By JUDY SLOANE

Front Row Features

PASADENA-“The Old Man” starring Jeff Bridges premiered in the summer of 2022 on FX. A massive hit, based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Thomas Perry, the series returns for season two on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET/PT and will stream on Hulu the next day.

Bridges returns as former CIA agent Dan Chase, along with John Lithgow as former FBI Assistant Director Harold Harper. Living out their worst nightmare, the woman they both called their daughter, Emily Chase (Alia Shawkat) is kidnapped by a powerful Afghan tribal leader, and Dan and Harold must work together to find and save her.

Jeff Bridges came to the TV Critics Association tour in Pasadena this summer to proudly talk about the drama.

Q: Is there a difference in how you approach a character that’s ongoing rather than in a movie?

Jeff Bridges: Yeah, this is a first for me. Making a movie, you get a beginning, middle and end. But in a show like this, I don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s open-ended. As far as preparation goes I start with aspects of myself that parallel the character. But it’s wonderful to have a CIA consultant like Christopher Huddleston who was a former CIA operative . To have him onboard, that really was helpful.

Q: Part of the point of this series is that you’re an older person. How much of a change is that from playing the action hero roles the way you used to?

Jeff Bridges: As I said in the first question, when I prepare for any role I start with myself. I’m reminded of “The Fabulous Baker Boys” that I did with my brother Beau. If it was another actor I’d say, how do we show that we’re brothers here? We didn’t have to do anything in that, because we are brothers, we could just relax about it. The same goes for this show. I’m an old man, I don’t have to play it. I bring that to the party without any trouble.

Q: I find as I age I lose confidence – has that happened to you?

Jeff Bridges: We’re actors! It’s all a show!

Q: I remember that you were lamenting the fact that you didn’t get to work with John Lithgow in the last season. Did the storyline for season two come from that sentiment from you?

Jeff Bridges: It was just the story, but when we did get to work together it was wonderful. One of the things that we have so much fun talking about is our upbringing is similar. We’re both second generation [in show business] – our fathers. And we approach it the same way. There are a lot of actors who [say] ‘Please only call me by my character’s name and let’s not have any contact.’ And we both work kind of 180 from that. We both really liked to get to know each other since we’re playing old friends in the show.

Q: The last time we spoke with you we were very worried about your health. And then we see this show and you’re getting beat up and pushed around and stabbed.

Jeff Bridges: It’s a lot! Oh, man. I’m feeling great now and I’m coming back for more punishment. What is so bizarre, to me anyway, in the first season when I was doing these fight scenes, I had a 9-inch tumor in my stomach, that didn’t hurt at all. So that’s surprising to me, but I’m feeling great now. Fortunately, we have some wonderful stunt coordinators, Tim Connolly and Thomas DuPont. They’re both wonderful to work with.

Q: In your films, you have always documented them with your camera. Are you doing that with this show?

Jeff Bridges: I do it a little bit. But I notice how we have different seasons on our life. I went through this illness, and since that time I haven’t really picked up my camera as much as I used to do. My wife and I are remaking that wide lens camera, though, so maybe hopefully I’ll get back into it.

Q: Do you look at doing films and TV differently?

Jeff Bridges: They’re basically the same. I don’t realize any difference between the two other than I don’t know where we’re going (in the series.) Casting is everything, not only with the actors but the crew , the cinematographer is just brilliant in this. And the team that you put together is one where you can feel comfortable and we can talk about our insecurities. Outside of making movies, if you’re fortunate you have a group of people that you can go to for support. I think of old age as a new adolescence in a funny way, because there’s all new stuff going on that I didn’t have to do 10 years ago, and now I’ve got this weird old-age version of a pimple!