Renée Zellweger isn’t ready to close the door on Bridget Jones just yet.
The 56-year-old actress, best known for bringing the lovable, awkward Brit to life in Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), and Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016), recently shared she’d gladly return for another film, if given the chance.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Zellweger revealed her admiration for the character and author Helen Fielding, saying, “I keep my fingers crossed that [Helen] might want to share some more of her own experiences through the world of Bridget.”
Bridget Jones began as a newspaper column in The Independent, eventually becoming a bestselling novel and then a wildly successful movie franchise. Fielding’s honest, hilarious take on single life, motherhood, and aging has resonated with fans for more than two decades.
Despite rumors that Bridget Jones’s Baby marked the final chapter, Zellweger is still holding out hope. “My understanding was that this was kind of it,” she said, “but I keep my fingers crossed.”
In Mad About the Boy, Fielding expanded the universe by introducing new characters. Among them were Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Scott Walliker, a teacher at Bridget’s children’s school, and Leo Woodall’s Roxster McDuff, a younger love interest for Bridget. The novel explores themes of grief, parenting, and dating later in life, topics that reflect the evolution of both the character and the audience.
At the New York premiere of Mad About the Boy in February, Zellweger reflected on what might be the final film in the franchise. Speaking to People, she said, “We’ve been forging this friendship for over 25 years together through this journey, shared journey, Bridget Jones’ journey. It was both wonderful and really sad.”
When asked directly if this was Bridget’s last outing, Zellweger replied, “That’s what I understand. That’s what Colin [Firth] said.”
Still, the legacy of Bridget lives on. Fielding, now a mother to teenage girls, says there’s a new generation discovering Bridget for the first time. “There is a new audience for Bridget in amongst 15- to 25-year-olds,” she explained, pointing to social media as a connection. “As a parent with a houseful of teenage girls, I know how reassuring it is to share the feelings around these things and to laugh together about the issues.”
Whether we see Zellweger back in Bridget’s shoes or not, the character’s wit, warmth, and relatability continue to strike a chord, making Bridget Jones as relevant today as she was in 2001.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
