Bridget Jones’s Diary is 25 years old! Here’s what the cast have been up to since

Following her success in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, Renée Zellweger landed the iconic role of Bridget Jones. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 2002 for her performance as a 32-year-old British woman navigating challenges in her job, relationships, and with her weight.

After the success of Bridget Jones’s Diary, Renée Zellweger’s career reached its peak. She received another Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in the musical Chicago, and later won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Cold Mountain. In 2019, she won her second Oscar for her portrayal of Judy Garland in the film Judy.

Renée Zellweger reprised her role as Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy last year, marking her fourth time playing the character. She recently indicated she’d be open to returning to the role, stating in January 2025 that she feels she isn’t finished with Bridget Jones yet.

Okay, so I was rewatching Bridget Jones’s Diary and it hit me – Colin Firth nailed both Mr. Darcy roles! First in that classic Pride and Prejudice miniseries, then again as Mark Darcy. He plays this guy who comes off a bit stuck-up and cold at first, but you quickly see he’s actually really charming, and of course, Bridget eventually falls for him. He’s just got that whole brooding, romantic thing down perfectly!

After Bridget Jones’s Diary, I was so excited to see him in everything! He just kept landing amazing roles – The Importance of Being Earnest, Girl With a Pearl Earring, Love Actually, and even the fun Mamma Mia!. He showed off his range in more serious films like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and then totally surprised us with Kingsman: The Secret Service in 2015. He was even nominated for an Oscar for A Single Man, and then actually won an Oscar for The King’s Speech – I was thrilled for him!

Firth also received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his work in the 2022 HBO Max limited series, The Staircase, where he played Michael Peterson.

Hugh Grant was already famous for starring in popular romantic comedies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Nine Months, and Notting Hill. But in this role, playing the charming Daniel Cleaver, he was unusual in that he didn’t win the girl – though he never stopped trying!

Hugh Grant continued his box office success after Bridget Jones’s Diary, starring in several popular films like the 2002 romantic comedies Two Weeks Notice and About a Boy, and the beloved 2003 holiday film Love Actually (with Colin Firth). He’s continued to take on diverse roles in more recent projects, including Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Heretic, where he showcased a more complex and intense side to his acting.

Though he hasn’t received an Oscar nomination yet, Hugh Grant has been recognized with many awards over the past decade for his work in projects like Florence Foster Jenkins, Paddington 2, A Very English Scandal, and The Undoing.

Despite the fact that Bridget Jones’s father, Colin, was deceased in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Jim Broadbent still appeared in a touching flashback scene.

The acclaimed actor hardly needs an introduction. Over the past 25 years, you’ve almost certainly seen him in something – perhaps as Mr. Gruber in the Paddington films, Horace Slugburn from Harry Potter, Archmaester Ebrose in Game of Thrones, or even Frank Butterman in Hot Fuzz. He first gained widespread recognition with Bridget Jones’s Diary, and he’s been a familiar face ever since.

After appearing in Bridget Jones’s Diary, Gemma Jones, like several other actors from the film, went on to star in the Harry Potter series, playing Madam Poppy Pomfrey. Since then, she’s also been in films such as Rocketman, God’s Own Country, Wicked Little Letters, and Ammonite.

Jones was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award three times in the 1970s, and finally won one in 2015 for her performance in the BBC movie Marvellous. She’s also appeared in popular TV shows like Spooks, Gentleman Jack, and most recently, I, Jack Wright.

Sally Phillips later became a regular on the show Miranda, starring Miranda Hart, and in 2011, she co-wrote the film The Decoy Bride, which featured David Tennant and Alice Eve.

I always loved seeing her pop up on Veep – she was hilarious as the Finnish prime minister! And she’s been in so much else, like Trollied, Breeders, and Queenie. But honestly, one of my favorite things is that she’s played Shazza in all three Bridget Jones movies. It wouldn’t be the same without her!

After appearing in Bridget Jones’s Diary, James Callis became well-known for his role as Dr. Gaius Baltar on Battlestar Galactica in the mid-2000s.

He went on to appear in several TV series, including Eureka, 12 Monkeys, Slow Horses, and Star Trek: Picard.

While many know Shirley Henderson from the Bridget Jones films, she’s also memorable as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter series. Beyond those roles, she’s appeared in well-known British movies like Trainspotting and the recent BAFTA-winning film, I Swear.

Recently, Henderson has appeared in several notable TV roles, including parts in Dept Q and Summerwater. She’s also known to Star Wars fans for voicing the character Babu Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and she provided the voice for the Anzellan Crew in The Mandalorian.