Nearly 30 years later, “The Dude” is still around and encouraging the rest of the world to follow his example.
Jeff Bridges channeled his starring role as the Coen brothers. The Big Lebowski (1998) to impart some much-needed wisdom to late-night viewers, while donning the character’s iconic cardigan and sipping a White Russian.
“Hey, everyone. Yeah, the guy here. Can we all calm down? I mean, come on,” he said. Jimmy Kimmel live.
“I’m talking about all the wars, the fighting, the cancellation. I mean, let’s relax, man. Come on, let’s tone it down. You know? We’re at nine. We should be at zero, or zero and a half, at the most.” Bridges added. “Right, Guillermo?”
The audience laughed when Guillermo was revealed wearing his own matching cardigan and sipping the same cocktail.
Bridges continued: “And yes… ICE? Let’s get ICE off our streets and in our drinks. This aggression won’t stand, will it? So let’s stick together, let’s stick together. Yes, we can do it. Now, that’s exactly my opinion.”
In The Big Lebowskithugs mistake the titular slacker (Bridges) for wealthy Jeffrey Lebowski, sending him on a wild investigation with his friend Walter (John Goodman) into a ransom plot involving Lebowski’s young wife (Tara Reid).
In April, Bridges said “of course” he was open to reprising the role for a sequel, adding that he and co-star Julianne Moore would “fantasize” about reuniting for a long-awaited follow-up, after her character infused her character as Maude, the other Lebowski heiress.
Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore in “The Big Lebowski” (1998) (Gramercy Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)
“We made another film together, Seventh sonshe played a witch in that movie,” Bridges added. “And we would often say, ‘Well, it’s all set for a sequel.'”
Despite their eagerness to make a sequel, Bridges doubts the Coens are ready to do so. “I don’t think the brothers will do that,” he said. “I don’t think that’s their style. But I have to say, they surprise us all the time… If they called me and said, ‘Hey, let’s do this again,’ I’d say, ‘Absolutely, come on.'”
