Helen Fielding, author, script writer

A little bit of 'Bridget' in most women?

"I think that almost accidentally I hit on something that is quite fundamental to women, which is this gap between how we feel we're expected to be and how we actually are," says author Helen Fielding

By Paul Clinton
CNN

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- "Bridget Jones's Diary" and its sequel, "The Edge of Reason," were gigantic hits in Great Britain, and small wonder. The novels, by Helen Fielding, follow the funny, sometimes sad and always entertaining exploits of a single, thirtysomething British woman. Bridget instantly found a sympathetic, enthusiastic audience.

So enthusiastic, in fact, that the novels (loosely based on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" and "Persuasion") have been turned into a film recently debuted in the United States. "Bridget Jones's Diary" stars Renee Zellweger -- interestingly, a Texas native, a yank -- in the title role, following her life from one New Year's Eve to the next. Over those 12 months, Bridget faithfully records in the diary her desperate attempts improve herself and her love life, realizing, at last, that success awaits those who are content to simply be themselves.

Fielding this week was in the U.S., promoting Bridget's arrival in the former colonies after the film's smashing bow in Great Britain. CNN took the opportunity to sit down with the author, a co-writer and executive producer of the film, to ask her on whom she based the characters, the author's behind-the-scenes friendships ... and her take on Zellweger's accent.

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CNN: Your books were huge hits in Britain and here. To what do you attribute your sense of humor?

Helen Fielding: When I started writing "Bridget," it was a column in a newspaper, which I thought no one would read. I was just trying to make myself laugh. The way I used to do it was write loads of material, and then there would be one line in there that I thought was funny. So I'd ditch the rest and stay with that thought. I think the best thing with humor is to just write what you think is funny, and assume that other people will think it's funny.

CNN: Do you hear from women saying, "I'm Bridget Jones. This is my life"?

Fielding: Yes, I do get girls -- especially at parties -- coming up to me saying "I'm Bridget Jones, tell me I'm Bridget Jones." And I feel like the pope or something. I feel like saying, "Bless you my child, if you're not Bridget Jones, you are at least drunk." But I wasn't trying to do anything, or make a statement about anything when I started writing it.

I think that almost accidentally I hit on something that is quite fundamental to women, which is this gap between how we feel we're expected to be and how we actually are. I think it's something to do with advertising. We've all got, in the back or our heads, that we're suppose to be anorexic teen-age models in the shampoo (advertisement).

CNN: The movie has already opened in England and apparently people are pleased that Renee Zellweger did a good job.

Fielding: I think Renee did a wonderful job. She's got an innate sweetness about her and a goodness which is very hard to act if it isn't there. ...I think actually Renee has a better English accent than I do.

CNN: How did you like Hugh Grant's performance?

Fielding: We've always seen Hugh playing nice guys in his big movies. But he's got that wicked humor, and actually some of the lines in the movie were his ad-libs. There is a bit where he's seducing Bridget, and she's got big scary panties on, which she accidentally put on to hold in her stomach, not knowing that that was going to be "the night." Hugh goes, "Oh, don't worry I'm actually wearing something similar myself." Then he goes, "Oh, mommy,' and that was just him ad-libbing.

CNN: How much material from the book ended up on the cutting room floor for the movie?

Fielding: The thing is, when a movie is only 90 minutes long, you can't put everything in. In the book, I wrote half a chapter on why it takes three hours between getting up in the morning and leaving the house. I learned quickly if I put that in a movie people would leave. So, some things just have to go, unfortunately.

Texas native Renee Zellweger played the title role. "She's got an innate sweetness about her and a goodness which is very hard to act if it isn't there," Fielding says

CNN: Did you visit the set very often?

Fielding: Yes, and I especially liked watching Colin Firth playing Mark Darcy. When I was writing it ("Bridget"), "Pride and Prejudice" was on TV, and all the women in England were in love with Darcy -- or Colin Firth, as he's sometimes called. So, it was absolutely delicious to see Mister Darcy -- who is also Mister Firth -- playing Mark Darcy, who is also Mister Darcy. It was all very postmodern to watch.

CNN: The ending of the book is different from the film's. Why?

Fielding: You can get away with murder in a book, but a movie has to really keep moving along. Every line and every scene has to do a job. So, yes things were changed. ...So, I decided you have to let it be another film, someone else's film, and just enjoy it as a new thing.

CNN: Bridget is coming out with her own self-help book?

Fielding: It's called "Bridget Jones's Guide to Life." It's actually for charity. A dollar from every book goes to help people in Africa with much more serious problems than Bridget. But it's all little hints from Bridget on household management. It has lots of recipes. There's one for pizza. It says, "Have money ready. Have number for pizza delivery company. If time, get knife out of drawer. Then you have to remember to ring up the number. Wait for pizza to come. Take it into house. Slice it. Eat it." That's one of her best recipes, I think.

Bridget Jones is back and funny as ever
March 8, 2000
Bridget Jones and women in the 90s
August 6, 1999
Books: Reviews -"Bridget Jones's Diary"
July 4, 1998

'Bridget Jones's Diary' - official site

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