Jeff Bridges Almost Told Coen Brothers No On 'The Big Lebowski' (VIDEO)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Jeff Bridges Almost Told Coen Brothers No On 'The Big Lebowski' (VIDEO)



The Dude almost did not abide.

One of the most memorable characters of the last two decades of film almost never came to be. In the new PBS documentary 'Jeff Bridges: The Dude Abides,' the star talks about they hesitation and uncertainty he felt about accepting the role that spawned millions of cult followers.

Meeting writers and directors the Coen brothers at a party, the pair told Bridges they had written a role for him. He was excited, but flabbergasted when he read the script.

"I said, what is this? This is like nothing that I've ever done before. This is like -- did you crash one of my high school parties?"

In fact, since he didn't know the brothers very well, he quite literally thought that, as his nephew attests to in the clip. Luckily, another family member helped push him toward The Dude.

(Like, chill out, man. It's all good. No one's watching you, or peeing on your rug.)

The documentary airs on PBS on January 12th.

WATCH: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/25/jeff-bridges-almost-told-coen-brothers-no-on-the-big-lebowski-video_n_801209.html

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Cool..I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jeff Bridges...

All the way back to "The Last Picture Show", thru Against All Odds, Starman, Jagged Edge, Tron, Nadine, Tucker, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Fisher King, K-PAX, The Door in the Floor, Iron Man. Dog Year, Men Who Stare at Goats, Crazyheart...I am sure I missed some of them..

Cannot wait to see True Grit...

[Rageneau]

4. Seabiscuit, too.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Of course! I knew I did not mention all the good ones!!!

[Cirque du So-What]

2. This aggression will not stand, man!

I can't imagine that film without Jeff Bridges. I guarantee it wouldn't be the cult classic it is today with anyone else in that role. I daresay there would be no such thing as Lebowski Fest either. He really ties the room together, yunno.

[bengalherder]

3. I'm just glad he did

He has been an amazing actor in tandem with Terry Gilliam as well as Coen Bros.

I know actors who are SO envious of his career.