Finding Comfort With Nostalgia— Actor Jeff Bridges, 74, Who Beat Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Remembers Famous Quotes From His Role As ‘The Dude’ In The Hilarious Comedy-Thriller ‘The Big Lebowski’

Bridges reshared a reel posted by Universal Pictures’ official Instagram page this week, looking back on “The top six quotes from The Dude,” with the sixth one being, “I’m the Dude. So that’s what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you’re not into the whole brevity thing.”

In the throwback video clip compilation, Bridges’ character is seen saying the memorable lines during various parts of the one-hour and 57-minute movie.

The fifth quote is from the scene where “The Dude” is thrown into the backseat of a limo, saying, “Careful, man, there’s a beverage here!”

The fourth memorable line is when “The Dude” says, “Obviously, you’re not a golfer,” which is certainly comical as “The Dude” is being sarcastic when the man he’s talking to doesn’t know what a bowling ball is.

The third famous line from “The Big Lebowski” is when “The Dude” was speaking to his buddies in a bowling ally and said, “Yeah, man. It really tied the room together.”

He was referring to the decorative rug in his room, which was peed on after he was mistaken for a millionaire with the same name. But it’s fun to see how relaxed Bridges’ character when things go amiss in his life.

The second iconic line listed is, “The dude abided,” followed by the top famous line according to Universal Pictures, which is, “That’s just like your opinion, man.”

Bridges, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars who also performed “Crazy Heart” and “True Grit,” truly impressed his fans with his “The Dude” performance, in the quirky movie about how “The Dude” is mistaken for someone else and ultimately finds his namesake, who ultimately offers him a job.

“Ultimate L.A. slacker Jeff ‘The Dude’ Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for a rug ruined by debt collectors, enlisting his bowling buddies for help while trying to find the millionaire’s missing wife,” IMBD describes the movie.

“The Big Lebowski” earned a gross of $18 million in the U.S. and $28.7 million outside the country,  but the father of three revealed in an interview last year that he’d previously hoped the movie would be more successful than it was.

“I thought it was going to be a big hit,” Bridges told The Hollywood Reporter (THR). “I was surprised when it didn’t get much recognition. People didn’t get it, or something.”

Bridges acted alongside John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Sam Elliott, Tara Reid, John Turturro, and Philip Seymour Hoffman in the movie about his character who is wrongly believed to be a rich man with the same name.

“I’m so happy to be in that movie. I pretty much dug it all, man,” Bridges told THR.

“There’s an aspect of the Dude I aspired to he’s authentic, isn’t he? He’s who he is, and that’s about it. He’s a lovely cat.”

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Bridges, who more recently starred in the FX thriller “The Old Man” and illustrated a book written by his daughter called “Daddy Daughter Day,” is very grateful for having been a part of “The Big Lebowski.”

Jeff Bridges’ Cancer Battle

Jeff Bridges was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020 and started chemotherapy treatment right away. He first went public with his cancer diagnosis on social media in October 2020, saying, “I have a great team of doctors, and the prognosis is good.”

He received his non-Hodgkin lymphoma—cancer of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system—diagnosis not long after “The Old Man” production was paused in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bridges, who also battled COVID-19 during his cancer treatment, underwent chemotherapy and ultimately became cancer-free after his tumor decreased in size.

By September 2021, the actor revealed on his blog that his lymphoma had entered remission.

“The 9″ x 12” mass has shrunk down to the size of a marble,” Bridges wrote. “Covid kicked my ass pretty good, but I’m double vaccinated and feeling much better now.”

Although Bridges hasn’t personally specified which type of lymphoma he was diagnosed with, AARP noted that his cancer was, in fact, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cancer of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system.

While cancer treatment was going well, he was also diagnosed with COVID-19 in January 2021, and due to his cancer treatment having weakened his immune system, Bridges wound up spending months in the hospital.

According to AARP, Bridges’ cancer went into remission quickly after he was put through chemotherapy infusion, which was followed by an oral chemo protocol.

He dubbed his wife as being his “absolute champion” as she stayed by Bridges’ side as he recovered from covid in the hospital. “She really fought to keep me off a ventilator. I didn’t want to be on it, and the doctors didn’t necessarily want that. But Sue was adamant,” he told the news outlet.

He was ultimately treated with a blood plasma called “convalescent plasma,” which consists of viral antibodies.

Despite his struggle, like so many cancer survivors, Bridges was left with a renewed appreciation for life.

“I’ll be honest. I didn’t know if I was going to make it,” he told Esquire in an earlier interview. “I was on death’s door there for a while in the hospital. When I finally went back to work, after a two-year hiatus, it was the most bizarre kind of thing. It felt like a dream.”

“I came back after all that time, and saw the same faces [while shooting ‘The Old Man’], the same cast and crew,” he added. “It was like we had a long weekend. I gathered everyone and I said, ‘I had the most bizarre dream, you guys.’ I was sick and out, but all that feels like a gray mush now.”

Positivity After Battling Cancer & the Importance of Laughter

We love how Bridges is maintaining an optimistic attitude in life, even by sharing throwback video clips on social media.

Anecdotal evidence from SurvivorNet experts points to how a positive mindset and gratitude can positively impact a cancer prognosis.

One oncologist at Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Zuri Murrell, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, “My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer, from … about a month after they’re diagnosed, I am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK. Now doesn’t that mean I’m good at saying that the cancer won’t grow.

“But I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who … have gratitude in life.”

Dr. Zuri Murrell explains why he believes a positive attitude matters.

It’s also interesting to note, that according to the National Library of Medicine, research has shown that the amount of pain medication needed for patients is reduced after they watch funny movies.

And perhaps laughter, like the movie “The Big Lebowski” can lead to, could also help when someone is dealing with the pain that comes amid a health challenge, whether it’s any sort of health battle, like lymphoma.

The importance of positivity amid tough times has been seen through stand-up comedian Jesus Trejo in Long Beach, California.

Jenny Saldana Found Humor in Her Cancer Journey, And Turned it into a “Dramedy”

Trejo became a caregiver for both of his parents after his mother was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor and his father was later faced with colon cancer. But instead of panicking and focusing on the devastating nature of the situation, the only child stepped up to care for his parents with love, and laughter.

RELATED: “America’s Got Talent” Star Alex Hooper Reveals Cancer Diagnosis: “I Will Treat This Like I Do Everything In My Life – With Laughter”

In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Trejo opened up about how he put his career aside to care for his parents in their time of need while making time to smile along the way.

Stand-Up Comedian & Cancer Caregiver, Jesus Trejo Reminds Us That “Laughter is a Game-Changer”

“The only advice I have for anyone watching this is laugh, and laugh often, laugh at yourself. Don’t take yourself seriously. Things are already bad. Because once you do that, it’s a game-changer,” Trejo told SurvivorNet.

He also says the laughter itself might be brief, but “the effects of it just reverberate through your body, and can change an already bad situation into a better one.”

“Laughter’s Always Been The Best Medicine” – After Cancer Treatment, Shannen Doherty Laughs Her Way Through Recovery

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Meanwhile, Dr. Dana Chase, a Gynecologic Oncologist at UCLA Health, also says it’s important to try to focus on the good, stay positive, and do things that bring you joy to the degree you’re able to do so amid battling a disease like cancer.

“We know, actually from good studies, that emotional health, quality of life is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better survival, better outcomes,” Dr. Chase said in an earlier interview.

SurvivorNetTV Presents: Maintaining a Positive Headspace

What is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which has a few different subtypes, starts in a type of white blood cell known as the lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system.  Once a diagnosis is received, a doctor must determine whether the cancer is indolent (slow-growing) or aggressive, and if the lymphocytes being affected are B-cells or T-cells. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. And the types of treatment needed are dependent on the type of subtype a patient has.

Dr. Jennifer Crombie Explains How Treatment Is Determined By Looking At Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Subtypes

“For patients with indolent lymphomas, sometimes patients may not require therapy at the time of diagnosis, if they’re asymptomatic or have a low burden of disease, whereas patients with more aggressive lymphoma would require initiation of treatment,” Dr. Jennifer Crombie, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

Dr. Crombie noted that when a patient is diagnosed with an aggressive type of lymphoma, “we do treat patients with chemotherapy.

“That’s the standard of care and our most common regimen that we use for patients is something called R-CHOP,” she continued.

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Treatment Options for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer of your immune system. It starts in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels, ducts, and nodes that run throughout your body.

This system drains excess fluid and waste from your tissues and drains them into your bloodstream. It also produces disease-fighting white blood cells called lymphocytes that defend your body against infections.

“I always advise that people understand their specific type of lymphoma because there are over 40 different types,” Dr. Elise Chong, medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, tells SurvivorNet.

Lymphoma starts when lymphocytes develop a genetic mutation that makes them multiply much faster than usual. The mutation also makes older cells that would normally die stay alive. The quickly multiplying lymphocytes start to collect and build up in your lymph nodes, the small glands in your neck, armpits, and other parts of your body.

“At the beginning of a conversation with a patient, we have to talk about exactly which type of lymphoma they have,” Dr. Lawrence Piro told SurvivorNet.

“There are some lymphomas that are very treatable, but not curable,” Dr. Piro added.

“On the contrary, there are some lymphomas that, if you don’t treat them, they’ll progress rapidly, and you may succumb to it, yet there are very intensive treatments that you can take that may cure you,” he adds. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is an example of an aggressive but treatable cancer.

There are no screening tests for lymphomas and symptoms can be hard to identify so doctors typically perform a biopsy on a lymph node to accurately determine if non-Hodgkin lymphoma exists. However, some common symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma include:

• Swollen glands
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Weight loss
• Fatigue

How Is Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Treated?

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment depends on the type of lymphoma, the stage, and how fast it is growing. People with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma can expect to get a chemotherapy combination called R-CHOP, which is a drug cocktail consisting of chemotherapy drugs, plus an antibody drug and a steroid to treat diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Here’s how the acronym breaks down:

• R:  Rituximab (Rituxan) is a monoclonal antibody that attaches to a specific protein called CD20, which sits on the surface of
• B cells. It targets the cancerous cells and destroys them.
• C: Cyclophosphamide is a type of chemotherapy drug
• D: Doxorubicin hydrochloride (hydroxydaunomycin) is a type of chemotherapy drug
• V: Vincristine sulfate (Oncovin) is a type of chemotherapy drug
• P: Prednisone is a steroid, which lowers inflammation

Patients receiving R-CHOP receive the drug in six cycles that are three weeks apart.

“R-CHOP is a cocktail of drugs. There are five different drugs in that recipe,” Dr. Jennifer Crombie, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, tells SurvivorNet.

WATCH: Understanding R-CHOP treatment.

Using Immunotherapy and Targeted Treatments for non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Rituximab (Rituxan) was the very first immunotherapy drug approved to treat some forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It’s “Rituximab is the immunotherapy that has been approved the longest and we have the most experience with for lymphoma,” Dr. Elise Chong, medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, tells SurvivorNet.

The immunotherapy drug works by seeking out and sticking to another type of protein called an antigen on the surface of infection-fighting white blood cells, called B cells. The antigen in this case is CD20. Rituxan will only work on cancerous B cells with the CD20 antigen on their surface. Most T-cell lymphomas don’t contain this protein, which is why this treatment isn’t effective against them.

Rituxan can be prescribed as the very first treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or after you’ve already been on chemotherapy. Your doctor can prescribe this drug on its own (which is called monotherapy), or together with chemotherapy (which doctors call chemoimmunotherapy).

Rituxan does come with side effects which may include fever, chills, swelling under the skin, itching, and mild shortness of breath.

WATCH: How Adcetris helps treat Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) is a relatively new targeted treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma. This drug is an antibody-drug conjugate that combines an antibody (a type of protein that recognizes foreign substances in the body) with a drug that treats cancer. It uses a special protein to deliver medicine directly into the cancer cell.

When it locks onto that protein, “It has a bit of poison that it injects into the cancer cell to kill the cell,” Dr. Sairah Ahmed, associate professor in the Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet.

The main side effects are low levels of certain blood cells, including the white blood cells that help your body fight infections. Your doctor can prescribe growth factors to stimulate your body’s white blood cell production and protect you against infections while you’re on this treatment.

Treating non-Hodgkin Lymphoma with Radiation

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can also be treated with radiation which aims beams of intense energy at the cancer to stop cancer cells from growing and dividing.

One area where radiation is especially effective is in consolidation therapy. This is when you get radiation after other treatments, to try to get rid of any cancer cells that might still remain in your body.

Radiation works particularly well in people with early-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma. “For patients with stage I and stage II disease, the outcomes are excellent, approaching 90%,” Dr. Chelsea Pinnix, radiation oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet.

Although radiation therapy is quite helpful for treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma, it does come with side effects. The side effects may include red or blistered skin, mouth sores, nausea, and vomiting.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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