- Chiwetel Ejiofor will take on his first romantic lead role in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
- The actor has opened up about the experience – and says he has ‘never avoided’ parts like this before
- Elsewhere, Renée Zellweger reveals that Bridget Jones is ‘always lingering’ with her
Chiwetel Ejiofor is no stranger to the big screen – in fact, rom-com fans across the globe are likely to have just watched him in the festive classic, Love Actually.
But now Ejiofor is set to dominate a new holiday – as this year, he will play the romantic lead in the new Bridget Jones movie, which hits theaters on Valentine’s Day.
Ejiofor, 47, will star as teacher Mr Wallaker opposite Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones in the franchise’s fourth instalment, titled Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
And in a new interview with FAULT magazine, while the actor – who portrays Keira Knightley’s husband Peter in Love Actually – says he hasn’t avoided leading man roles on purpose – and is “excited” to have the opportunity in his new movie.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever avoided them in my acting,” Ejiofor admitted. “I feel like I’ve always been excited about different roles, what a part means, and what a character means.
“I haven’t either leaned into or avoided anything in my career, and I don’t think I ever would. I don’t believe there’s a genre I wouldn’t do. I’m excited about parts, I’m excited about characters, I’m excited about stories, and I’m excited about audiences -what engages an audience and what moves an audience.”
He went on to say that all of the elements he listed came together “really beautifully” in Bridget Jones, adding that his character is “truly fascinating” to portray.
Chiwetel Ejiofor talks ‘enduring ideas of romance‘
Ejiofor also shared his feelings about seeing romantic stories concerning over 40s played out on the big screen.
“I think there’s a recent tendency to focus on specific age groups when exploring attraction and romance, but historically, films have embraced love and relationships in middle age and beyond,” he continued.
“So, it’s not a departure from cinema traditions. I think the Bridget Jones films resonate because audiences have grown up with Bridget, reflecting on their romantic experiences – both the ways we mature and the ways we don’t.”
He went on to explain that while there’s “youthful romantic energy”, these films delve deeper, exploring the “enduring ideas of romance”, no matter what ‘stage of life’ you’re in.
Bridget Jones is ‘always lingering’, says Zellweger
Elsewhere, Zellweger herself opened up about Bridget Jones – a part she has played for 24 years.
In an interview with Empire, Zellweger – who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the first Bridget Jones movie in 2002 – revealed that the character is “always lingering”.
“Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Zellweger, 55, replied when asked if she misses playing Bridget. “I mean, there are parts of this character that a lot of people relate to, and I share that. I relate to so much about her, that I feel like she’s always sort of lingering.
“I feel her in my awkwardness sometimes, and I think of her when I’m having one of those out-of-body experiences where you’re kind of watching yourself talk and thinking, ‘Just shut your mouth. Just stop talking. Okay, now stop talking. Now: stop talking. Okay. Just stop now.’”
Zellweger added, “So, I feel like there are parts of Bridget that travel with me – and it’s usually the awkwardness and those moments of, I don’t know, public humiliation that we all relate to.”
