Bridget Jones boss shares real reason for ignoring character’s weight in new film amid historic ‘fat-shaming’ row
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy will feature a drastic difference from the previous three films, with director Michael Morris explaining the next story will ignore the subject of Jones’ weight.
Previous films, particularly the first two, which were released in 2001 and 2004 respectively, include several references to Jones being “overweight” and attempting to track calories, with Morris arguing the famous protagonist has other things to focus on.
With 24 years having passed since the original film, Bridget Jones’s Diary, launched, critics have retrospectively slammed the focus on weight and “body-shaming”.
The 2004 sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, has faced similar criticisms, with 2016’s Bridget Jones’ Baby still including some references.
Leading lady Renée Zellweger, 55, lost and put on weight for the role in previous films, which have all been based on author Helen Fielding’s books of the same name.
However, the upcoming film, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, won’t include themes regarding weight or calorie intake, despite featuring in the Fielding novel from 2013.
“It just never felt like something that we needed to revisit, to be honest,” Morris explained.
He went on: “I mean, I think things have a time and a place. I’m careful because I grew up with Bridget, and I actually, weirdly, felt really connected to Bridget as not a woman, but I’m also really aware that I probably would have connected to her differently had I been a woman.”
Speaking to Metro, he continued: “So it’s hard for me to speak to that specifically.
“All I can say is that I feel like the impulse of the filmmakers at the time was not to say a woman of this size is overweight or underweight or whatever.
“It’s to recognise and see people who are aware of all these different things that are being asked of them as women.”
He also argued Jones has plenty of other things to be “frazzled about,” with the new film exploring her life as a widow and single mother.
The upcoming story will focus on Jones attempting to put herself out into the romantic scene again after the passing of her husband and long-term love interest Mark Darcy (played by Colin Firth).
As she attempts to navigate modern dating, she encounters 29-year-old Roxster (Leo Woodall), as well as her son’s teacher, Mr Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor).
Zellweger has recently commented on another talking point of the new movie, Jones’ age gap with new love interest Roxster.
Both actors have defended the relationship, dismissing concerns about the 22-year difference.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Bridget Jones star Leo Woodall shares ‘discomfort’ of taking on ‘heart throb’ roles: ‘Quite vulnerable’Renee Zellweger makes stance clear on age-gap backlash over new Bridget Jones relationshipNext James Bond: Bridget Jones star emerges as candidate to land role in blow to Aaron Taylor-Johnson hopes
“I mean, I think it’s nothing new. But maybe the social taboos are melting away… it’s never a bad thing,” Zellweger told Variety.
“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?” she said.
Woodall, who plays Roxster, echoed his co-star’s sentiments about the on-screen relationship.
“It’s a real relationship that happens a lot,” the British actor explained. “And you know, we’re just not used to seeing it on screen.”