“You prep, you prep, you prep. And on the day that you film, you let all of that go. I try to achieve emptiness as much as possible - the Zen thing - to let the deal come out of that nothing.”

American actor and director, born 1949. Known for his distinctive voice and commanding screen presence, he has spanned genres from Westerns to sci-fi, earning three Academy Award nominations. His work spans iconic roles like the Dude in *The Big Lebowski* and the title character in *Crazy Heart*, alongside directorial efforts like *The Big Lebowski* and *True Grit*.