Jeff Bridges says battling COVID-19 made 'my cancer look like a piece of cake'

Actor Jeff Bridges announced Monday his cancer is in remission, while also revealing he battled COVID-19 earlier this year and was hospitalized for weeks.

The Big Lebowski star shared the news in a post on his website Monday, writing that "my cancer is in remission" and that the tumor has shrunk to "the size of a marble." He first announced that he was diagnosed with lymphoma in October 2020, later sharing a positive update that the tumor had "drastically shrunk."

But Bridges also revealed Monday that he battled a serious case of COVID-19 in January in a post that was dated March 28 but that he didn't share until now, according to NBC News. The actor said he was exposed to the coronavirus while getting chemotherapy and ended up hospitalized for five weeks. His wife also contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized for five days, he said.

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"The reason I'm there so long is because my immune system is shot from the chemo," Bridges wrote. "My dance with COVID makes my cancer look like a piece of cake."

Bridges added that he was in "tremendous pain" and got "close to the pearly gates" but that despite this, he felt "happy" and "joyous most of the time." Until recently, he said he needed oxygen assistance while walking. But during this time, Bridges wrote that his goal was to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding — and thanks to his "terrific medical team, I was able to" do so and also dance with her without needing oxygen assistance. The Oscar winner reflected that his COVID-19 battle helped him realize that "life is brief & beautiful," and "love is all around us, & available @ all times."