been displaying symptoms continuously for at least six months. There must also be evidence symptoms have been present since childhood - it's thought that the condition cannot develop for the first time in adults. After a diagnosis, treatment can include psychological therapies, psychotherapy, social skills training and medication. For many, a diagnosis can be a relief, but also unravel mixed emotions and feelings of 'being different'. ADHD UK has information on considering diagnostic pathways and can offer support.