Jeff Bridges Fell in Love with a Waitress - Now Their Granddaughter Wears Her Dress & Shows Uncanny Resemblance

• Jeff Bridges fell in love with a waitress at first sight at the time when he was already a famous actor.
• His granddaughter is so tall her grandma's dress fits her perfectly even though she is just 11!
• Jeff is a "Doody" grandpa who revealed what he does for his grandkids. He also shared how his family saved his life when he was "just really at death's door.”

Jeff Bridges met his wife, Susan Geston, when he was a famous actor with at least ten movies and two Academy Awards nominations under his belt. They built a wonderful life together.

At the time, Geston was a waitress with a severely bruised face, but it didn't stop the pair from falling madly in love and deciding to spend the rest of their lives together. Now, they celebrate their lives with their children and grandchildren.

In 1975, Bridges was filming "Rancho Deluxe" and shooting a hot tub scene at a place called Chico Hot Springs when he first laid eyes on Geston. He said she had recently broken her nose and had two black eyes as a result, but he still couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Bridges said he found out later that Geston had broken her nose in a car accident. Talking about why he was attracted to her, he said:

"Something about her beauty and disfigurement kept me riveted. Every time I snuck a peek, she'd catch me."

The actor finally plucked up the courage to ask her out by the end of the day, but Geston declined. She told him it was a small town and it was likely that they would run into one another again.

Geston was proved right as they did run into one another again. Bridges said when they did, they danced together, and he fell in love with her. Soon after, he was looking at property and invited Geston to join him.

Bridges shared that the pair's official first date was looking at a ranch house on the river. He admitted that while they looked at the property, something told him he was viewing a home with his future wife.

He admitted the thought scared him because he was madly in love with Geston, but he didn't know if she felt the same about him. He also didn't know if he was ready to commit to one woman for the rest of his life.

The couple became an official item, and after a while, Bridges asked her to marry him, saying he was secretly assuring himself that if things didn't work out, they could get a divorce.

Bridges and Geston married in 1977 and welcomed three children together; Isabelle, Jessica, and Hayley. They have since become grandparents to two children, Grace and Ben, and enjoy their lives as grandparents.

Talking about his relationship with his wife and the dynamic they have between the two of them, Bridges shared:

"We are quite different as people, and we celebrate that rather than making it drive us apart. I respect her wisdom, and I'm sure the girls do too. I've really been blessed."

He mentioned that the secret to their long-lasting love had been mutual respect for one another in every situation. They also taught their daughters to respect them and each other.

How Did Bridges' Granddaughter Wear His Wife's Wedding Dress, and What Kind of Grandpa Is He?

Grace is now turning into a young woman and is a tall one at that. She is 11 years old, and recently her mother shared a photo of her wearing a dress that her grandmother had previously worn.

The photo, shared on Isabelle's Instagram, shows Grace with her long, blonde hair falling on her shoulders and smiling at the camera as she holds her grandmother's dress in one hand as the other rests at her side.

Isabelle mentioned the dress was the same one Geston had worn to the first Academy Awards show she had attended with her husband and that it now fitted her daughter perfectly.

Commenters said that Grace was growing up fast, and time flew by without one even realizing it was passing. They also mentioned how sweet it was that Grace was interested in wearing her grandmother's clothes.

Isabelle often shares content about her parents and her children. In 2019 she shared a photo of Bridges, Geston, Grace, and Ben all sitting on one sofa together. Geston and Bridges read their grandchildren a book, and Isabelle said her grandchildren call her parents "Noni and Dudie."

Another post from 2019 showed Bridges and Ben lounging on a sofa together as Bridges played guitar. Ben tried to strum the guitar as Bridges sang to him and thumped his foot on the floor.

Once again, commenters said how sweet the relationship between the pair was, praising Bridges for being a wonderful grandfather to little Ben. In another photo, Isabelle also showed that her father is a typical girl dad.

In the photo, Bridges can be seen braiding Grace's hair as Grace braids her mother's hair. Isabelle joked it was a "hair train." Commenters said it looked like they were having a lot of fun.

Last year, Isabelle shared a photo of her father and daughter dancing together. She mentioned that learning to dance was a Bridges family tradition. Grace looked happy to be taught by her grandfather.

After Bridges starred in "The Big Lebowski," he embraced his "The Dude" title. His character, Jeff Lebowski, is also known by this name, and he loved it so much he requested his grandchildren called him "Dude-pa," which turned into "Doody" when Grace couldn't pronounce Bridges' chosen name.

How Did Bridges' Family Save His Life?

While Bridges and his family have shared many happy times, they had also had memories that are not wonderful, like when Bridges was diagnosed with cancer. When he underwent chemo, he got COVID, too.

Bridges had non-Hodgkins lymphoma and nearly died when he got COVID, too. However, his family surrounded him virtually and showered him with love and support as he endured the difficult time.

The actor said he got COVID because chemo breaks down all your defenses to any disease you might contract, including viruses. He said COVID made his cancer seem easy to deal with.

Geston was heartbroken seeing her husband in that position and said that when doctors told her they might have to put him on a ventilator, she said:

"Save his life, no matter what you do."

For many, once they were on a ventilator, there was a short time before they passed away. However, Bridges' doctors managed to take him off the ventilator and told him he had to keep fighting. He felt he was on "death's door" for a while.

He said that even though doctors told him to fight, he felt ready to go as he was so close to dying. He is now healthy and back at work, grateful he listened to his doctors when they told him to fight.

Bridges was in the hospital for four months fighting COVID and said that when he finally came out of the hospital, he realized he was lucky to be alive and began enjoying life's simple pleasures. In September 2021, Bridges shared that he was finally in remission. He said:

"With a great medical team, great trainers, and my family, everybody brought me back."

Now, the actor says he loves to spend time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. While he still loves working, he realizes that his real treasure is his family, and that's where he wants to spend his time.