# In 1973, Jeff Bridges insisted a director had made a “terrible mistake” and begged to be fired from a role. He got an Oscar nomination for it

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1973-jeff-bridges-insisted-a-director-had-made-a-terrible-mistake-and-begged-to-be-fired-from-a-role-he-got-an-oscar-nomination-for-it/
- Published: 2026-11-06T20:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T21:50:19+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/jeff-bridges-begged-to-be-fired-from-role-got-oscar-nomination/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Bridges asked to be fired before filming began.
- Cimino convinced him he was right for the role.
- The performance brought Bridges an Oscar nomination.

## Summary

In 1973, Jeff Bridges asked director Michael Cimino to fire him from *Thunderbolt and Lightfoot*, saying he felt inadequate for the role. Cimino reassured him that he was right for the character, and Bridges stayed with the film.

His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, the film’s only major awards recognition. Bridges later recalled that the exchange took place the day before shooting began, while Clint Eastwood co-starred as the other lead.

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