Jeff Bridges gets nervous before starting on each new film.

The 'Crazy Heart' actor - who is tipped to win an Oscar for his portrayal of country music singer Bad Blake in the movie - admits he finds new film sets a real challenge.

He said: "Oh, I can really work myself up. I'm an actor. I can take those little seeds of paranoia and blow those f***ers up. Big time.

"Freeze myself so I won't be able to come out of this room, for fear of what someone might say."

The 60-year-old star also suggested that he can be like his lazy character The Dude from cult film 'The Big Lebowski'.

He said: "That's the constant challenge as an actor. I find 'The Dude' side of me says, 'I don't want to be f***ing challenged, man, I don't want to cry harder, or laugh harder, or be more real than the last one.'

"The other side of me says, 'Yeah, but that's where the groove is. There's wonderful gold in them there hills.' That's where all the good stuff is."