Quote Of The Day By Jeff Bridges: 'I Thought, If Death Is The End Of The Story, The End Of The Book, Then Marriage Is...'

Jeff Bridges has done it all: He played The Dude, one of cinema's most iconic characters, in "The Big Lebowski," he played a Marvel villain in "Iron Man," he led FX's "The Old Man" for two seasons, and he most recently played twins in 2026's "Minions & Monsters." He's one of the most versatile actors working in Hollywood, and he does it with flair.

While he's mostly known for his work on the big screen, he has appeared on TV a handful of times throughout his career — especially in his early days. Bridges even played a villain in an episode of ABC's "The F.B.I.," which is still one of the best police procedural TV shows of all time.

Of course, how can we forget that he also starred in an episode of CBS' "Lassie," who is famously one of TV's best animals. All of this is to say that Bridges' career has been incredibly varied over the years, and to celebrate his recent role in "Minions & Monsters," here's his quote of the day.

"I thought, if death is the end of the story, the end of the book, then marriage is a giant step in that direction."

The quote from Jeff Bridges comes from a 2025 interview with The New Yorker to promote his album, "Slow Magic: 1977-1978," which was originally recorded back in the title's decade. During the conversation, Bridges explained his outlook on life, love, and marriage has changed over the years. The star said that he originally couldn't decide whether he wanted to get married or not after dating his now-wife, Susan Bridges, for three years.

Bridges recalled that she understood, but that she was going to leave in the hopes of starting a family. It was at that point that the actor realized he he didn't want to miss out on a "diamond" in his life. The star explained that the real "treasure" of marriage is navigating through all the good and bad things together as a couple.

Jeff Bridges' comments about marriage might sound a little scary — but that's because, at the time he was referring to, he was worried about slowing down and not doing enough with his life. The actor felt that if he got married, he'd be getting closer to the end of his life. However, he was able to look past his own insecurities and fears because he'd recognized that a future with Susan Bridges née Geston was something he simply couldn't miss out on.

"The Big Lebowski" star's comment is a reminder that sometimes we need to get out of our own way, especially when it comes to love. Even if taking the plunge and making the commitment seems scary, it could lead to something truly great. We never really know what life has in store for us, and occasionally, it can feel like the universe is acting against us for some reason if we buck against things that are happening.

Or as Bridges so eloquently put it in The New Yorker piece: "Life! Will! F******k! With! Youuuuuu! It will take you." So, even though commitments like marriage are a huge step for any couple, if it feels right — get out of your own way.

• "When I'm working, I'm very purposeful and everything else gets out of focus. Something I've had to work on together with my wife is how to acknowledge each other in the midst of this and keep the relationship going." — from a 2005 interview with the Telegraph
• "One of the things that I find so exciting about life is that you're constantly surprised. You never know what's going to happen, and it's certainly like that making movies; every once in a while, one will come along that transcends all of your expectations." — from a 2010 interview with the Telegraph
• "Imperfection and perfection go so hand in hand, and our dark and our light are so intertwined, that by trying to push the darkness or the so-called negative aspects of our life to the side...we are preventing ourselves from the fullness of life." — from a 2014 interview with The Wall Street Journal