Interview: Discussing ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’ with Screenwriters Dan Mazer and Abi Morgan

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is a very different film from the previous adaptations that were made of Helen Fielding’s book series of the same name, as it shows the titular character, played by Renée Zellweger, at her most vulnerable, reeling from the loss of her husband and father. 

Speaking to Awards Radar during a Zoom press day, screenwriter Dan Mazer explains that both Fielding and director Michael Morris “came into this movie wanting to make a very different Bridget, which I thought was brave and interesting. It was an unusual choice, given that the previous three had been so successful and had a specific tone, themes, and a format about them.

The fact that Michael, from the very outset, said he wanted to make a much more grounded movie that felt less broad, but still wanting it to be funny, yet dealing with these very complex, convoluted, and adult themes was a real exciting challenge. I worked on the previous Bridget film, and Abi did some work on it, which was a different experience. In this one, the onus was about the big set pieces, making it funny, with lots of laughs, and not worrying about, necessarily, how grounded it was. And that’s why Michael’s take on it felt, I thought, revolutionary.”

For screenwriter Abi Morgan, inherently, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is about grief, and “a woman who is coming back to life again. What I loved about what they did with this film is that it has allowed us to see that other side of Bridget, with her in grief. We also enjoy all those wonderful relationships she has with Daniel, with the Emma Thompson character, and with all her friends. We start to see her come back to life, but in this new iteration.

I’m glad this film appeals to men and women because, traditionally, Bridget has been seen as a female brand. However, this is so much about love and how you overcome the saddest things in your life to find something funny. Dan’s been brilliant at bringing that out as well, and the playfulness of her relationships with the characters we love, like Daniel, and the start of new ones with Roxster. The architecture was there in Helen’s book, but also, as Dan said, Michael’s commitment to bringing something that would serve these very grounded emotions.”

While the interview with Dan and Abi had a limited timeframe, we still covered a lot of ground on this incredible movie and the process behind transposing the fourth chapter of Bridget Jones’ life to the screen. 

Listen to the full conversation below:

[Some of the quotes in this article have been edited for length and clarity]