Who Is Jeff Bridges' Wife? Get to Know Susan Geston

Jeff Bridges never imagined himself walking down the aisle, but that all changed when he met Susan Geston in the mid-1970s. Since then, the Big Lebowski actor and his longtime wife have been head over heels in love.

Jeff and Susan first met in 1975 when they randomly crossed paths while the actor was in North Dakota to film scenes for the 1975 movie Rancho Deluxe. The pair became quite close, and when Jeff moved back to California once filming concluded, Susan went with him, according to reports.

Even though the Crazy Heart star immediately felt smitten by the North Dakota native, he struggled with the idea of ever getting married. “It was love at first sight, but getting to the altar was so tough,” he explained during an appearance on Conan in 2016.

“I don’t know how it is for women or for other guys, but when I was young and in my 20s, I had a fear of marriage,” he further explained to Reader’s Digest. “I thought it was a giant step toward death. So, I did everything in my power to resist it — the idea was frightening to me.”

Because of Jeff’s hesitation, Susan actually threatened to leave. It was in that moment that the Academy Award winner realized he “[couldn’t] let this woman go,” he recalled to OWN in 2015. “I had this vision of an old guy thinking there was this girl from Montana, [being like,] ‘Man, why didn’t I marry her?'”

After that, Jeff knew he couldn’t sacrifice losing their loving relationship, so he asked for Susan’s hand in marriage. “I said, ‘Would you marry me?'” he sweetly dished, noting they held their nuptials just days later. “We called up all our friends, they came and we got married.”

Following their wedding in June 1977, the True Grit actor and Susan started their family. They became the dedicated dad and mom of their three daughters, Isabelle Bridges, Jessica Lily Bridges and Haley Roselouise Bridges.

In October 2020, Jeff announced he was diagnosed with lymphoma. The Hell or High Water actor revealed he started “treatment” for his cancer. “As the Dude would say … new s—t has come to light,” he wrote on Twitter. “Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good.”

Jeff also praised Susan and their loved ones for giving him all the “love and support” he needed to get through the battle. “I’m profoundly grateful [for] my family and friends,” he penned in another tweet. “Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.”

Along with the support of his family, Jeff revealed the happy news that he was “in remission” from his cancer in September 2021. The Mirror Has Two Faces actor uploaded a handwritten note on his official website and said his cancerous mass had shrunk to the size of a “marble.”

Scroll through the gallery below to learn all about Jeff’s wife, Susan.

Susan Initially Turned Jeff Down

Susan and Jeff first met when she was living in Paradise Valley, Montana. She was waiting tables to pay for her college tuition, while Jeff was in the area to film scenes for the 1975 movie Rancho Deluxe. One day when Susan was working, the TRON actor laid eyes on the blonde beauty and mustered up the courage to ask her out.

“I knew I was madly in love with my wife the minute I saw her,” Jeff once told Conan O’Brien. However, Susan initially declined the handsome hunk’s offer for dinner. Fortunately, the two reconnected just a few nights later and they hit it off after a night of dancing.

Susan is a Mom of Three

The Last Picture Show actor and the Forbidden Zone actress started their family when they welcomed their eldest daughter, Isabelle, on August 6, 1981. They expanded their brood with the birth of their daughter Jessica on June 14, 1983, followed by their youngest daughter, Haley, on October 17, 1985.

Susan Has Her Hubby’s Back

Susan and Jeff have been living a life of wedded bliss for over four decades, but it isn’t always easy. Even though the couple has dealt with their fair share of ups and downs, the Starman actor couldn’t imagine not having Susan by his side.

“If you change partners every time it gets tough or you get a little dissatisfied, then you don’t get the richness that’s available in a long-term relationship,” he told AARP in 2014. “My wife supports me and it makes me love her more.”