The 'Bridget Jones's Diary' cast: Then and now

Directed by Sharon McGuire, ‘Bridget Jones's Diary’ (2001) has stamped its mark as one of the most epic rom-coms of all time. Winning accolades from both critics and fans alike, the film even spurred two sequels: ‘Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason’ (2004) and ‘Bridget Jones' Baby’ (2016).

The film unravels the story of a thirty-something singleton who's yet to find her Mr. Right. Caught in a romantic whirlwind, she finds herself torn between two men: her boss and a family friend. But what's the gang been up to since then?

At the heart of the saga is Bridget Jones, a 32-year-old Londoner. Bound by her insecurities, her life is a perpetual hot mess as she oscillates between her publishing job and her home. Her evenings? They often feature TV, booze, and cigarettes.

The Texas-born actress's journey in Hollywood has been nothing short of spectacular. In fact, she's one of the rare gems to bag the four titan awards in the film realm: Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and the Screen Actors Guild Award.

By the time Zellweger transformed into Bridget Jones, she was no rookie. She already enjoyed stardom for roles in ‘Empire Records’ (1995), ‘Jerry Maguire’ (1996), ‘Me, Myself & Irene’ (2000, pictured), and ‘Nurse Betty’ (2000), which fetched her her first Golden Globe. But, it was the Bridget Jones role that really catapulted her into Hollywood's A-list.

Just a year after her Bridget Jones triumph (which landed her an Oscar nod), she shone as Roxie Hart in the musical ‘Chicago’ (2002), bagging another Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award, alongside Oscar and BAFTA nominations. By 2004, she added both the Oscar and BAFTA to her accolades for her performance in ‘Cold Mountain’ as the best supporting actress.

By the decade's end, she was again in the Golden Globe spotlight for reprising her role as Bridget Jones in 2005 and another memorable performance in ‘Miss Potter,’ a film painting the life of children's book writer and illustrator, Beatrix Potter.

After gracing the screen with ‘My Own Love Song’ (2010) alongside Forest Whitaker, Renée Zellweger took a six-year break, only to triumphantly return in 2016 with ‘Bridget Jones' Baby.’ Since then, she's been quite choosy, handpicking her roles.

One of her recent blockbusters includes ‘Judy’ (2019), a biographical portrayal of the iconic Judy Garland. Her outstanding portrayal earned her the grand slam of awards: Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and the Screen Actors Guild Award.

Of late, Zellweger is making waves on the small screen. Fans enjoyed her captivating roles as Anne Montgomery in ‘What/If’ (2019) and as Pam Hupp in ‘The Thing About Pam’ (2022).

Enter the divorced lawyer and Bridget Jones's family friend. Bridget's mom views him as the ultimate escape from her daughter's singleton life. All sounds rosy, right? Wrong! Bridget can't stand the guy, deeming him rude, and even worse, dull.

Like Zellweger, Colin Firth also boasts the honor of nabbing the big four: Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA (twice!), and the Screen Actors Guild Award (a hat-trick!) – all across a stellar career spanning over four decades since his 1983 debut.

Of course, he teamed up with Zellweger again for the Bridget Jones sequels. The early 2000s also saw him shine in roles like ‘Conspiracy’ (2001), ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ (2003), ‘Love Actually’ (2003), ‘The Accidental Husband’ (2008), and ‘Dorian Gray’ (2009).

However, 2010 and 2011 were Firth's golden years. His performances in ‘A Single Man’ (2009) and ‘The King's Speech’ (2010) raked in accolades.
While the former won him the Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination, the latter had him sweeping the board: Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Critics' Choice.

Recent years saw him in roles like Harry Hart in the first two ‘Kingsman’ movies (2014 and 2017), ‘The Mercy’ (2018), ‘Kursk’ (2018), ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ (2018), ‘1917’ (2019), ‘The Secret Garden’ (2020), and ‘Empire of Light’ (2022).

And just like Zellweger, Firth's talents shimmered on TV. In 2022, he starred in the mini-series ‘The Staircase’, embodying Michael Peterson, a novelist-politician whose life spirals into a mysterious investigation. This performance scored him a Primetime Emmy nomination for Best Actor.

He's Bridget Jones's boss at the publishing house. A captivating charmer and notorious playboy, he becomes infatuated with Bridget, leading to flirty email exchanges peppered with risqué messages. In the end, this digital dance culminates in him asking her out. But there's an intriguing twist. He shares a unique bond with Mark. Rumor has it that Mark once stole his girlfriend during their university days. But who was the real heartbreaker?

Now in his 60s, he remains a quintessential icon of British elegance, turning heads with his dashing good looks. During his stint as Daniel Cleaver, he effortlessly navigated other iconic roles in beloved romantic comedies like ‘Two Weeks Notice’ (2002), ‘Love Actually’ (2003) — where he once again shared the screen with Colin Firth — and, of course, the ‘Bridget Jones’ sequels.

Beyond these, his portrayal in ‘About a Boy’ (2002) garnered him a Golden Globe nod. While he continued to grace the screen in subsequent years, none of those ventures quite captured the magic of his earlier successes. However, in 2016, he ascended to the cinematic zenith with his portrayal of St. Clair Bayfield in ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’.

Helmed by Stephen Frears, ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’ vividly recounts the true tale of a woman (played by Meryl Streep) who, upon inheriting her father's wealth, pursues her dream of becoming a soprano. Grant's masterful performance earned him nominations for Best Actor at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and European Film Awards.

In recent years, this British luminary has made only a handful of appearances on the big screen. Notably, in titles like ‘Paddington 2’ (2017) and, in a double feature in 2023, with ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre’ and ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’.

Venturing into TV, he showcased his talents in ‘A Very English Scandal’ (2018), where he masterfully brought to life the character of Jeremy Thorpe. He also starred in the HBO series ‘The Undoing’ alongside the inimitable Nicole Kidman.

Bridget Jones's quirky circle of friends are ever eager to offer solace. Directing her to self-help books and dishing out their unique brand of advice, they rally to guide her in her quest for true love.

Navigating through both sequels of 'Bridget Jones,' over the years, she's toggled between film and TV. On the small screen, her accomplishments shine in series like ‘Smack the Pony’ (1999-2017), ‘Veep’ (2013-2019), ‘Zapped’ (2016-2018), ‘Trollied’ (2018), ‘Tourist Trap’ (2018-2019), and ‘Breeders’ (2022).

The Scottish actress has been in the limelight lately, gracing TV series like ‘Tom Jones,’ ‘The Mandalorian,’ and ‘Lovely Little Farm.’ But tracing back to her 'Bridget Jones' days, she has delivered remarkable performances as Myrtle the Moaning Myrtle in the ‘Harry Potter’ series, Sophie of France in ‘Marie Antoinette’ (2006), and Matron in ‘Wild Child’ (2007).

Best known for his portrayal of Gaius Baltar in ‘Battlestar Galactica’ from 2004 to 2009 — a role which earned him a Saturn Award in 2006 — his career trajectory has been heavily skewed towards TV. He's showcased his prowess in series such as ‘Eureka’ (2010-2012), ‘Matador’ (2014), ‘Gallipoli’ (2015), ‘12 Monkeys’ (2017-2018), and ‘Blood & Treasure’ (2019-2022).

Playing the roles of Bridget's parents, their idea of familial love involves hosting an annual luncheon for their friends, most of whom are keen to remind Bridget of her ticking biological clock. Yet, the upcoming year promises a delightful twist with Mark Darcy gracing the affair.

Now in her 80s, Gemma Jones continues to enchant audiences, as witnessed in her recent endeavors like the series ‘Gentlemen Jack’ (2019-2022) and films like ‘Benediction’ (2021) and ‘Emily’ (2022). Like Shirley Henderson, Gemma too has been a part of the ‘Harry Potter’ legacy as Madame Pomfrey. Another feather in her cap is her portrayal of the spy Connie James in ‘Spooks’ (2007-2008).

The ‘Harry Potter’ connection continues with Jim Broadbent, who charmed fans as Professor Horace Slughorn in the series' sixth and seventh films. He's had an illustrious career, clinching an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA — all for his stellar performance in ‘Iris’ (2001). His recent ventures include the TV series ‘Staged’ (2022) and the film ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ (2023).

A colleague from Mark's law firm, she's unveiled as his fiancée — a revelation that hits Bridget just as she musters the courage to apologize and profess her feelings, especially after the emotional roller-coaster with Mark and Daniel.

She's fondly remembered for her role as Miss Jennifer Honey in ‘Matilda’ (1996). But post 'Bridget Jones' and 'Matilda,' her cinematic journey has been impressive too. She’s graced series like ‘Californication’ (2009) as Felicia Koons, ‘Mad Men’ (2009-2012) as Rebecca Pryce, and ‘Grey's Anatomy’ (2006-2019) as Nancy Shepherd.

What's going on with the actors and actresses of That 70s Show?