Leo Woodall and I are a blind date. Or rather, I’m on a blind date and he’s watching me in my living room, since the actor has opted to keep his camera off for the duration of our chat.
Staring into the black void, I fire my first pick up line: ‘Valentine’s Day is approaching. What’s the next best way to spend the day?’
“Watch all four Bridget Jones movies. That would take about a day, so that’s your plans sorted,” clips a cheeky West London accent. It might be an unapologetic plug for his new film, Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, but I can’t help but feel that had Leo not been cast in the hugely successful franchise, this is in fact how he would spend an ideal day.
A self-proclaimed Richard Curtis (the director behind the original Bridget Jones series) mega fan — Love Actually, About Time and Notting Hill are on his heavy rotation —the opportunity to take part in the fourth instalment of the Bridget Jones franchise came as a natural fit.
“I’m a born and bred Londoner, which is where the film is set, so I have always felt a connection to the films. If you’re British, it’s part of the culture,” says the 28-year-old actor. “One of my favourite lines is, ‘come the fuck on Bridget’. It’s very simple, but very good.”
As for the pressure of stepping into a franchise with such a loyal and invested fan base (himself included), Woodall takes it all in his stride.
“There’s always natural pressure, especially when you’re working with someone as decorated and iconic as Renée Zellweger, but if you can lean into just how how lucky you are to be a part of it, then you can really get the most joy out of it.”
Fortunately, mastering the art of a successful remake and sequel is the actors speciality, after following on from the success of White Lotus in season two and remaking the beloved film One Day as a new mini-series.
In the fourth Bridget Jones instalment, Bridget (Renée Zellweger) finds herself alone once again, after being widowed when Mark (Colin Firth) was killed on a humanitarian mission in Sudan. Now a single mother to two children, Bridget goes back to work and tries her luck on the apps, where she’s soon pursued by a charming younger man (played by Leo Woodall).
It feels timely that the premise centres around a relationship age gap, as the success of films like Baby Girl and The Idea of You reflect a hunger, particularly from women to see different types of romance represented on screen. I ask Woodall if he feels the stigma has shifted.
“I think it’s ever evolving. I hope that this film can be a part of that [change too],” he replies. “I think that two people should always be able to have that connection without judgment, regardless of their age or gender. That’s one of the wonderful things about it is not trying to put too much pressure on the age gap itself. [What I love about the film is] you have these two people who not trying to make a statement and showing different types of love.”
While it might feel as though Woodall is a seasoned pro among Hollywood’s heavy hitters, it was less that three years ago that the star was put on our radar as the Essex fuck boy of our nightmares in season two of White Lotus. When asked about how that role catapulted his success, the actor admits it changed everything for him.
“The thing about White Lotus was that everyone’s everyone saw it. It was this cultural moment. It was strange for me to suddenly be recognised by people on the street, especially for that character. I can’t wait to be an audience member of this season.”
As for whether the actor would ever make a return to the series, Woodall adds: “[Hypothetically if Jack returned] he’d want him to come back with some vengeance in his heart. With that boy, there’s always chaos.”
With a history of playing emotionally turbulent men, we can only assume a box of tissues will be a safe bet when the latest Bridget Jones film drops this Valentines Day.
“When I saw people crying their eyes out over Dexter in One Day, I felt bad.. But I also was glad that they connected with it. Although I did feel guilty that I couldn’t pay for anyone’s therapy.”
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is in cinemas February 13.
