The “Bridget Jones” franchise is long beloved by fans, due in extremely large part to Renée Zellweger’s portrayal of the title character. So, yes, the actress was a resource director Michael Morris turned to a lot while making the fourth film — and there was one particular insight from the Oscar winner that he says unlocked the whole thing.

When Helen Fielding started a column in "The Independent" newspaper in 1995 under the alias Bridget Jones, little did she know that the fictional character she created would become a global cultural phenomenon.

Renée Zellweger has played one of her generation’s most iconic British characters, Bridget Jones, in four movies. But fans who grew up watching the Cold Mountain star in the rom-com films seemed surprised to find out that the actress is not,