Jeff Bridges: From 'Dude' to 'Grit' to Musician

Feb. 2, 2011 — -- Actor Jeff Bridges has come a long way from just being "the Dude."

Oscar buzz once again is swirling around Bridges for his role in "True Grit" after the actor took home his first Academy Award last year for his leading role in the 2009 film, "Crazy Heart."

"It was an interesting experience," he said of winning the Oscar. "Kind of like a flash, you know, of white light."

Playing the downtrodden Bad Blake, a washed-up country music star who struggled to get his career on track, in "Crazy Heart" offered a pathway for Bridges to be creative in other ways.

"It did open up my music a bit, you know?" he said. "'Crazy Heart' had, you know, music was such a great part of it. And music is such an important part of my life."

An album has become his next project. Bridges said he is collaborating with songwriters T-Bone Burnett and John Goodwin, who wrote the theme song for "Crazy Heart," on an album that will host a mixed collection, including a few country tracks.