Hugh Grant says new Bridget Jones film ‘crammed’ him in as he had ‘no obvious role’
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Hugh Grant has shared that he was packed into the latest Bridget Jones film, even though there wasn't a clear part for him.
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is the fourth addition to the series and is set to debut on Valentine's Day next year. Inspired by the 2013 novel with the same title, it stars Renée Zellweger as a recently single mother of two, trying to find her way through today's dating scene.
The films, inspired by the writings of The Independent columnist Helen Fielding, broke new ground in popularity and earned an Oscar nomination for Zellweger during the 2000s and 2010s.
The original actors featured in the film were Zellweger playing Bridget, Hugh Grant portraying Daniel Cleaver, and Colin Firth as Mark Darcy.
There had been plenty of speculation that Grant and Firth might return to their roles for the upcoming film, and Grant himself confirmed that he is taking part when he spoke to Vanity Fair earlier this year.
The actor has now acknowledged that he felt forced into the storyline, as his character didn't seem to fit in at first.
"It's a fantastic and touching screenplay—it's really hilarious but also quite poignant," he mentioned during his appearance on The Graham Norton Show on Thursday, October 3rd.
"I didn't have a clear position, but I was squeezed into the mix."
“Since we didn't want a 60-year-old Daniel Cleaver aimlessly roaming around and checking out younger women, I created a solid backstory for his character instead.”
Grant was absent from the 2004 follow-up, The Edge of Reason. In an interview with Vanity Fair last month, he explained, “I couldn’t see how my character would fit in—he simply didn’t seem to fit, so I decided to take a step back.”
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At first, he declined to take a role in the fourth installment of the movie, expressing that there were aspects he didn't particularly like. However, after having the opportunity to write a few scenes for the film, he changed his mind and agreed to participate.
He said, "It's truly the finest book, and I find it both hilarious and deeply touching. My contribution is minimal; I only worked on it for a week. However, when you watch the film, it will definitely touch your heart."
It seems that Firth won't be reprising his role in the sequel, as his character has been excluded in the book series. Yet, it's uncertain if the film will stay true to the original material.
