‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ Cast: Where Are They Now? Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and More

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'Bridget Jones's Diary' Cast: Where Are They Now? Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and More

To Bridget, who cannot cook! Bridget Jones's Diary was a huge hit when it debuted in April 2001 — and its stars have only kept rising. Renée Zellweger, who played the titular diarist, had already turned in critically acclaimed performances in films including Jerry Maguire and Nurse Betty, but Bridget Jones's Diary arguably made her a star. In 2002, the Thing About Pam actress earned her first Oscar nomination for the role, though she lost to Halle Berry. Based on the novel of the same name by Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary follows a single thirtysomething woman named Bridget as she tries to establish a romance with her coworker Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) while fending off her family's attempts to set her up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Over the course of the film and its two sequels — Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Jones's Baby — Bridget deals with ups and downs in both her personal and professional life, all the while approaching things with a sense of dry British humor. “What I love the most about Bridget is her vulnerability and her openness,” Zellweger told Vanity Fair about the character in September 2016. “I love that she makes it OK to be imperfect. That makes me root and cheer for her every time." [jwplayer 4dUZYtfM-zhNYySv2] Though the third film saw Bridget settle down with Mark after giving birth to their son, the Cold Mountain actress hasn't ruled out the possibility of reprising the role in a fourth film. “I hope so,” she said in April 2022 when asked if she would ever return to the franchise. "I love being in her shoes,” she added during an interview on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show. “It makes me giggle every day on set, the choices that we get to make about just how awkward we can make her circumstances. It’s just so much fun.” Firth, for his part, has said that his favorite part of playing Mark Darcy was getting to see Zellweger embody Bridget. "One of the greatest incentives for doing this again was to see Renée in the role again," he told Collider in September 2016, explaining why he signed on for the third movie. "I enjoy playing Mr. Darcy, but I’m not hungry to play Mark Darcy again. It’s not an ambition. But it is something of an ambition to see Renée inhabit that role again, because I think it’s one of the best characters ever created." Keep scrolling for a look at where the cast of Bridget Jones's Diary is now. [podcast_block]

Credit: Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock

'Bridget Jones's Diary' Cast: Where Are They Now? Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and More

To Bridget, who cannot cook! Bridget Jones's Diary was a huge hit when it debuted in April 2001 — and its stars have only kept rising. Renée Zellweger, who played the titular diarist, had already turned in critically acclaimed performances in films including Jerry Maguire and Nurse Betty, but Bridget Jones's Diary arguably made her a star. In 2002, the Thing About Pam actress earned her first Oscar nomination for the role, though she lost to Halle Berry. Based on the novel of the same name by Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary follows a single thirtysomething woman named Bridget as she tries to establish a romance with her coworker Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) while fending off her family's attempts to set her up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Over the course of the film and its two sequels — Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Jones's Baby — Bridget deals with ups and downs in both her personal and professional life, all the while approaching things with a sense of dry British humor. “What I love the most about Bridget is her vulnerability and her openness,” Zellweger told Vanity Fair about the character in September 2016. “I love that she makes it OK to be imperfect. That makes me root and cheer for her every time." [jwplayer 4dUZYtfM-zhNYySv2] Though the third film saw Bridget settle down with Mark after giving birth to their son, the Cold Mountain actress hasn't ruled out the possibility of reprising the role in a fourth film. “I hope so,” she said in April 2022 when asked if she would ever return to the franchise. "I love being in her shoes,” she added during an interview on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show. “It makes me giggle every day on set, the choices that we get to make about just how awkward we can make her circumstances. It’s just so much fun.” Firth, for his part, has said that his favorite part of playing Mark Darcy was getting to see Zellweger embody Bridget. "One of the greatest incentives for doing this again was to see Renée in the role again," he told Collider in September 2016, explaining why he signed on for the third movie. "I enjoy playing Mr. Darcy, but I’m not hungry to play Mark Darcy again. It’s not an ambition. But it is something of an ambition to see Renée inhabit that role again, because I think it’s one of the best characters ever created." Keep scrolling for a look at where the cast of Bridget Jones's Diary is now. [podcast_block]

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Renée Zellweger

After wowing fans and critics in Bridget Jones's Diary, the Texas native earned her second consecutive Oscar nomination for Chicago in 2003. She took home her first Academy Award the following year when she won in the best supporting actress category for Cold Mountain. In 2020, she won her second Oscar for her portrayal of Judy Garland in Judy. Zellweger turned her eye to the small screen in 2022 with the NBC drama The Thing About Pam.

The Down With Love star was engaged to Jim Carrey from 1999 to 2000. In his 2020 book, the Mask actor called her his "last great love." Zellweger was briefly married to Kenny Chesney in 2005. She has also been linked to Bradley Cooper and musician Doyle Bramhall II. The Empire Records star has been dating Ant Anstead since June 2021. 

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Colin Firth

The U.K. native went on to appear in films including Love Actually, Mamma Mia!, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the Kingsman franchise. In 2011, Firth took home his first Oscar for his performance in The King's Speech.

The Pride and Prejudice star shares son William with ex-girlfriend Meg Tilly, from whom he split in 1994. Firth wed Livia Giuggioli in 1997. The duo, who share sons Luca and Matteo, separated in 2015. During that period, Giuggioli dated Marco Brancaccia. In March 2018, Giuggioli admitted to the affair after she and Firth accused Brancaccia of stalking them. (Brancaccia denied their allegations.) The Firths reconciled after the affair, but they called it quits a second time in December 2019. 

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Hugh Grant

Grant starred alongside his Bridget Jones costar Firth in Love Actually. Some of his other film credits include About a Boy, Two Weeks Notice, Music and Lyrics, Cloud Atlas and Florence Foster Jenkins. In 2019 and 2021, he scored Emmy nominations for his work in A Very English Scandal and The Undoing, respectively.

Grant dated Elizabeth Hurley from 1987 to 2000. He is a godfather to her son Damian, whom she shares with Steve Bing. The actor shares daughter Tabitha and son Felix with Tinglan Hong. In May 2018, he tied the knot with Anna Eberstein, with whom he shares one son and two daughters.

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Shirley Henderson

Henderson played Jude, one of Bridget's three BFFs. Harry Potter fans, however, are more likely to recognize her as Moaning Myrtle, who appeared in the franchise from 2002 onward. Her other film credits include Marie Antoinette, Anna Karenina and Filth. In 2019, she provided the voice for Babu Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Henderson is also an accomplished stage actress, most recently starring in the British production of Girl From the North Country.

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James Callis

The England native played Tom, another member of Bridget's loyal friend group. He went on to star in Battlestar Galactica, Castlevania and Blood & Treasure as well as the two Bridget Jones sequels.

The Austenland actor wed Neha Callis in 1998. The duo share two sons and one daughter.

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Sally Phillips

Phillips starred as Bridget's friend Sharon, a.k.a. Shazzer. She later appeared in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Blinded by the Light. Her numerous TV credits include Veep, Galavant, Midsomer Murders and Skins.

The Notting Hill star was married to Andrew Bermejo from 2003 to 2017. The former spouses share three sons.

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Jim Broadbent

The veteran stage and screen actor played Bridget's dad, Colin. Broadbent went on to star in Oscar-nominated movies including Moulin Rouge!, Iris, Gangs of New York and The Iron Lady. He reunited with his Bridget Jones costar Grant in 2012's Cloud Atlas, and like Henderson, he landed a starring role in the Harry Potter franchise (he played Professor Slughorn).

Broadbent has been married to Anastasia Lewis since 1987.

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Gemma Jones

The BAFTA winner, who played Bridget's mother, went on to appear in Hysteria, Carnage, Rocketman, Ammonite and more. In 2002, she joined Henderson in Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets as Madame Pomfrey, reprising the role in Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows: Part 2 alongside Broadbent.

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Embeth Davidtz

The Matilda star appeared as Natasha, who dated Mark Darcy before Bridget entered the scene. Her later film and TV credits include Junebug, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Morning Show and Mad Men. She is slated to appear in the Walking Dead spinoff series Tales of the Walking Dead.

Davidtz shares two children with her husband, Jason Sloane, whom she wed in 2002.