Bill Hader got advice from Jeff Bridges about dealing with anxiety on SNL

Bill Hader is promoting the second season of Barry, which means we all win because he’s such a great interview. While chatting with Conan the other night, Conan asked Bill about how he handled the anxiety of being on SNL when he was just 27 years old. Bill said transcendental meditation was helpful for it. But he also received some words of wisdom from none other than The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges:

The one guy, Jeff Bridges, he saw me on the show when I was really nervous and he told me a story. He said, ‘you know, when I was in The Iceman Cometh wit Robert Ryan, and every time, before every take he would get nervous.’ And I said, ‘wow, after all these years you still get afraid.’ And he said, ‘yeah, I’d be really afraid if I wasn’t afraid.’ And I was like, oh, that’s interesting. And Jeff Bridges is like, ‘ Yeah, that’s your body, man! Tha, tha, that anxiety, that’s your body, man. Put your arm around it and just get out there, man! Yeah, it’s good’

Bill went on to say that he ran into Jeff later and Jeff remembered telling him that. It does sound like good advice, even if I have no idea how to follow it. I generally fight my anxiety. I love the idea of throwing my arm around it and getting out there because all my anxiety wants right now is to eat. Maybe if Jeff Bridges told me to do it, I could be more productive. Of course, Bill said when he talked to Jeff all those years later, Jeff tried to dissuade him from going home to make his 5 AM call the next day. Instead, Jeff said he should, “go out and do drugs, that’s where all the best stuff is! Get drunk.” So Bill was smart to pick and choose which of Jeff’s advice he heeded.

If you have the opportunity to watch the clip, you are treated to Bill’s actual impression of Jeff, which is really good. Bill’s known for his impressions, of course. But I’m always surprised how quickly he does them. My personal favorite is his Alan Alda impression, which is because I have equal adoration for Alan Alda and Bill Hader.

Photo credit: YouTube and WENN Photos

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