Bridget Jones fans were stunned to realise a lead actor in the film received an Academy Award nomination for their efforts in one of the films, and that they won just three years later for a different part
Fans of the hit film series Bridget Jones’ Diary were stunned after realising one of its stars received an Academy Award nod for the film.
The hit trilogy, which starred Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, is set to receive a fourth instalment as Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is released on Valentine’s Day (Friday, February 14). But fans were shocked to find one of the stars of the original film had received an Oscar nod for their work on the film, and won just three years later.
Now fans have seen a clip of the “crazy” awards win, which was clipped together with an additional win for the star over a decade later. Fans of the romcom franchise were left charmed by the speech after they accepted the Academy Award.
Renée Zellweger, who plays titular character Bridget Jones, received a nomination for the film. Though she lost out to Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball that year, she would go on to win in the Best Supporting Actress category in 2004 for Cold Mountain.
A previous nomination for Chicago did not bag her a win, either, as she lost to Nicole Kidman for her role in The Hours.
But an awards win for her appearance in the Anthony Minghella-directed feature saw her deliver a speech that is still charming members of the public. A post to TikTok shared the speech, where Zellweger thanked the Academy for inviting her and for her awards win.
Zellweger won over Shohreh Aghdashloo in House of Sand and Fog, Patricia Clarkson in Pieces of April, Marcia Gay Harden in Mystic River, and Holly Hunter in Thirteen. One fan watching the video wrote: “How crazy is that.” Another added: “Such a classy woman.”
Zellweger would go on to win in the Best Actress category too, with her performance as Judy Garland in the 2021 biopic Judy praised at the time of its release. Her acceptance speech is featured in the TikTok video too, where the actress won her second Academy Award.
She won over Charlize Theron in Bombshell, Saoirse Ronan in Little Women, Scarlett Johansson in Marriage Story, and Cynthia Erivo in Harriet. Erivo is nominated at this year’s Academy Awards for her role in Wicked.
It comes as fans are realising Zellweger could have been replaced as Bridget Jones, with other stars tipped for the starring role in the original film. Emily Watson and Kate Winslet were both tipped for the leading role, as was Helena Bonham Carter. Fellow American actress Cameron Diaz was also suggested.
Australian stars Cate Blanchett and Toni Colette were also in the running, with the latter actress going on to work with Bridget Jones’ Diary actor Hugh Grant a short while later on About a Boy.
