In the opening scene of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, there is a surprising reference to the Harry Potter adaptations. The Bridget Jones films have always featured a stellar cast. The original film from 2001 included cameos from Salman Rushdie, which helped elevate the profiles of stars like Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant, while also allowing roles for Celia Imrie and Jim Broadbent. The 2016 sequel, Bridget Jones’s Baby, introduced Patrick Dempsey to the franchise and featured cameo appearances by Emma Thompson and Ed Sheeran.
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy sometimes alters the source material’s storyline, but it maintains its star-studded appeal. Hugh Grant and Colin Firth return, joined by newcomers Leo Woodall, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leila Farzad, and Isla Fisher in supporting roles. Fans of the 2001 Bridget Jones’s Diary will be happy that the beloved characters of Shaza, Tom, and Jude also make a comeback, with Jude’s actor offering a humorous nod to his other famous character early on.
Prior to diving into the age-gap romance in Mad About The Boy, Bridget reconnects with her longtime friends, reintroducing Shaza, Tom, and Jude. Bridget’s narration highlights how Jude can often be found “crying in the toilet,” a fitting reference as Jude’s actor, Shirley Henderson, famously portrayed Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films.
Henderson’s character was depicted crying in the school bathroom in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This reference serves not only as a playful allusion to the Harry Potter franchise but also as a callback for viewers familiar with the original Bridget Jones’s Diary, where Jude was first seen in a similar predicament.
Interestingly, a year before her appearance in Harry Potter, Henderson’s character Jude was also introduced in the first film, crying in a bathroom. Over her 23-year career, the Scottish actress has taken on diverse roles, including those in Doctor Who and The Mandalorian. However, her portrayal of characters crying in the bathroom from both Bridget Jones’s Diary and Harry Potter occurred in films released within a year of each other.
In addition to Henderson, Gemma Jones, who plays Bridget’s mother, appeared as Madam Pomfrey in the Harry Potter series, while Jim Broadbent, who plays her father, portrayed Professor Slughorn. However, their Harry Potter roles differ significantly from the characters they play in the Bridget Jones story.
