Jeff Bridges knows you’re weary of Hollywood types telling people to save the environment. So he only tries to make small changes… which may lead to bigger ones.
But we’ll let him explain. You can watch the Oscar winner in our video, above, or listen to our full interview for the “Shoot This Now” podcast. It’s available on Apple or right here.
Bridges narrates the new environmental documentary “Living in the Future Past,” directed by Susan Kucera, which looks at the subconscious motivations for our decisions, and how they may unintentionally hurt the world around us. The film opened last week. Bridges’ other new film, “Bad Times at the El Royale,” opens Friday.
In our interview, Bridges talks about “The Big Lebowski,” “Star Man,” his first acting job as a child — and architect Bucky Fuller.
As Bridges explains, Fuller introduced the metaphor of the “trim tab” to explain how small changes can force large ones. Fuller noted that the rudder of a massive ship has a rudder of its own, called a “trim tab,” that moves the larger rudder, and in turn the entire ship.
“Bucky Fuller says that this is a great metaphor for how the individual affects society — that we are all connected to other groups of people who are likeminded, want to go in that direction,” Bridges said. “And as a matter of fact on Bucky’s gravestone he’s carved in there ‘Call Me Trim Tab.’ And that’s always been an inspiration to me.”
Bridges tried to be a trim tab on the set of “Bad Times,” asking for a small, environmentally friendly change. It turns out he didn’t need to, as he explains on the podcast.
Bridges, who won an Oscar for his role on alcoholic country-music star Bad Blake in “Crazy Heart,” also talks with us about the Coen Brothers, White Russians — and why you should never drink one through a plastic straw.
You can learn more about “Living in the Future’s Past” here.