After more than a decade away, Renée Zellweger is once again slipping into iconic Spanx and self-deprecating wit with Bridget Jones: Mad About a Boy bringing the beloved character into a whole new phase of life — one filled with parenthood, loss and, yes, romance.
In a one-on-one interview with Aziz Al Sa’afin, Zellweger, alongside co-stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall and director Michael Morris, opened up about stepping back into the world of Bridget, what fans can expect, and whether this could be her final chapter.
A warning there could be spoilers ahead.
Zellweger sits down with Aziz Al Sa’afin to talk about the next chapter in her life. (Source: Seven Sharp)
When Bridget Jones’s Diary first hit screens in 2001, it became an instant rom-com classic. The three-film saga that followed charted Bridget’s messy love life, career highs and lows, and a fair share of awkward, tequila-fuelled misadventures.
Now, in Mad About a Boy, Bridget is in her 50s, newly widowed, and navigating the world of single motherhood.
“It’s familiar and reflective, but also a rediscovery,” Zellweger tells Seven Sharp. “She’s in a different phase now, she’s a mother, she’s lost her partner, and nobody is the same on the other side of a loss.”
It is no secret Mark Darcy is no longer in the picture, at least not physically. However, fans will still get to see actor Colin Firth appear multiple times throughout the new film.
And despite the more serious themes, Zellweger assures fans Bridget’s spirit remains intact.
“She still has that optimism, self-deprecation, and humour. She never gives up — even when things aren’t going quite to plan,” she says.
If there’s one thing we know about Bridget Jones, it’s that she always has a love triangle brewing.
This time, her heart is caught between two new suitors, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, Love Actually) and Leo Woodall (White Lotus, One Day).
Ejiofor plays Mr Wallaker, a character he describes as “uptight at first, but with layers that slowly reveal themselves”.
“I was thrilled to join this world,” he says. “It’s a little intimidating stepping into something so beloved, but I had so much fun playing him.”
At the other end of the spectrum is Leo Woodall’s character, Roxter — a 29-year-old who shakes up Bridget’s world in unexpected ways.
“Surreal,” Woodall says of joining the cast. “Not something I would have ever planned or expected, but I just wanted to soak up every second of joy.”
And, yes, there is a battle of the abs in true Bridget fashion, which Zellwegger joked was “Exhausting!”. “They’re wonderful actors… very talented… very nice… actors.”
For fans still mourning Daniel Cleaver’s absence in Bridget Jones’s Baby there’s good news – Hugh Grant is back.
“Hugh and Renée’s dynamic is unmatched,” says director Michael Morris. “They have 25 years of history. There’s a magic there.”
Morris adds while the film delivers on the humour and romance, it also dives into the raw reality of grief and moving forward.
“I want people to know that you can have joy in your life, even after loss,” he says. “Sadness doesn’t mean you can’t love again.”
Could this be Bridget’s final chapter?
While there’s been no official word on whether Mad About a Boy marks the end of the Bridget Jones saga, it is the end of author and executive producer Helen Fielding’s book series for now.
Zellweger says if Fielding is up for another look into what happens next for Bridget, she would be too.
“You never know,” she teases.
Bridget Jones: Mad About a Boy is out in cinemas now.
