However, it should be pointed out that the film hasn’t been unanimously slated, with numerous critics for some of the leading American entertainment outlets generally praising Michael.
Ahead of its release late this week, here’s a selection of what critics are saying about Michael…
“It’s bad. It’s bad. It’s really, really bad. The new Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, is produced by several of his relatives and close associates, so no one expected it to be a searing portrait of the controversial star. But it’s still surprising that they’ve made such a bland and barely competent daytime TV movie.”
Advertisement
“Antoine Fuqua’s demi-biopic of Michael Jackson gives you the chimp, the llama, the giraffe… but not the elephant in the living room […] this is a frustratingly shallow, inert picture, a kind of cruise-ship entertainment, which can’t quite bring itself to show that Michael was an abuse victim, brutalised by his father and robbed of his childhood. Perhaps this is because it would have a cause-and-effect implication, gesturing tactlessly at the story’s second half…”
Michael was made in collaboration with the Jackson estate, which many critics have said is to the film’s detriment
Glen Wilson/Lionsgate
“It resists story in favour of content, in making sure fans see what they expect to see, whether that be the Thriller video or Bad performed live at Wembley in 1988. In that respect, it’s hardly unique, but there’s a particular ghoulishness in applying that mentality to a figure as profoundly complex as Jackson.”
Advertisement
“Hugely impressive musical and dance performances from the two young men playing Michael Jackson cannot shake off the uncomfortable fact that there is an entire other side to the pop star’s story which is entirely conspicuous by its absence here.”
“This is the quintessential Trump-era film, where difficult truths are met with bold-faced mendacity and where the director Antoine Fuqua and the screenwriter John Logan have met the challenges of the Jackson story by simply drowning it in quasi-Christian […] bullshit.”
“Michael is a Part One that pretends its Part Two doesn’t exist: a structurally complete film that tells only half a story […] it is simply not credible for a film to claim to be about Michael Jackson without addressing, even obliquely, the accusations, controversies and sadness that dogged his later life. You don’t have to dramatise these things; you should, at least, acknowledge or foreshadow them.”
Advertisement
“This is a film made by people who appear not to know the meaning of the word ‘subtle’ […] it goes on, drifting from one underwritten scene to the next, airbrushing incidents and figures integral to them, for fear they get in the way of keeping the spotlight on Michael in admittedly impressively staged musical sequences or, less impressively, mawkish utterances about making the world a better place.”
Michael is the latest in a string of musical biopics to hit cinemas
Kevin Mazur/Lionsgate
“This isn’t really a biopic. This is the Passion of St. Michael, rendered with great fidelity to and emphasis on both Jackson’s undeniable suffering and equally undeniable talent.”
Advertisement
“That Michael skirts around the controversies, legal troubles, and horrifying allegations that marked the entertainer’s later years – and, for so many, have forever marred his legacy – isn’t a shock, as the film was supported and financially backed by Jackson’s estate.
“What does rankle, however, is that that by glossing over such matters, the final film has been mostly stripped of any humanity, good and bad.”
“As magnetic as Jaafar Jackson is during the film’s musical performances, he still can’t quite capture his uncle’s protean, preternatural talents […] but even if he had, it would still be difficult to ignore just how much this almost surreally upbeat biopic looks at Michael Jackson with blinders on, turning the realities of a tragic, deeply complicated life into a sanitised popcorn film.”
","type":"video","meta":{"author":"Universal Pictures","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq0OueAsdxH6b8nyAspwViw","cache_age":86400,"description":"His story begins.\nThe official trailer for MICHAEL – in cinemas and IMAX soon. #MichaelMovie","options":{"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"_end":{"label":"End on","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"_start":{"label":"Start from","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""}},"provider_name":"YouTube","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3zOLzsbOleM/maxresdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"title":"Michael | Official Trailer","type":"video","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zOLzsbOleM","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69e87011e4b0fa6ffe8ffcbd","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/michael-jackson-biopic-reviews_uk_69e87011e4b0fa6ffe8ffcbd","entryTagsList":"ukfilm,michael-jackson","sectionSlug":"entertainment","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.entertainment","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":18},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69e87011e4b0fa6ffe8ffcbd","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"ukfilm","slug":"ukfilm","links":{"relativeLink":"news/ukfilm","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukfilm","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukfilm"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Film","slug":"ukfilm","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukfilm/"},{"name":"Michael Jackson","slug":"michael-jackson","links":{"relativeLink":"news/michael-jackson","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/michael-jackson","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/michael-jackson"},"relegenceId":5918394,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/michael-jackson/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fmichael-jackson-biopic-reviews_uk_69e87011e4b0fa6ffe8ffcbd%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["
“Simply put, this is not a movie about Michael Jackson’s dark side. Yet the surprise of Michael is how well it plays, and what an engrossing middle-of-the-road biopic it is. It’s basically an ’80s-TV-movie version of the Michael Jackson story with sharper acting and snazzier photography.”
“If you are unwilling to separate the art from the artist, this will not be a movie for you. But for lifelong fans who cherish the music, the movie delivers. Simply as a celebration of Jackson’s songs and stagecraft, it’s phenomenal, shot by Dion Beebe with visual electricity in the performance sequences. The music has never sounded louder or better.”
Advertisement
“The two actors who portray Jackson − Juliano Valdi as the budding Jackson 5 prodigy and Jaafar Jackson as the adult struggling to liberate himself from his father and achieve lofty ambitions – are marvels […] Jaafar may share his late uncle’s megawatt smile, lithe frame and Bambi eyelashes. But his liquid dance moves – highlighted as he teaches gang members the footwork in the Beat It video − and soft-spoken cadence are studied to perfection. This is not about nepotism.”
“The result is a fan’s delight if also a linear, rather predictable biopic that feels like the Wikipedia version of the complicated star’s life. It starts at the beginning and ends in the middle. Whether the story really continues depends, I suppose, on whether the Jacksons want to keep cashing in, even if it gets unsavoury.”
I’m A Celebrity star David Haye has spoken out after the conflict between himself and Adam Thomas escalated during the most recent episode of the reality show.
Last week, many viewers were unhappy with the way that David had spoken to Adam after the Emmerdale star explained he was feeling too unwell to put himself forward for a Bushtucker Trial, after experiencing a flare up of his psoriatic arthritis.
Advertisement
In Monday night’s instalment, the spat grew even further, with Adam being moved to tears by digs from David, who insisted he was only playing with the soap actor.
Later in the episode, members of the camp each had to select one person to save from elimination.
Because no one selected David, he became the second celebrity to leave the show, choosing Gemma Collins to go with him.
Advertisement
On his way out, he and Adam had something of a reconciliation, with the retired boxer assuring him: “Sorry, it was all banter. It’s all good.”
Speaking to Ant and Dec later in the show, the former heavyweight champion claimed: “Me and Adam had a little bit of back and forth. I was bantering, but the banter, he didn’t really like the banter.
“He kind of got to the limit of the banter he was willing to receive and started snapping and that.”
Adam Thomas and David Haye in I’m A Celebrity: South Africa before their fall-out
ITV/Shutterstock
Advertisement
Asked whether he felt he’d pushed things “too far” with Adam, David conceded: “Probably. I’m an extremist, and I can’t help myself. But it’s all love. I love him really. He’s a cool guy. It’s all perfect now.”
Following his exit, David was quoted bynumerousoutlets as saying: “[There’s] no bad blood from my side.”
He added: “When a grown man tells me that a fun TV show – where we’re being paid handsomely every single day – is the hardest thing he’s ever been through, it’s just not a frequency I recognise.
Advertisement
“I was actually on my best behaviour there, honestly. I’ve spoken to Adam, I’ve said my piece and some of what’s still to air will speak for itself, I’ll leave it there.”
Earlier this week, Adam claimed that he’d received a private apology from David over how the athlete treated him on the show.
“He broke me in there, he pushed me to my limits, and I’ve told David this and he’s apologised and that’s that!” he insisted. “I’ve moved on now, am not one to hold a grudge.”
Olivia Colman’s character in Heartstopper will be played by a different actor in the show’s upcoming film.
The Oscar winner received widespread praise for her portrayal of Nick’s mum, Sarah Nelson, in the first two seasons of the Netflix teen drama.
Advertisement
However, in its third iteration, Olivia was unable to appear, with Hayley Atwell instead appearing as Nick’s aunt, who served a maternal role in his life for these episodes.
Over the weekend, it was confirmed that in the forthcoming movie Heartstopper Forever, the character of Sarah has been completely recast due to Olivia’s unavailability.
Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman told Netflix’s Tudum: “When beginning to work on the Heartstopper Forever screenplay, I knew how important it was that Sarah, Nick’s mum, appeared in the story.
“Since season one, we have seen how close Nick is with his mum; she’s one of the few people he can turn to in moments of crisis. While in season three, we were able to tweak the story to avoid any appearance of Sarah, it felt nonsensical for her to be absent from this final chapter, given some of the emotional struggles Nick faces.”
They continued: “Sadly, Olivia Colman was not able to join us for the film, so we made the very difficult decision to recast the role, rather than exclude the character. We are deeply grateful for Olivia’s beautiful performance as Sarah in seasons one and two of Heartstopper, through such iconic moments as Nick coming out as bisexual, and we know that her performance will live on in the hearts of every Heartstopper fan.
Advertisement
“We are overjoyed to welcome the incredible Anna Maxwell Martin into the role of Sarah for Heartstopper Forever. Anna perfectly embodies Sarah’s gentle, down-to-earth energy, and it was magical to witness her scenes with Kit Connor during the film shoot. I can’t wait for Heartstopper fans to experience her interpretation of Sarah Nelson.”
Joe Locke and Kit Connor share a kiss as Charlie and Nick in Heartstopper
Samuel Dore/Netflix
Heartstopper Forever will premiere on Netflix later this year, and serve as the final outing for Nick and Charlie, played by Kit Connor and Joe Locke.
Advertisement
As well as the usual returning cast members, including Yasmin Finney and Will Gao, it’s been confirmed that Bafta winner Derek Jacobi will also be playing a new character in the film.
As far as celebrity reality shows go, the line-up for the first season of The Traitors’ star-studded counterpart is going to be a hard one to beat.
The cast of Celebrity Traitors’ inaugural outing featured a host of impressive names – including many who’d never done reality TV before – that encompassed award-winning broadcasters and actors, athletes at the top of their game, chart-topping musicians and all-round national treasures.
Advertisement
But as revered as many of the celebrities on the line-up were, other famous faces turned down the BBC’s offer to appear on the show outright for a variety of reasons.
With filming getting underway on season two in the not-too-distant future, here are 11 recognisable names who are reported to have said no to appearing on The Celebrity Traitors…
Ricky Gervais
Advertisement
When The Celebrity Traitors was initially revealed to be in the works last year, Ricky Gervais was one of the first names reported to be on bosses’ wishlist.
However, he quickly made it clear that he had no intention of taking part because he’s “too busy” and, in his words, “there’s no way they could afford me”.
Meanwhile, former Pointless presenter Richard Osman has openly said he turned down the show because there was no way for producers to guarantee his one criteria for taking part.
He continued: “I couldn’t bear – if I [were] a Faithful – that thing where you go back to your room at night and you’re just lying there, [knowing there were] three people up in that tower, having a load of fun in cloaks and filming something.”
“I was asked and the answer was no,” she said. “One, I’ve never seen it. Two, I don’t have the time.”
Advertisement
She continued: “I have a full-time job and The Apprentice is filmed just in my sweet spot in the summer when the football season is over, so I can just about fit in. But that’s it.”
Martin Lewis
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
When the line-up for Celebrity Traitors season one was first reported in the press, money-saving expert Martin Lewis admitted he had major “FOMO” after having to reject an offer to participate.
Advertisement
“I was asked if I wanted to do it, but said no as I couldn’t commit the time,” he told his Instagram followers. “I hadn’t watched it then (but watched the last series after that and loved it) so now feel a little gutted – though I still don’t have the time. Sigh!”
Danny Dyer
Like Martin, Danny Dyer claimed during an episode of his podcast Live And Let Dyer that Traitors producers had been “sniffing round me” while putting together the cast of season one, but turned down them down as he’d not watched the original show at the time.
“If they ask me I’ll do it, but no one’s asked me,” the Rivals actor claimed earlier this year. “I would fucking declare it. I’m not on it, you’ll see when it comes on.”
“I was offered this job just recently – and I can’t think of anything I’d rather less do,” she insisted during a Q&A at the Cheltenham Festival. “I’m not into that. I’ve never watched it, I don’t intend to watch it.”
The Bafta winner added: “If they want to do it for money, well, that’s fair enough [but] you won’t get me on it.”
Similarly, The Sun claimed in 2024 that tennis pro Andy Murray and his mum Judy had also been in consideration for the reality show.
Advertisement
However, they apparently turned it down, at which point the tabloid claimed bosses turned to Daisy May and Charlie as a duo with a family connection (in the end, none of the Celebrity Traitors wound up in the castle with people they were related to, although there were definitely connections outside the show that became part of the gameplay).
Lorraine Kelly
via Associated Press
In February 2025, The Sun claimed that daytime legend Lorraine Kelly had been contacted by the BBC with an offer to appear on The Celebrity Traitors.
Advertisement
However, the tabloid said that while Lorraine was “flattered” to have been invited, she had to turn it down for scheduling reasons.
During an interview on Jonathan Ross’ talk show in April 2026, Anna Maxwell Martin was asked directly if she’d ever been approached about taking part in Celebrity Traitors.
The Line Of Duty star then admitted she had been, but made a realisation about the show that put her off the idea.
“I can see from the civilian one how late it gets on that show,” she explained. “That’s a Scottish summer – and they’re not leaving that castle until it gets dark. That’s 11pm, 12am… if you’re a Traitor, it’s 1am, 2am. I want to be in bed by 8pm.”
Advertisement
Peter Capaldi
via Associated Press
While most of the stars on this list relate to Celebrity Traitors’ first run, Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi is one of the new prolific names to have turned down season two.
Peter admitted that because the show “propels” its contestants “into the public eye” and to a “level of fame” and “exposure” that he’s personally not comfortable with, he had to say no to the offer.
Since the third iteration of The White Lotus wrapped up more than a year ago, speculation has been rife about what what new collection of eccentrics and property porn showrunner Mike White’s brain will concoct for us in the follow-up.
One of the many thrills of Emmy-winning show is its ever-rotating cast and location – with season four arguably set to pack in more stars and luxury settings than ever before.
And with shooting taking place across the French riviera and Paris, it sounds like we’re in for a characteristically luxurious experience.
For the first time, the story will be set across two different White Lotus resorts, with the Airelles Château de la Messardière serving as the White Lotus du Cap, and the Hôtel Martinez being transformed into the White Lotus Cannes.
Shooting is also due to take place in the French capital, but HBO has specified that these scenes will still be set in the south of France, even if that’s not where they’re filmed.
Advertisement
The Château de La Messardière hotel is a rumoured filming location in the next season of The White Lotus
JARRY via Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
What will season 4 of The White Lotus be about?
So far, creators are staying tight-lipped on exactly what the next storylines will entail.
In the early stages of planning the new season, Variety cited a combination of sources and alluded to filming dates that indicate we could see the Cannes Film Festival work its way into the plot.
HBO later confirmed this to be the case in an official press release, which teased: “The fourth season will follow a new group of White Lotus hotel guests and employees over the span of a week, taking place during the Cannes Film Festival.”
Advertisement
The Cannes Film Festival is rumoured to be a plot point in the next season of The White Lotus
via Associated Press
Season three saw the conclusion of the plot that straddled all series of the show, surrounding Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya and her eventual demise, so we can presume that that’s now totally done and dusted, and we’re in for a completely fresh storyline.
Having said that, the show has a penchant for bringing back old characters, and with Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda setting off to start a new life at the end of season three, there’s always the possibility that we could see a return from other familiar faces in the next run.
Advertisement
Which actors are in the White Lotus season 4 cast?
The good news is, we have a hefty list of cast members confirmed to be on the call sheet in the White Lotus’ next outing.
Charlie Hall, Helena Bonham Carter and Steve Coogan are all set to appear in the new season of The White Lotus
Evan Agostini/Jordan Strauss/Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
The likes of Caleb Jonte Edwards, Corentin Fila, Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Dylan Ennis and Marissa Long will also be checking in.
Meanwhile, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall’s son Charlie Hall, previously seen in The Sex Life Of College Girls, will take the “nepo baby” baton from last season’s Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola when he joins the cast.
It was later announced that Kumail Nanjiani would be joining the line-up, along with New Girl actor Max Greenfield, Marvel star Chloe Bennet and Jarrad Paul.
Advertisement
Kumail Nanjiani, Sandra Bernhard and Max Greenfield are more recent additions to the White Lotus cast
Richard Shotwell/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Following this, Deadline revealed that established US names Rosie Perez, Heather Graham and Ben Schnetzer had also joined the cast, alongside European performers Tobias Santelmann, Frida Gustavsson and Laura Smet.
And, of course, there’s also the possibility that we’ll see some unexpected guest stars later down the line, as was the case during last season’s surprise appearance from Sam Rockwell.
Advertisement
What have the creators of The White Lotus said about season 4?
While White Lotus creator Mike White is keeping his cards pretty close to his chest for the time being, he dropped a few season four tidbits in a recent interview with W Magazine.
He spoke about shooting his latest stint on the reality show Survivor six months before kicking off his White Lotus prep, explaining: “I came up with the concept of the show and the characters while I was there. But I don’t know if the experience itself really influenced it.”
Mike explained that the experience of returning from Survivor, and seeing the social media of people who he’d bonded with on the show, shaped his thinking for the series.
Advertisement
The White Lotus returns for its fourth season next year
Fabio Lovino/HBO
“I don’t know if that’s exactly the theme of the next season of White Lotus, but it’s definitely something I’ve thought about a lot – prioritising likes or the attention of strangers over creating real relationships,” he noted.
Pressed on what the new season will be about, the creator said “it’s a bit about fame, about who has the world’s attention, who is the plus-one, and how that can organise a relationship”.
Advertisement
“Some people are satisfied with the love of just an intimate partner, and some people need the love of strangers and a bigger kind of attention,” he elaborated.
The White Lotus creator Mike White
via Associated Press
And after the high melodrama of guns, blood and parables we saw in season three, last year Mike said he was keen to return to themes more aligned with season one in an interview for the official White Lotus podcast.
Advertisement
“Maybe something a little bit back to the first season where it’s satirising stuff that I know about,” he pondered.
“Art and criticism and movies and fame and celebrity and a film festival type of thing, or like an art world sort of situation. It just feels like that would be some kind of new theme to get into that’s maybe a little less heady than what we just did, but still have some juice to it.”
The first three seasons of The White Lotus are available to stream on Sky and Now in the UK.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Thursday, the former Spice Girls performer was asked about her family’s ongoing public rift with her eldest child.
Advertisement
Without saying Brooklyn’s name, the fashion designer replied: “We love our children so much.”
She continued: “We’ve always tried to be the best parents that we can be. And you know, we’ve been in the public eye for more than 30 years right now, and all we’ve ever tried to do is protect our children and love our children.
“And, you know, that’s all I really want to say about it.”
Victoria and her husband Sir David Beckham share four children – 27-year-old Brooklyn, 23-year-old Romeo, 21-year-old Cruz and 14-year-old Harper.
Advertisement
Back in January, Brooklyn made headlines the world over with a series of candid Instagram stories, in which he accused his parents of “trying to endlessly ruin” his relationship with his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.
Brooklyn took aim at his parents for what he called their ongoing attempts to forcefully try to control “narratives in the press about our family”.
“I have been silent for years and have made every attempt to keep these matters private,” Brooklyn wrote at the time.
“Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed.”
He added: “I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”
Advertisement
While Sir David has not addressed his son’s comments directly, he did make some well-timed comments during an appearance on Squawk Box in January, the day after Brooklyn’s posts, telling the show’s hosts that “children are allowed to make mistakes”.
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham with his parents, Sir David and Victoria Beckham, in 2018.
Jeff Spicer/BFC via Getty Images
“They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. So, that’s what I try to teach my kids,” he said. “You have to sometimes let them make those mistakes.”
Advertisement
During the interview, the football icon also spoke about how “dangerous” social media can be.
“I’ve always spoke about social media and the power of social media, for the good and for the bad,” he said.
“The bad, we’ve talked about, what kids can access these days and it can be dangerous. But what I’ve found personally, especially with my kids as well, use it for the right reasons.”
It is a truth universally acknowledged that, almost as often as writers pinch Jane Austen’s most famous opening line, new adaptations must join the already hefty pile.
And this is especially true at the present moment, after last year marked the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth. While most of us settle for a bottle of pinot down the pub, for Austen, the celebrations of her semiquincentennial include a fresh Hollywood movie and the Netflix treatment for a fan-favourite novel.
Starring Ruth Jones as Mrs Bennet and Call The Midwife actor Ella Bruccoleri as the titular character, many fans have already torn through the series and are on the hunt for more where that came from.
Advertisement
If that sounds familiar, you may well be looking for your next Austen fix right now. Luckily, there’s plenty to look forward to this year – here’s what else you can look forward to getting stuck into…
Netflix’s Pride & Prejudice is coming to our screens soon
The stars of Netflix’s new Pride & Prejudice adaptation
Meanwhile, Olivia Colman and Rufus Sewell will play Mrs and Mr Bennett, respectively, with Heartstopper’s Rhea Norwood and Industry’s Freya Mavor also appearing as Lydia and Jane Bennett.
Advertisement
The star-studded series will also include appearances from Daryl McCormack, Jamie Demetriou, Louis Partridge and Black Mirror’s Siena Kelly.
Describing Pride & Prejudice as the “blueprint for romantic comedy”, Dolly has teased what we can expect “both familiar and fresh” ideas in her take on Austen’s classic.
“In it lies the opportunity to examine the complexities of love, family, friendship, and society, while aspiring to Austen’s delightfully observational voice,” she enthused.
","type":"video","meta":{"author":"Netflix","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWOA1ZGywLbqmigxE4Qlvuw","cache_age":86400,"description":"Jane Austen’s beloved classic returns in a faithful adaptation by Dolly Alderton, starring Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet and Jack Lowden as Mr Darcy\n\nWatch on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81737966\n\nAbout Netflix:\nNetflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services offering TV series, films, games and live programming across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time. \n\nPride and Prejudice | Official Teaser | Netflix\nhttps://www.youtube.com/@Netflix","options":{"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"_end":{"label":"End on","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"_start":{"label":"Start from","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""}},"provider_name":"YouTube","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4bSKM9WWT08/maxresdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"title":"Pride and Prejudice | Official Teaser | Netflix","type":"video","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bSKM9WWT08","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69d651efe4b069b1caa521fb","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/other-bennet-sister-jane-austen-adaptations_uk_69d651efe4b069b1caa521fb","entryTagsList":"we-love-tv,jane-austen,pride-and-prejudice,the-other-bennet-sister","sectionSlug":"entertainment","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.entertainment","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":35},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69d651efe4b069b1caa521fb","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"we love tv","slug":"we-love-tv","links":{"relativeLink":"news/we-love-tv","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/we-love-tv","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/we-love-tv"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"We Love TV","slug":"we-love-tv","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/we-love-tv/"},{"name":"jane austen","slug":"jane-austen","links":{"relativeLink":"news/jane-austen","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/jane-austen","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/jane-austen"},"relegenceId":3686828,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/jane-austen/"},{"name":"pride and prejudice","slug":"pride-and-prejudice","links":{"relativeLink":"news/pride-and-prejudice","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/pride-and-prejudice","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/pride-and-prejudice"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/pride-and-prejudice/"},{"name":"the other bennet sister","slug":"the-other-bennet-sister","links":{"relativeLink":"news/the-other-bennet-sister","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/the-other-bennet-sister","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/the-other-bennet-sister"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/the-other-bennet-sister/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fother-bennet-sister-jane-austen-adaptations_uk_69d651efe4b069b1caa521fb%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["
Another Hollywood spin on one of Jane Austen’s most popular books is also in the works
If you’re more in the market for a big screen-adaptation, there’s also a new Sense And Sensibility movie on the way this September.
Austen’s 1811 novel centres on the Dashwood sisters, after they and their widowed mother have become destitute following the death of their father, resulting in them moving to a modest cottage on their cousin’s estate.
Advertisement
Naturally, being an Austen novel, the sisters also navigate suitors of varying morals and suitability.
The 2026 adaptation is led by BAFTA-nominated Blue Jean director Georgia Oakley, with Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones and Hanna star Esmé Creed-Miles starring as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, George MacKay, Fiona Shaw, Caitríona Balfe and Frank Dillane are also in the cast.
The 2026 adaptation is the first major take on Austen’s novel since Ang Lee’s 1995 adaptation, featuring Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman, which picked up seven Oscar nominations and 12 Bafta nods at the time.
What about a season 2 of The Other Bennet Sister?
Unfortunately, that’s not looking likely.
Laurie Davidson and Ella Bruccoleri in The Other Bennet Sister
BBC/Bad Wolf
The TV series is adapted from Janice Hadlow’s book of the same name, with the events of pretty much the whole novel being covered over the course of the 10 episodes.
Advertisement
Screenwriter Sarah Quintrell did tell Radio Times that she would “love to do more” shows like The Other Bennet Sister, but clarified that she meant “more stories taking a different angle” on classic tales we already know and love, rather than specifically more shows set in the Pride & Prejudice universe.
There’s also a spruced-up Pride & Prejudice audiobook you can enjoy right now
If it’s even more stars you’re after, perhaps you’d be interested in the revamped audiobook of Pride & Prejudice, which features a bunch of the biggest new acting names as well as a few legends.
Alright, so technically this was released in 2025, but we reckon it’s new enough to pique your interest if you’re still coming off the Other Bennett Sister high.
Advertisement
Audible’s reading of the novel sees Industry star Marisa Abela take on the lead role of Elizabeth Bennet, with Babygirl’s Harris Dickinson joining her as Mr Darcy.
As well as co-creating Big Mistakes and writing select episodes, Dan also takes the lead as a priest who lands both himself and his sister in hot water when some petty thievery grabs the attention of a criminal organisation.
He’s joined by an impressive cast of recognisable faces in Big Mistakes, many of whom you’re sure to recognise from their TV, movie and stage careers.
For those who’ve already been enjoying the new show, here’s your quick guide to where you’ve seen the cast before…
Advertisement
Dan Levy
Dan Levy as David Rose in Schitt’s Creek
CBC/ITV/Kobal/Shutterstock
As mentioned above, Dan Levy was a co-creator and star of the beloved sitcom Schitt’s Creek, in which he starred as David Rose alongside his famous dad, Eugene Levy.
The Canadian star initially got his start in TV presenting rather than acting, working on the likes of MTV Live, The Hills’ “after show”, the Canadian version of Great British Bake Off and the cooking show Dismantled.
Advertisement
Since Schitt’s Creek, his acting work has included Modern Family, Sex Education, The Idol and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
He’s also acted in films like Disney’s Haunted Mansion, the Christmas comedy Happiest Season and the dark comedy Good Grief, the first offering to come from Dan’s deal with Netflix.
Taylor Ortega
Taylor Ortega as Joan in Ghosts
Advertisement
Dan’s on-screen sister in Big Mistakes is played by Taylor Ortega, who Succession fans might remember for her one-episode stint as Greta, before she was cast in the US remake of the British comedy Ghosts.
You could have also seen her in Love Life, Welcome To Flatch or Netflix’s The Four Seasons, as well as films like Another Simple Favour or Wine Club.
Meanwhile, if you were a Kim Possible fan back in the day, you might be interested to hear that she played Shego in Disney’s 2019 live-action movie based on the classic cartoon.
Advertisement
Laurie Metcalf
Laurie Metcalf in the 2017 film Lady Bird
Universal Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock
Laurie Metcalf won three Emmys for her work in the sitcom Roseanne, but you might also recognise her for her Oscar-nominated performance as the mum character in Lady Bird.
Over the years, she’s also made memorable appearances as a murderous supermarket shopper in the iconic Desperate Housewives episode Bang, Sheldon’s mother in The Big Bang Theory, Augusta Gein in Monster and exhausted tour manager Weed in Hacks (for which she won her fourth Emmy).
Advertisement
Her film work includes everything from Uncle Buck, Toy Story and Leaving Las Vegas to Scream 2 and Runaway Bride.
We’d be remiss not to mention her stage career, too, as Laurie is a six-time Tony nominee (and two-time winner), treading the boards as everyone from Misery’s Annie Wilkes (opposite Bruce Willis’ Paul Sheldon), A Doll House’s Nora Helmer and Hillary Clinton.
Elizabeth Perkins
Elizabeth Perkins as Celia in Weeds
Monty Brinton/Showtime/Kobal/Shutterstock
Advertisement
With a screen career spanning 40 years, it’s tough to know exactly where to start with Elizabeth Perkins.
Over the decades, she’s appeared in films like The Flintstones, Miracle On 34th Street, Finding Nemo and, more recently, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse and The Housemaid.
She’s perhaps best known for her TV work, though, which includes playing Celia in Weeds, Janet Malone in This Is Us, Birdie in Glow and Jackie O’Neill in Sharp Objects, which earned her a Critics’ Choice Award nomination.
Advertisement
Abby Quinn
Abby Quinn in Knock At The Cabin
Horror fans might be familiar with Abby’s performances in the likes of Knock At The Cabin, I’m Thinking Of Ending Things or Hell Of A Summer.
Abby has also had minor roles in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women adaptation, the sinister Black Mirror episode Arkangel, the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul and the 21st century revival of the sitcom Mad About You.
Advertisement
Mark Ivanir
Mark Ivanir in Homeland
Between 2015 and 2018, Mark Ivanir had a recurring role in the thriller Homeland, playing Ivan Krupin, an SVR agent.
His other notable TV roles have included the Netflix political drama Zero Day, the dark comedy Barry and Amazon Prime’s original series Transparent.
Advertisement
As for his film work, he has appeared in Schindler’s List, The Terminal and the critically-panned musical Emilia Perez.
Jack Innanen
Jack Innanen in Adults
A comedian as well as an actor, Jack Innanen rose to prominence in the early 2020s thanks to his viral TikTok videos, landing him roles in the Canadian series The Dessert and The Office Movers.
Boran Kuzum in the Netflix series Kimler Geldi, Kimler Geçti
Melih Yildirim/Netflix
Originally hailing from Turkey, Boran Kuzum’s work primarily consists of shows and films in his home country including Wounded Love, Bihter: A Forbidden Passion and Magnificent Century: Kösem.
Advertisement
Before being cast in Big Mistakes, he also played a pivotal role in another Netflix series, Kimler Geldi, Kimler Geçti (known in English-speaking territories as Thank You, Next).
Joe Barbara
Joe Barbara voiced Ray Boccino in the fourth Grand Theft Auto video game
Joe Barbara’s career began in the late 1990s, with roles in US soaps like Another World (which he appeared in over a four-year period) and All My Children.
Advertisement
More recently, he’s acted in FBI, Blue Bloods and lent his voice to the Grand Theft Auto games series, playing crime boss Ray Boccino.
Josh Fadem
Josh Fadem in Better Call Saul
Comedian, writer and actor Josh Fadem’s stand-out work has included playing Phil Busby in the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks, Pat Stanley in On Becoming A God In Central Florida, Simon Barrons in 30 Rock and Joey Dixon in Better Call Saul.
Advertisement
He also repeatedly portrayed Sean Penn in the sketch comedy series The Midnight Show and Adolf Hitler in The Crossroads Of History, in addition to roles in Reservation Dogs, Tulsa King, Minx and Adventure Time.
Jacob Gutierrez
Jacob Gutierrez in A Crime To Remember
Prime Video
Playing Tareq in Big Mistakes is definitely Jacob Guttierez’s biggest TV role to date, but he has appeared in the TV series A Crime To Remember, Bull and Dear Edward in recent years.
Advertisement
He’s also acted in short films, including A Night Off and It’s Not You, It’s Her.
It’s time to dust off your biggest and comfiest pants, cook up some blue soup and warm up your pipes for a Céline Dion sing-a-long because a very special anniversary is just around the corner.
This month marks 25 years since Bridget Jones made her big screen debut, diary in hand, introducing the world to one of 21st century British cinema’s most iconic and beloved characters.
Advertisement
Bridget Jones’s Diary has gone on to become one of the most enduring and game-changing romantic comedies of its time, going on to gross hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, spawn three sequels and even earn its leading lady Renée Zellweger her first Oscar nominations (she’s since gone on to win two, as it goes).
A quarter-century later, you might think you know Bridget inside and out (and love her “just as she is”), but we bet there’s still plenty about the enduring movie classic that you still don’t know.
To commemorate its 25th anniversary, here are 25 behind-the-scenes facts you probably never knew about how Bridget Jones’s Diary was made…
Advertisement
Alright, we’re starting with a pretty obvious one here, but for those who didn’t know, both the original novel Bridget Jones’s Diary and the movie were inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice
Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding said back in 2001: “Jane Austen’s plots are very good and have been market researched over a number of centuries so I decided simply to steal one of them.”
“I thought she wouldn’t mind,” Helen quipped. “And anyway, she’s dead.”
Because of the book’s ties to Pride And Prejudice, the Bridget Jones team were always adamant that Mark Darcy should be played by Colin Firth, who previously appeared in the BBC’s much-loved adaptation of the Jane Austen book
“Colin always had to be Mark Darcy,” producer Eric Fellner put it around the film’s release. “As the story unfolds, and the audience comes to understand Mark Darcy, he transforms from a seemingly snobby and cold intellectual into a thoughtful and sensitive man.”
Colin Firth as Mr Darcy years before he’d play his character’s namesake in Bridget Jones’s Diary
Moviestore/Shutterstock
There is another Pride & Prejudice reference hidden in Bridget Jones’s Diary that we’re only clocking now 25 years later
The publishing house where Bridget Jones works is called Pemberley Press, a subtle nod to Mr Darcy’s estate in the Austen classic.
When Bridget walks in on the woman that Daniel Cleaver has been cheating on her with, she’s covering herself with a Pemberley Press portfolio, sporting an image of a stately home not unlike Darcy’s.
There are more Pride & Prejudice references than you might realise in Bridget Jones’s Diary
Working Title
Advertisement
When it came to casting the role of Bridget Jones, Renée Zellweger wasn’t actually the first choice
In fact, the role first went to Toni Collette, who turned it down because she was appearing in a Broadway play at the time filming was due to get underway.
She told Watch What Happens Live in 2023: “I have no regrets – life happens as it’s meant to.”
The casting process apparently took around two years before producers found their Bridget in Renée Zellweger.
Advertisement
Of course, the decision to cast an American actor as such an iconic Londoner wasn’t exactly met with unanimous praise, but Renée pulled it out of the bag and won over her detractors in the end.
Toni Collette was originally picked to play Bridget Jones before Renée Zellweger was cast
via Associated Press
To help perfect her British twang to play Bridget Jones, Renée Zellweger worked with the famous dialect coach Barbara Berkery
Right before Renée worked with Barbar Berkery, the dialect coach had helped Gwyneth Paltrow on her way to winning an Oscar for Shakespeare In Love.
Before that, she’d also coached Gwynnie while she was playing a Londoner in the 90s classic Sliding Doors.
It’s fair to say that Hugh Grant wasn’t initially convinced by Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones accent…
After the suggestion that she “loosen it up a bit”, Hugh claimed that Renée’s next attempt was more “Princess Margaret having a stroke – but a week later, it was bang on”.
Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant in character as Bridget Jones and Daniel Cleaver
Alex Bailey/Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Advertisement
To help retain her accent, Renée Zellweger continued speaking in Bridget Jones’ voice even between takes
Sally Phillips once told Lorraine: “I’d made quite good friends with her during the filming [but] I realised towards the end, when she suddenly lost a stone in the last week, and started talking in a Texan accent at the wrap party, I’d made friends with Bridget, not Renée.”
It’s well-documented that Renée Zellweger intentionally gained weight to help her play Bridget Jones, which she did by increasing her food intake and not exercising
For the second Bridget Jones film, Renée opted for prosthetics rather than gaining the weight back, and by the third and fourth films, it was decided that the actor and her on-screen counterpart should be the same size.
As well as her accent and weight gain, Renée Zellweger also got into the Bridget Jones mindset by working a brief internship at a publishing house
Like her character, Renée Zellweger did some work at a publishing house to help her prepare for Bridget Jones’s Diary
Paul Chedlow/Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Advertisement
“A young work experience woman came into the office and introduced herself as Bridget and we were all a bit bemused by the fact that Bridget seemed to have really nice clothes (not smart, just a lot better than our outfits) and a transatlantic accent,” Mary Mount – who was working as an editorial assistant at Picador at the time – recalled last year. “I thought she looked vaguely familiar but in that way that you can’t really place.”
One of the future Oscar winner’s tasks was cutting out any press clippings about Picardo at the time.
Unfortunately, the big story surrounding Picador at the time was the fact that a Bridget Jones movie was in the works, meaning “her job was literally to cut out nasty articles about herself”.
Advertisement
“She kept her cool,” said Camilla Elworthy, who oversaw Renée during her work experience. “But [she] did scribble ‘rubbish’ in the margins of one piece.”
As for the rest of the Bridget Jones’s Diary cast, Hugh Grant actually turned down the part of Daniel Cleaver on several occasions
Colin Firth, Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant in promotional material for Bridget Jones’s Diary
Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Advertisement
“The only reason for that was because I didn’t feel they had the script quite right for a long time,” he admitted in the lead-up to its release. “And I kept saying, it’s not working. Just get Richard Curtis to come in and help rewrite it.”
Hugh had already worked with Richard Curtis on Four Weddings And A Funeral and Notting Hill, with the two later reuniting on Love Actually and the second Bridget Jones movie.
“As soon as Richard came on board, I signed on the dotted line,” the Bafta winner added. “So, that’s all it was.”
Advertisement
Bridget Jones’s Diary was filmmaker Sharon Maguire’s feature-length directing debut, although she did already have a connection to the source material
Sharon was close friends with Helen Fielding, and was heavily rumoured to be have been the inspiration for “Shazzer”, the character played on screen by Sally Phillips.
“I’m delighted to be in the book, especially as Shazzer is so much wittier than me,” Sharon once told The Telegraph. “The only thing is that you go to parties and you worry that people will expect you to be funnier than you really are.”
Advertisement
“Helen was just writing about our lives – hilariously,” she later told the LA Times in 2016, adding: “Thirtysomethings had come out of long relationships in their 20s and realised they hadn’t ended up married or with children. We were in our 30s, behaving like we were 17-year-olds and having a great time but still floundering around asking questions about relationships, careers, biological clocks.”
Sally Phillips has played “Shazzer” in all four Bridget Jones movies
Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Salman Rushdie’s Bridget Jones’s Diary cameo came about he, too, was a friend of Helen Fielding
“For me, it was very simple,” he told Texas Monthly in 2001. “Helen Fielding, the author of the book, is an old pal of mine, and she asked if I’d come along and make a fool of myself, and I said, ‘Why not?’.”
Advertisement
As for sharing the screen with the movie’s leading lady, the author added: “Renée was wonderful, I thought, and at the premiere we had a little joke. I told her that my performance is what held the film together – and she agreed. She thought it was a pivotal role.”
The exterior of Bridget Jones’ flat was a pub just off Borough market
The Globe Tavern, to be exact, which was already notable as it’s rumoured to be the location where the Great Train Robbery of 1963 was planned.
Advertisement
All those wintery scenes at Bridget Jones’ parents’ home were actually shot at the height of summer
Because of this, several locations in Snowshill, Worcestershire had to be covered in fake snow to make the setting more believable.
Bridget Jones’s Diary might put you in a wintery mood but it was actually shot at the height of summer
Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
As a result – Colin Firth didn’t exactly have the best time filming in his infamous Bridget Jones reindeer jumper…
Colin told Entertainment Weekly in 2020: “The set was lit at about 140 degrees Fahrenheit; it melted candles and desiccated the turkey curry. I almost tore the jumper to pieces pulling it off between takes – I probably lost about 15 pounds. I had little love for it by the end.”
…not that it actually is a reindeer, mind you
“We sent out the knitting challenge to approximately 20 or 30 knitters,” Sharon Morgan also told Entertainment Weekly for the same piece. “At first, none of the designs worked. They were lovely, but they just weren’t funny. So eventually we decided it had to be a moose, not a reindeer.”
“I never noticed it was a moose,” Colin added.
Not a reindeer jumper but a moose, apparently
Moviestore/Shutterstock
Advertisement
Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy’s fight sequence is one of Bridget Jones’s Diary’s stand-out scenes – but it could have looked very different
“There had been an earlier idea to make the fight look sexy,” Colin told the LA Times. “We were going to be buff and our shirts were going to be ripped off.
“I looked at myself and said, ‘You’re certainly never going to get that type with me’.”
Colin Firth and Hugh Grant decided between them to keep their Bridget Jones fight a little more… well… British
Colin Firth and Hugh Grant’s characters have it out in Bridget Jones’s Diary
Alex Bailey/Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
“We both realised that the last time we fought was when we were 10. A playground fight,” Colin quipped. “So, we made a decision largely based on logic and common sense to make it more playful.”
He pointed out the characters are “two very ineffectual, frightened, angry yuppies going at each other – pulling hair and wanting to run away at the same time”, which needed to come across on screen.
Advertisement
During a video interview with Vanity Fair, Hugh later claimed: “The big fight was to stop stuntmen getting involved. They always want to come in and choreograph the whole thing and say, ‘mate, it’d be great if you swing a right hook and his head’ll go back’.
“I just thought, ‘yeah, in action films, cowboy films, whatever, that’s great, but these are two middle-class Englishmen, and they don’t fight like that’. I’ve seen them fight, and it’s shit.
“So, we managed to ban the stuntman. I think the last thing he contributed was probably the dustbin lid, and after that, it’s just me and Colin messing about.”
Advertisement
Stuntmen were used for one crucial part of the fight, though
That’d be the bit where Mark and Daniel fly through the front window of a Greek restaurant, which they thought they’d better leave to the pros.
By contrast, Bridget Jones’ infamous fireman’s pole scene was meticulously planned to ensure Renée Zellweger’s safety
Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones throwing herself into her new job at Sit Up Britain
Moviestore/Shutterstock
Advertisement
“Renée did it on wires – it was her backside that came down,” stunt performer Dani Biernet told Time Out in 2017. “But I did all the lining up and the wide shots without a wire.”
Another of Bridget Jones’ more surprising physical moments required a stunt double, too
Dani also had to step in to play Bridget during the moment when she drunkenly tumbles out of a black cab.
","type":"video","meta":{"author":"basketca2","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLeB7sYYKRlFQ-1o_XXybOA","cache_age":86400,"description":"Time to vent about work and get drunk!","options":{"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"_end":{"label":"End on","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"_start":{"label":"Start from","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":"55"}},"provider_name":"YouTube","thumbnail_height":480,"thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1HImyip9vXM/sddefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":640,"title":"Bridget Jones’s Diary – Night out with the urban family","type":"video","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HImyip9vXM","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69d519bde4b0ae5bb24671a5","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/bridget-jones-diary-film-facts-trivia_uk_69d519bde4b0ae5bb24671a5","entryTagsList":"ukfilm,nostalgia,hugh-grant,bridget-jones,renee-zellweger,colin-firth","sectionSlug":"entertainment","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.entertainment","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":25},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69d519bde4b0ae5bb24671a5","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"ukfilm","slug":"ukfilm","links":{"relativeLink":"news/ukfilm","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukfilm","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukfilm"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Film","slug":"ukfilm","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/ukfilm/"},{"name":"nostalgia","slug":"nostalgia","links":{"relativeLink":"news/nostalgia","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nostalgia","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nostalgia"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Nostalgia","slug":"nostalgia","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nostalgia/"},{"name":"hugh grant","slug":"hugh-grant","links":{"relativeLink":"news/hugh-grant","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/hugh-grant","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/hugh-grant"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/hugh-grant/"},{"name":"Bridget Jones","slug":"bridget-jones","links":{"relativeLink":"news/bridget-jones","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/bridget-jones","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/bridget-jones"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/bridget-jones/"},{"name":"Renee Zellweger","slug":"renee-zellweger","links":{"relativeLink":"news/renee-zellweger","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/renee-zellweger","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/renee-zellweger"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/renee-zellweger/"},{"name":"Colin Firth","slug":"colin-firth","links":{"relativeLink":"news/colin-firth","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/colin-firth","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/colin-firth"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/colin-firth/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fbridget-jones-diary-film-facts-trivia_uk_69d519bde4b0ae5bb24671a5%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["
“When I first did it they were all like, ‘Bloody hell, did that hurt?’. But as a stunt person, you learn how to fall,” she said.
“I remember doing it about six times and, to be fair, by take five you’re a bit bruised. But that’s part of the job.”
No, Renée Zellweger didn’t really have to smoke all those cigarettes on the set of Bridget Jones’s Diary
While it was once commented that Bridget “smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish and dresses like her mother”, fortunately Renée didn’t quite need to copy her character’s habits.
Instead, the cigarettes she was supplied to play Bridget were herbal, rather than tobacco-based.
You might not realise it but Bridget Jones’s Diary has a different ending depending on where in the world you’re watching
Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones and Colin Firth’s Mark Darcy get their happy ending in the first movie
Alex Bailey/Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Advertisement
Here in the UK, after Bridget and Mark’s big kiss, the credits roll and we’re treated to scenes of different characters being interviewed about their love story, while Robbie Williams’ rendition of Have You Met Miss Jones? plays.
Across the pond, though, the credits are interspersed with “home video footage” of Bridget and Mark as kids, recreating the paddling pool scene we hear so much about over the course of the film.
As for the fate of Bridget Jones’ iconic ‘big pants’…
“I heard some rumour that Hugh Grant kept the pants – the big pants,” Renée Zellweger told British Vogue while promoting the fourth Bridget Jones movie in 2024.
Advertisement
“But I don’t know if that’s true,” she quickly clarified. “We’ll have to ask him.”
Bridget Jones’s Diary is currently available to stream on Now.
During a new interview with The Guardian, Malcolm In The Middle star Jane Kaczmarek made it clear that Erik was approached about coming back – and producers were more than willing to make it worth his while.
“They offered him buckets of money to come back, and he just said: ‘No thank you’,” Jane said, pointing out that Erik is happier focussing on his studies at Harvard, where he’s pursuing a master’s degree in literature.
Advertisement
Outside of Malcolm In The Middle, Erik went on to appear in Christmas With The Kranks and Finding Nemo during his career as a child actor.
Jane and her on-screen husband Bryan Cranston are both appearing in the revival, as are co-stars Frankie Muniz, Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield.
Among the other new members of the cast are Keeley Karsten, playing Malcolm’s daughter Leah, while Anthony Timpano and Vaughan Murrae will play his younger brothers.
Cast members old and new appear in the Malcolm In The Middle: Life’s Still Unfair official poster
Advertisement
A synopsis for the four-part Disney+ series, titled Malcolm In The Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, reads: “Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party.”
Malcolm In The Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is now streaming on Disney+. Take a look at the official trailer below:
","type":"video","meta":{"author":"Hulu","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE5mQnNl8Q4H2qcv4ikaXeA","cache_age":86400,"description":"Welcome (back) to the family. #MalcolmInTheMiddle Life’s Still Unfair, a special four-part event, streams on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ April 10. \n\nSUBSCRIBE TO HULU’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL\nClick the link to subscribe to our channel for the latest shows & updates: http://www.youtube.com/hulu?sub_confirmation=1\n\nSTART YOUR FREE TRIAL \nhttp://hulu.com/start \n\nFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL\nInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hulu/ \nHulu on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hulu\nFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hulu\n\nABOUT HULU\nHulu is the leading all-in-one premium streaming service that offers an expansive slate of live and on-demand entertainment, both in and outside the home. Hulu is the only on-demand platform that provides access to a library of both hit TV Series/Films and award-winning Hulu Originals like Only Murders In The Building, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Kardashians, and more! Visit https://Hulu.com to subscribe now.\n\nMalcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair | Official Trailer | Hulu\nhttps://youtu.be/ABol0H2n_rc","options":{"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"_end":{"label":"End on","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"_start":{"label":"Start from","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""}},"provider_name":"YouTube","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ABol0H2n_rc/maxresdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"title":"Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair | Official Trailer | Hulu","type":"video","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABol0H2n_rc","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69d632eae4b06b69686ddeab","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/malcolm-in-the-middle-turned-down_uk_69d632eae4b06b69686ddeab","entryTagsList":"we-love-tv,nostalgia,malcolm-in-the-middle","sectionSlug":"entertainment","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.entertainment","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":7},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69d632eae4b06b69686ddeab","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"we love tv","slug":"we-love-tv","links":{"relativeLink":"news/we-love-tv","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/we-love-tv","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/we-love-tv"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"We Love TV","slug":"we-love-tv","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/we-love-tv/"},{"name":"nostalgia","slug":"nostalgia","links":{"relativeLink":"news/nostalgia","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nostalgia","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nostalgia"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Nostalgia","slug":"nostalgia","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nostalgia/"},{"name":"Malcolm In The Middle","slug":"malcolm-in-the-middle","links":{"relativeLink":"news/malcolm-in-the-middle","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/malcolm-in-the-middle","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/malcolm-in-the-middle"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/malcolm-in-the-middle/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fmalcolm-in-the-middle-turned-down_uk_69d632eae4b06b69686ddeab%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["
