Renee Zellweger fiercely defends Bridget Jones after Hugh Grant backlash

Renee Zellweger has come out swinging in defence of her iconic character Bridget Jones, dismissing critics who attack the role as “toxic” and a product of a misogynistic culture.

With Bridget Jones’ journey beginning in 2001 with “Bridget Jones’ Diary,” Renee has reprised her role multiple times to the delight of audiences.

Despite this enduring popularity, vocal critics have taken issue with Bridget’s fixation on her weight and romantic relationships in recent years. The franchise’s heartthrob, Daniel Cleaver, portrayed by Hugh Grant, also came under fire for exhibiting sexist behaviors toward Bridget in the series’ debut film.

Nevertheless, Renee, having been intrinsic to the Bridget Jones saga for a quarter of a century, robustly defends her character in light of barbs thrown following the release of the fourth movie, “Mad About the Boy.”

“I don’t find it toxic, in my opinion. I love Bridget Jones. I’ve always loved Bridget Jones, and I love her more with every reunion,” she proclaimed, addressing her detractors in an interview.

Her affection for Bridget remains staunch. She continued, “I never thought anything was wrong with her. I’d always thought of it more generally as a representation of how we pick on ourselves about things that are entirely of no consequence—because she’s not an overweight person,” Renee explained to The Sun.

The legendary actress has spoken out, reporting in the : “And she’s cute, and there’s nothing at all wrong with her or her experiences or where she is.”

She also expressed admiration for her character’s “self-deprecating” nature and “optimism”. In the latest film, Bridget Jones embarks on a romance with a much younger man, portrayed by Leo Woodall, sparking discussions about age-gap relationships.

Addressing the ‘controversial’ aspect of their on-screen relationship, Leo Woodall shared his thoughts with Stellar Magazine, questioning: “When two people find the connection, why shouldn’t they see where it goes without judgment? Both dynamics should be equally normalised. It’s a good thing that we’re getting the reverse.”

He continued to discuss how age differences in relationships are “not uncommon” in reality but often overlooked in cinema. The One Day star also lauded Renee Zellweger’s convincing British accent as Bridget, admitting he ‘can’t tell’ she’s not British.

“With Renee partly because she’s so good, but also because this character has been a part of her for such a long time nothing about it seemed unnatural in any way,” he added.