Isla Fisher was revealed as a surprise new addition to the cast of Bridget Jones 4 this week, and fans were shocked when she was spotted on set with Renée Zellweger.
The actress has reportedly taken on the role in the new film as a “single mother who befriends Bridget outside the school gates”, in a case of life imitating art for the 48-year-old Australian.
As is well documented, Isla is living a single life after separating from her husband of 13 years, Sacha Baron Cohen, with whom she shares daughters, Olive, 16, and Elula, 13, and son, Montgomery, nine.
Given that her story reflects her personal circumstances, it’s no surprise that sources say Isla’s own experience will “help her in the role.”
In the films, the trials and tribulations of protagonist Bridget, a thirty-something single woman who longed to find love but was looking in the wrong places, resonated with many who were still on a difficult path to finding their own Mr. Darcey.
Dubbed the ‘Bridget Jones effect’, millions of single millennials around the world revealed that they finally felt represented when Helen Fielding’s popular novels were dramatized.
Isla Fisher was revealed to be a surprise new addition to the cast of Bridget Jones 4 this week, and fans were shocked when she was spotted on set with Renée Zellweger (pictured on Wednesday).
For actress Isla, 48, it’s a case of life imitating art, as she too is living a single life after separating from her husband of 13 years, Sacha Baron Cohen (pictured in 2016).
Dubbed the ‘Bridget Jones effect’, millions of single millennials finally felt represented in a society that champions marriage when Helen Fielding’s popular novels were dramatized.
In the upcoming fourth film, newly widowed Bridget will strike a chord with a new generation of women, those who found, but then lost, their partners. One of these women is undoubtedly Isla.
It’s nothing groundbreaking then what sources told The Sun: ‘Isla’s real life is inspiring her new role in the Bridget Jones movie. She plays a single mother who befriends Bridget outside the school gates.
‘Isla loves Bridget Jones and is delighted to have landed the role. Her own experience will help her in the role and it’s fantastic that she landed such an important role after a really difficult time.”
The new role appears to reflect Isla’s personal life, which until recently had stayed out of the spotlight.
Living with her family in Perth, Australia, Isla was not one to seek publicity and went about her daily affairs quietly.
She supported her husband at red carpet events, but the fiercely private couple rarely spoke about their relationship, drawing a firm line between their personal and private lives.
They were so quiet that the couple managed to separate privately, only announcing their split months later when Sacha came under scrutiny due to nasty claims made by actress Rebel Wilson.
In April, the couple announced their split by sharing a photo of them together wearing tennis gear.
The couple met in 2001 and married in 2010.
Their statement read: “After a long game of tennis that lasted more than 20 years, we finally put down our rackets.”
‘In 2023 we file a joint application to end our marriage. We have always prioritized our privacy and have been quietly working on this change.
‘We will always share our devotion and love for our children. We sincerely appreciate you respecting our family’s desire for privacy.’
The couple managed to separate privately and only announced their split months later, when Sacha came under scrutiny due to nasty claims made by actress Rebel Wilson.
The couple has not commented further on the matter, but Isla reached out to fans in the following weeks. She shared a photo of herself looking calm in a picturesque garden with the caption: “Thank you for all the kindness and support.”
While the split came as a surprise to their fans, it seems like the writing was on the wall for Isla’s marriage to Sacha for years. They are reportedly struggling after making the “sacrifice” of moving their family to Australia in 2020.
“Their marriage has been rocky for years,” a source told DailyMail.com exclusively last month.
‘The crisis began when they moved to Australia so she could be closer to her family. But that left Sacha very distant from everyone he knew.
‘He made this sacrifice for her and would make many sacrifices for her throughout their marriage. He is deeply affected by her separation because she was his life for many years.”
As they dealt with their heartbreak, the focus remained on their children.
The exes are now said to be working on the ‘best arrangement’ for their offspring, with Isla currently having custody.
“She has custody of the children and they are still looking for the best arrangement so that Sacha can be an active part of their lives,” the source continued.
‘They love each other very much, but they couldn’t get along and became different people than they were at the beginning of their relationship.
‘They wanted different things in life in terms of their careers.
“They had a prenuptial agreement, but it’s still very difficult because everything they owned was bought for the two of them and their family together.”
The source went on to insist that infidelity had not played a role in the breakdown of their marriage and that neither party is dating anyone new.
They ended: “There was no cheating on either side and they are not dating anyone else either.”
For now, Sacha is keeping a low profile and has not been seen in public for weeks.
On the contrary, Isla has thrown herself into work.
Last month she was photographed filming Noah Baumbach’s new movie, Jays Kelly, with co-star George Clooney.
Not much is known about the upcoming Netflix film, however, the cast also includes Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Jim Broadbent, and Billy Crudup.
With Bridget Jones 4 set to examine life after loss, Isla will no doubt take comfort in feeling represented on screen (Renee pictured on set with her new love interest Leo Woodall)
This week she was spotted on the set of Bridget Jones 4 for the first time after landing a major role alongside Renée Zellweger in the upcoming film.
The film was officially confirmed last month, with the returns of Renée and Hugh Grant made official, after the death of their love rat character, Daniel Cleaver, was faked in the 2016 third installment.
The fourth film in the franchise will be released by Universal Film on the American platform Peacock on Valentine’s Day 2025, while internationally the film will be released in theaters.
When Bridget Jones’s Diary was first released, single women finally felt represented.
With the fourth film set to examine life after loss, Isla will no doubt take solace in that same sentiment.