Renée Zellweger Hopes ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’ Isn’t the End for the Beloved Franchise

Renée Zellweger , the beloved star of the Bridget Jones series, is holding out hope that Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy isn’t the fi...

Renée Zellweger, the beloved star of the Bridget Jones series, is holding out hope that Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy isn’t the final chapter for the iconic character. Despite being billed as the fourth and potentially last film in the franchise, Zellweger admits she’s “in denial” about saying goodbye to Bridget, a character she’s portrayed for over two decades.

At the film’s London premiere in Leicester Square, Zellweger shared her emotional connection to the role, calling Bridget an “old friend.” She joked, “Let me live in denial for a little longer,” adding that it hasn’t sunk in yet that this might be the end.

The new film sees Bridget navigating life as a widow, a single mother, and a modern dater, with a story partially inspired by author Helen Fielding’s own experiences of loss and resilience after the death of her husband, Kevin Curran, in 2016. Zellweger praised the film as “a beautiful story and really the most personal for Helen,” highlighting its themes of grief, healing, and finding new joy.

While there are no current plans to continue the franchise, Fielding hasn’t ruled out the possibility of more Bridget Jones adventures. The film introduces new love interests, including One Day’s Leo Woodall as Bridget’s younger Tinder match and Chiwetel Ejiofor as a reserved teacher she meets during the school run. Hugh Grant also reprises his role as the roguish Daniel Cleaver, offering a slightly softer side to his infamous character.

Woodall, who felt “a lot of pressure” joining the franchise, described Zellweger as “joyous, generous, and kind,” making the experience “relatively easy.” Ejiofor, known for his intense roles in films like 12 Years a Slave, found the project a refreshing change, calling the set “warm” and the storytelling “exciting.”

Fielding reflected on the enduring appeal of Bridget Jones, attributing its success to its emotional honesty. “When I first wrote Bridget, I thought it would be stopped after six weeks for being too silly,” she said. “But that freed me up to be honest in a way I could never have been otherwise.” She also expressed delight at how Gen Z has embraced Bridget, seeing parallels in their emotional vulnerability and shared rituals.

As for the long-standing rumor that Mark Darcy was inspired by Keir Starmer, Fielding remained coy, only noting the resemblance between early photos of Colin Firth in the role and Starmer in a barrister’s wig.

With Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy set to hit UK cinemas on Valentine’s Day, fans can enjoy this heartfelt new chapter—and, like Zellweger, keep their fingers crossed for more Bridget adventures in the future. As Fielding wisely put it, “Never say never.”