Jeff Bridges, 75, Admits He Has 'Memory Issues' Following Cancer and Covid Fights — As Legendary Actor Continues to Tackle His Bucket List
Jeff Bridges is struggling with his memory amid his numerous health battles.
May 9 2025, Published 7:45 p.m. ET
Jeff Bridges is touching on just how much his brutal fights against cancer and COVID have impacted him – especially his faltering memory.
In October 2020, the Oscar winner revealed he was diagnosed with lymphoma, leading him to start thinking about what he wants to do before he leaves this earth, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Bridges' memory is failing him these days.
Major Health Update
The 75-year-old made it clear his health is now "very good," in a new interview. However, he said with "some things, it's hard to tell if it's the cancer and the COVID or if it's just old age."
The Crazy Heart star also admitted to the outlet he finds himself struggling with his memory, and said he thinks he's still fighting "long-term" effects from COVID.
"I can't smell. My wife laughs at me, she says, 'I haven't showered in days. You can't smell?' Some positive sides to it, I suppose. Although I don't mind her smell," he said, referring to his wife of nearly 50 years, Susan Geston.
Bridges' Long and Brutal Battle
Bridges was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020.
When the movie star initially shared his lymphoma diagnosis five years ago after a trip to the doctor revealed a 9 by 12-inch tumor in his stomach, he tried his best to remain positive.
He said on Twitter, now X: "Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good.
"I'm starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery."
Bridges then underwent chemotherapy and extensive physical therapy, but he contracted COVID during his treatment.
"The chemo wipes out your immune system, and when COVID hit me, I had nothing to fight it. I was just really at death's door a couple of times there," he said in another interview.
Despite the harsh road, Bridges previously said it gave him another outlook on life.
Time to Get Things Done
The movie star also got COVID while being treated for cancer.
"Only when you get to rub up against that s--- do you see the magic of life," he said, and revealed he's been checking boxes on his bucket list, with one item being getting to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding, which he was able to accomplish.
Another item he was able to tick off? Releasing an album.
In the 70s, the Big Lebowski star got into a studio between filming movies and was able to jam out with some friends. At the time he recorded a few songs, which were released on April 11, 2025, on an album titled Slow Magic: 1977-1978.
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"There is so much music around movie sets: actors often play guitar, and you have a lot of downtime between scenes. It came from that period," he said.
Amid his new approach to life, Bridges – who also lost his Malibu home to the California wildfires in 2025 – is still learning big lessons from his journey.
“The very things you are trying to avoid – cancer, death, whatever – are where the gold is,” he said in a recent interview.
Bridges continued: "You become privy to stuff that you can only realize in that situation: how much you love and are loved, how willing you are to let go, understanding death, all those spiritual things we dabble with.
"When it really gets down to it… Whoo! It’s tasty.”
