Dec 22, 2009 By Chris Tinkham

If Bad Blake, the haggard country singer played by Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart, appears to resemble Kris Kristofferson with his wavy hair and gray beard, it’s no coincidence. “Kris and I are buddies,” Bridges acknowledges. “We did a movie 30 years ago, Heaven’s Gate.” Yet, despite Bridges’ physical resemblance to Kristofferson in Crazy Heart, it’s songwriter/guitarist Stephen Bruton, a longtime member of Kristofferson’s band, whom Bridges says was the biggest influence on his character. More