8 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Jeff Bridges

From "The Big Lebowski" to "Tron" to "True Grit," there's a Jeff Bridges movie out there for everyone. The celebrated actor has been performing since before he could barely walk and has appeared in some of the greatest films of the last five decades. Here are nine things you probably didn't know about Jeff Bridges.

1. LA Baby

Jeffrey Leon Bridges was born on December 4, 1949 in Los Angeles, CA.

2. Showbiz Fam

His father is actor Lloyd Bridges and his mother Dorothy was an actress. His brother is actor Beau Bridges and his sister is actress Cindy Bridges. 

3. Starting Young

His first on screen appearance was as infant in 1951’s "The Company She Keeps."

4. Making a Name

Bridges' big acting break was in his father’s TV series, "Sea Hunt," when he was just nine years old. 

5. Breakthrough Part

Jeff's memorable role in 1971's "The Last Picture Show" propelled him to stardom and earned him his first Academy Award nomination. 

6. Numerous Nods

Jeff has seven Academy Award nominations under his belt -- he picked up a Best Actor win in 2010 for "Crazy Heart." 

7. The Dude Abides

He almost turned down his iconic role as The Dude in "The Big Lebowski" because of daughters. He told "Conan," "I read the script. I loved the script, but I'm playing this pothead guy, not that I have anything against potheads. ... But ... I know there's kind of a downside to being the kid of a famous person; there's a lot of baggage ... I thought, you know, I don't know how my girls --- I had three young girls at the time --- how they were going to feel. How they were going to get teased or how they would feel about that."

9. Musically Inclined

Jeff is passionate about music and has played the piano since he was a kid. He released the single "What a Little Love Can Do" off his self-titled album in 2011.