On this day 20 years ago, “The Big Lebowski” was released in theaters around the United States, bringing us one of the most iconic characters in the history of American cinema.
Jeff Bridges is one of the finest actors of his generation, as displayed in his work on “Crazy Heart,” “True Grit” and “Hell or High Water.” The 68-year-old movie star is still being praised for his role as The Dude from the Coen Brothers’ 1998 cult classic above all else.
Bridges knows it too, which may be part of the reason The Dude still abides 20 years later.
“Someone asked me, ‘How would you feel at the end of your career if the role you were most famous for was The Dude?'” Bridges once revealed. “‘I’d be fucking delighted,’ I told him.”
Sure, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “Crazy Heart,” but the persona he adopted for “The Big Lebowski” is immortal.