Zellweger first portrayed the character in the 2001 film, Bridget Jones's Diary. Based on the 1996 novel by Helen Fielding, the movie follows a 32-year-old British single woman named Bridget Jones.
She writes in her diary, vowing to change her life for the better. Soon, she has two men competing for her affection. The rom-com became a commercial success, spawning two sequels: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) and Bridget Jones's Baby (2016).
Although Zellweger loved playing the character, many were skeptical of her casting. In Scott Meslow’s novel, From Hollywood with Love: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of the Romantic Comedy (can be found here), he shared how the Judy star became Bridget.
When her name was mentioned, some members of the cast and crew were definitely skeptical. Even Hugh Grant (who played her on-screen love interest) had some doubts. “I can’t pretend that I didn’t slightly raise an eyebrow myself when her name was brought up,” he told the author.
We couldn’t imagine anyone else playing Bridget Jones.
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