Hugh Grant Changes Role for Bridget Jones Sequel

Hugh Grant is making a comeback in the world of Bridget Jones's Diary, but with a few changes to the script before officially signing on. The actor will appear in the upcoming film Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, set for release on Valentine's Day 2025. Although Grant was moved by the screenplay, he was initially unhappy with the role of his character, Daniel Cleaver.

Grant shared in a recent interview with Vanity Fair that he was deeply touched by the script, but felt that Daniel Cleaver's part was minimal and not fully developed. "I loved the script — it made me cry, and I wanted to help with this one," he explained. However, he was dissatisfied with the way his character was portrayed and took it upon himself to rewrite some scenes, which were eventually incorporated into the final script.

Despite his minor involvement, having only worked for a week on the project, Grant praises the film highly. He acknowledges that although his screen time is limited, the film is both "very funny and very, very moving." In the original Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Grant's Daniel Cleaver was part of a love triangle with Colin Firth's Mark Darcy, competing for the affection of Renée Zellweger's Bridget. Grant's character was a charming womanizer, a portrayal that some say mirrors his real-life persona.

Grant did not participate in the third installment, Bridget Jones's Baby (2016), due to his character's incongruity with the story. Daniel Cleaver was written out as presumed dead following a plane crash, but a newspaper headline revealed he was actually alive. In the upcoming film, Grant’s character will reappear.

Hugh Grant's next project is the A24 thriller Heretic, which premieres on November 15. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy will also feature Emma Thompson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, and Isla Fisher, marking their first appearance in the series.