Renée Zellweger has revealed how she feels about the plot of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
The fourth film in the Bridget franchise, based on Helen Fielding’s 2013 book, sees Bridget Jones navigate “life as a widow and single mom with the help of her family, friends, and former lover Daniel. Back to work and on the dating apps, following the death of her husband and father of her children, Mark Darcy.
Uproar over the death of Colin Firth’s Mark Darcy made front page news when Fielding’s novel was published in 2013. Early film viewers have been left similarly distressed, with many leaving the cinema in tears.
Speaking to The Guardian, Zellweger – who has played the titular character since 2001 – admitted Darcy’s death had a huge emotional impact on her, too, leaving her feeling “rotten”.
“I was a crazy person mourning this fictional character,” she said. “I was weeping.
“It was also for that shared experience with Colin,” the Oscar-winning actor added. “Seeing him in his suit and beautiful coat, with his briefcase, looking dapper and very Mark Darcy.
“This is the end…we don’t get to do this anymore,” Zellweger said.
Following Darcy’s death, Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays her son’s science teacher, and Leo Woodall are in the film as love interests for Bridget.
Speaking at the movie’s London premiere this week, Zellweger addressed the age gap between her 51-year-old Bridget and Woodall’s 29-year-old Roxster.
“I mean, I think it’s nothing new,” she told Variety. “But maybe the social taboos are melting away… it’s never a bad thing. There’s certain things that we probably don’t need to have opinions about, and where people find love… why would that ever be a problem?”
Woodall echoed Zellweger, saying it was important to “get people used to” age-gaps. “It’s a real relationship that happens a lot and you know, we’re just not used to seeing it on screen,” he said.
For fans upset that Mark Darcy is no more, Zellweger added working with her two new leading men, Ejiofor and Woodall, made her feel like she was “spoiled for riches”.
“That’s not a bad day at work right there. Talented, wonderful fellas,” she said.
