Oscar-winning actress Renée Zellweger returns for her first movie role in six years, playing beloved character Bridget Jones for the fourth time.

Photo by Startraks Photo/Shutterstock

Renée Zellweger was born in 1969 in Texas, to a Norwegian mother and a Swiss father, and found interest in acting while participating in a high school drama club.

Upon graduating, she decided against making the big leap of moving to Hollywood, instead staying in her hometown of Katy and auditioning for parts in the Houston area.

Appearances in Reality Bites and Empire Records came along in the mid-1990s, and she met another budding star from Texas in Matthew McConaughey on the set of Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.

McConaughey was, at the time, working on a different project that took the eye of Zellweger, and she promptly auditioned successfully for the role of Starlene Cheatham in Love and a .45. The industry feedback to her performance gave her enough confidence to move to L.A., where taking a part in The Whole Wide World led to Zellweger’s true breakthrough.

Jerry Maguire writer and director Cameron Crowe was looking at casting one of Marisa Tomei, Winona Ryder, Cameron Diaz or Bridget Fonda to play Dorothy Boyd, but became aware of Zellweger’s impressive portrayal of Novalyne Price in The Whole Wide World and called her. Crowe was immediately impressed with Zellweger’s audition and the rest is history, albeit there is one role that stands out as especially iconic: Bridget Jones, the lovable, ever-hopeful heroine who first stumbled her way into hearts back in 2001.

“It’s incredible to think how she’s become such a part of my life,” Zellweger, who turns 56 in April, says with a smile. “I can’t believe it’s been nearly 25 years since the first film and people still connect with her like an old friend.”

The original movie in the franchise, Bridget Jones’s Diary, wasn’t just a career milestone for Zellweger; it was a cultural phenomenon. Her portrayal of the fumbling yet fierce Bridget, based on Helen Fielding’s novels, struck a chord with audiences worldwide.

“I didn’t realize how big a splash she’d make,” Zellweger recalls. “But I think people saw themselves in her—her honesty, her insecurities, her resilience. She’s flawed, but she’s genuine and I love that.”

Now, after a nearly decade-long hiatus, Zellweger—who has a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical in Nurse Betty, a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for wowing audiences as Ruby Thewles in Cold Mountain, plus a Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Judy Garland in Judy—is back in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy. Picking up the London-born character’s story at a new stage in her life, the fourth film promises fresh challenges and familiar humor, as she explains.

How has Bridget Jones changed in the time she has been away?
Bridget is still Bridget, but she’s grown up a lot. She’s a bit wiser now, though no less curious or full of life. It’s been fascinating exploring where she is at this stage, with all the experiences she’s gathered along the way.

Of course the big story is the sad death of husband Mark Darcy, and Bridget’s process not just of dealing with the grief, but of working out how to proceed with the rest of her life.

It feels like a perfect time to come back into the story, because Bridget is now very much in that mid-life stage, and the world has changed a lot as well from those early days deciding whether to accept the romantic advances of Mark or Daniel Cleaver.

The opportunity to reprise must always be an alluring one, though did you have doubts as to whether it would work?
Sure, there’s always a risk revisiting a character with so much history. You want to honor who she is while keeping things fresh. There were still things left unsaid, parts of her journey left to explore. I think fans will appreciate seeing Bridget confront new challenges with that same old optimism.

Since that last instalment in 2016, you have taken on varied roles, including your Oscar-winning turn as Judy Garland in Judy.
I’ve been fortunate to play such different characters, each bringing new lessons and insights. I’m drawn to roles that allow me to step outside myself and explore different facets of human nature, and the Judy Garland role certainly offered that alternative perspective.

It was very special for me to play a famous person—it’s easy playing other characters because a lot of who they are can be formed in your own imagination; yet when you are playing an icon, there’s a whole different process you need to undertake, even if she hasn’t been with us for what is over half a century.

All that said, do you miss Bridget when she’s not around?
I do, yes. There’s a comfort in her, a familiarity. She’s been with me through different phases of my life, and it feels right to step back into her shoes now. It’s a privilege to play a character who means so much to people. I hope Bridget continues to inspire viewers to embrace life’s ups and downs with a sense of humor and resilience.

Coming back to Bridget always feels like coming home for me. It feels so right. It’s a reunion with family and friends, like this big, enormous hug. … It’s a no-brainer. I don’t have to think for a second. And this script felt so familiar too—I kind of felt like I knew it before I even read it.

What do you love about her?
To me she’s perfectly imperfect. She’s self-deprecating and humble. There aren’t enough characters like her to relate to, I think. I could be wrong. She’s inspiring in her misfortune and mistakes, we cheer her on because they eventually turn into triumphs. I don’t think I’ve ever rooted for a character more.

Do you identify with her?
Yes, I think everyone does. I think there’s a little Bridget in all of us. I hope there is because she’s such a great person.

I could imagine being really good friends with her. She’s so fun and loyal and genuine, really funny and you know, throw in a few martinis, [and] the laughs would never stop [laughs].

Bridget has changed and grown up, she’s got a great job, a baby. She’s maybe not as scatty, she’s more together. Were you happy to see this transformation?
We had to show that she’s matured, evolved, maybe become less naïve, perhaps a little wiser, but I’m very happy that she hasn’t become jaded. You know, that can happen after a certain amount of heartbreak and disappointment, so I was worried she might have lost her romantic, optimistic side, particularly with children thrown into the equation, but she is still as sweet and warm as ever. She’s changed and she hasn’t changed and I love that about her.

In the last movie, [director] Sharon [Maguire] really successfully altered who she was and reflected changes in her life and physicality—you know she takes better care of herself, she doesn’t drink as much anymore, she doesn’t smoke, she has a better wardrobe because she’s moved up the career ladder—and new director Michael Morris has taken that on another step. It’s an evolution she needs and it is that evolution that takes her to new places and experiences … and a few old ones too!

Is it true that in the last film there were a bunch of different endings?
Yes, there were several different outcomes, because you’ve got to work really hard these days to keep a secret. There were like seven different scripts floating about and we shot three different endings, which it’s not something you do on every movie. But you know, cell phones and social media are a problem to keep a secret. Also my own mouth too [laughs]. They know me well; Sharon knew me [laughs]!

It’s always so great to have you back on our screens after you prioritize spending time away doing other things. Do you ever think during those years, I’m actually done with acting?
No, I was never done. It’s such a large, immense creative part of my life—that was never an option.

When you’ve been away for a while, are you ever nervous to be back on a set?
There is always a scariness to returning—a bit of imposter syndrome: ‘Now they’re going to find me out.’ But I feel like maybe I have a little more perspective after being away from it for a while, which can only be a good thing.

Why do you take such long breaks? It’s been six years since your last movie, Judy, although you did start in the NBC crime drama The Thing About Pam.

It feels right at the time. I had been working a lot for many years, committed to two or three projects at any given time. I need to take myself out of that cycle. I want a break, to focus on other things in my life, to travel, to discover.
Ultimately I just don’t want to ever find myself doing the same thing for 25 years and going through the cycle of things over and over again. I am always grateful for the experiences and I was spoiled rotten with those experiences. I mean, wow, the things that I got to see and do were amazing. Yet I needed to do something for my personal life to grow a little bit, to learn something different, develop some things, create a new show. I went to school, built some things, I spent time exploring different things, learning different things.

Did any offers nearly coax you back to Hollywood?
No, none. I had been thinking about taking another break for a while and that was actually the reason I kept pushing it back, because I was getting offers I couldn’t say no to.

When you talk about having more perspective, is that on fame and the spotlight?
Not just that but on lots of elements involved, the work and my relationship with the work. There are so many moving parts.

Are you generally uncomfortable with fame?
That’s actually a good question. Yeah. I don’t know. I’m so far removed from it all. When I’m at home, when I’m in my life, that’s not a part of my life. It’s only when I step into it, that’s when it comes as a shock to me.

Like when you’re recognized or photographed?
Yes, I’m still taken aback any time someone recognizes me or stops me, it’s never become a norm in my life. Which might sound naïve considering how long I’ve been doing this job. But I still find it so strange that people take interest; I don’t think I’ve done anything that warrants that kind of attention.

Is it your time away that affords you such a positive outlook on being famous? You’ve never turned all rude and surly like that horrible Hugh Grant [laughs].
Look, I know I’m lucky. Part of being famous is that I can go wild at the grocery store and buy everything that I want.

I don’t have to watch the tab as closely as I did in the days before I landed some proper roles. I don’t need to bring coupons. And I don’t have to decide, ‘Should I eat today or take my dog to the vet?’ That was my life before I became famous.

Back to the film: If Bridget ‘five’ was an option, would you be game? And where would you like to see her?
That would be lovely. That could be fun. I love these people, so yeah, we’ll see. Selfishly, I would love that so we could all have another reunion.

And where would I like to see her? It’s not really up to me, you’d need to ask Helen Fielding [laughs]!