Renee Zellweger says she has a ‘Bridget Jones alter-ego’ because she has similarities with character

Renee Zellweger says she has a ‘Bridget Jones alter-ego’ because she has similarities on ‘all the things you wouldn’t like to have in common’ with character

Renee Zellweger has said she has Bridget Jones alter-ego because of the parallels between her life and the character’s. 

The actress, 51, first starred as unlucky-in-love Bridget in the British romantic comedy in 2001 alongside Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, based on the 1996 novel by Helen Fielding. 

And Renee says she finds she has a lot of things in common with Bridget- with the actress having suffered a fair few failed relationships herself.

Iconic character: Renee Zellweger has said she has Bridget Jones alter-ego because of the parallels between her life and the character’s (pictured 2019)

Last year, Renee split from guitarist Doyle Bramhall II in 2019 after seven years.

Before that she dated Bradley Cooper for three years and also has suffered a failed engagement to Jim Carrey and a brief five month marriage to singer Kenny Chesney. 

Renee told The Sun: ‘All the things that you would most like not to have in common with Bridget are the things that I find I relate to most closely.

Blockbuster: The actress, 51, starred as the unlucky-in-love Bridget in the British romantic comedy in 2001 alongside Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, based on 1996 novel by Helen Fielding

Blockbuster: The actress, 51, starred as the unlucky-in-love Bridget in the British romantic comedy in 2001 alongside Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, based on 1996 novel by Helen Fielding

‘I’ve had moments when I feel like I’m sitting beside myself watching my Bridget alter ego just spiralling, circling the drain.’

Renee went on to say the pressures for women are ‘ridiculous’, from starting a family, finding Mr Right to having the perfect job.  

She said of Bridget: ‘She struggles with it and she tries and she fails, like all of us. What it boils down to in the end is self acceptance. I think it’s appreciating that being imperfect is what you’re supposed to be.’

Earlier this year the Hollywood actress reaffirmed she would happily play the character again if a fourth movie was given the green light.

Oh dear: Last year, Renee split from guitarist Doyle Bramhall II in 2019 after seven years

Oh dear: Last year, Renee split from guitarist Doyle Bramhall II in 2019 after seven years

Failed romance: Before she dated Bradley Cooper for three years and also has suffered a failed engagement to Jim Carrey (pictured in 2020)

Failed romance: Before she dated Bradley Cooper for three years and also has suffered a failed engagement to Jim Carrey (pictured in 2020)

‘It would be fun, yeah,’ Renee told Glamour. ‘I know people are coy. I’m not. I promise I’m not. I just don’t know [whether a fourth film is in the works].’  

The three existing films – 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary, 2004’s Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason and 2016’s Bridget Jones’s Baby – are based on books by Helen Fielding – which Renee asserted is the woman in charge.

‘I mean, that’s a Helen question, but I hope she would want to,’ Renee went on. ‘I know she wrote a book , so maybe. I’m always the last to know. They’re already building sets, and they call me and say, “What do you think?”

‘It’s fun. It’s so much fun. Man, I’d love the experience of revisiting her. I love her. I just think she’s so much fun. She’s the best.

‘Sure, if I got invited to do that, that sounds like fun.’ 

'It would be fun, yeah': Earlier this year the Hollywood actress reaffirmed she would happily play the character again  [pictured in Bridget Jones's Diary]

‘It would be fun, yeah’: Earlier this year the Hollywood actress reaffirmed she would happily play the character again  [pictured in Bridget Jones’s Diary]