Why Todd Bridges Is Excited for His Next Chapter in Hollywood — and to Do It 'on My Terms' (Exclusive)

"I just think that God has me right where he wants me, and I'm okay right here," Bridges says

Todd Bridges is taking on several new projects, and he says he put his heart into each one.

The Diff’rent Strokes alum, 59, spoke to PEOPLE about everything he has in the works right now and what entering his next chapter in Hollywood is going to look like. His latest job was on the Everybody Hates Chris animated spinoff, Everybody Still Hates Chris, which premiers on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

“It's a lot of fun doing voice work, because it's so easy,” he says. “That's going to be [a] pretty fun cartoon because the good part about it is this time, Chris [Rock] gets to play himself, which is great.”

Reprising the role only with his voice was different for Bridges, who says he was acting without knowing what his character’s mannerisms and expressions would look like.

“Everything relies on the voice, so you got to really put things into the voice to make sure that they'll make the facial expressions the same,” he explains. “But what's interesting is I saw what I looked like, and I look exactly like I looked the first season on the show, which is hilarious.”

Adding that “the show got canceled too soon,” Bridges says he is looking forward to fans being able to revisit the story.

“It was a good show, and what I liked about it was it showed a positive influence of a Black family, and that definitely needs to be more on TV,” he says.

Related: Chris Rock Returns to TV with 'Everybody Still Hates' 'Chris' Animated Series

Also coming up is a podcast. Launching on November 13, the actor and his wife Bettijo’s new podcast, Dang!, will feature conversations about their marriage and life.

“We talk a lot about everything,” he shares. “She's a Latter-day Saint. But I'm a Christian. I mean, she's a Christian too. We're both Christian, but she's a Latter-day Saint Christian. And we have a lot to talk about.”

“Our podcast is going to be a lot different than other people's, because we have different opinions on things, and I don't think that a lot of people do,” he adds.

Another topic the pair will approach is Bridges’ 31 years of sobriety. Joking that he is “no Spring chicken,” Bridges says he wants to detail his journey with his wife’s support.

“She's a good woman, so we get along very well,” he gushes. “I think that sometimes, people get married, and they are not right for each other. But I think we're really right for each other. So I think it's fun.”

An avid streamer on Twitch, Bridges also reveals he is taking some time off for carpal tunnel and reconstructive shoulder surgery. Following the death of his mother, Betty A. Bridges, and his upcoming surgeries, he says he is trying to focus on the positive.

“I just think that God has me right where he wants me, and I'm okay right here,” he says. “The thing I'm most excited about is just being able to go out there and do what I like doing, but on my terms. I like now how actors have a lot more control of stuff. Back in the day, you didn't have that much control. But we do now. We have a lot more control now of what we want to do, if we want to do it, when we want to do it.”

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Everybody Still Hates Chris premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central.

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