Photo:Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage
Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage
British actorLeo Woodall, 28, was only four years old when the originalBridget Jones’s Diaryfilm came out in 2001 — so being cast as Bridget’s sexy love interest in the latest film,Mad About the Boy(now streaming on Peacock), threw his mother for a loop.“She’d been a fan of the original, so she was so excited when I got cast in this,” Woodall tells PEOPLE. “But she was also quite startled when I told her what the role would be. My sister was, too. But luckily, we all had a great sense of humor about it.“InBridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Woodall plays a park ranger and student named Roxster, 29, who meets and falls for Bridget while she’s playing in the park with her two children. They embark on a sexy summer romance, which helps bring Bridget back to life after she’s spent the last four years mourning the death of her husband, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).Woodall says he grew up knowing that the Bridget Jones universe was a total phenomenon.“Well, I didn’t know it at four!” he says with a laugh. “But obviously, I grew up a bit. So yes, I knew it growing up, and I am very aware of the impact it has had on people at the age I am now. Being part of it is very special.“Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones, Leo Woodall as Roxster in Mad About the Boy.Jay Maidment/Universal PicturesNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Woodall, who became a big star after his turn onTheWhite Lotusseason 2, recently said in an interview that it can be strange playing a heartthrob.“There are sides of it that can make you feel quite vulnerable and exposed. That side isn’t as fun,” he told U.K. magazineRadioTimes.“When you’re playing a role described like that, you can’t help but look at yourself and go, ‘Am I that guy?’ There’s sometimes pressure in making people buy that.“And though he’s aware he plays a bit of a boy toy in the newBridget Jones, he told the outlet that he was all about the script.Leo Woodall as Roxster in Mad About the Boy.Universal Pictures"I wasn’t thinking I wanted to explore that type of ‘boy toy’ role,” he said. “I thought the script was beautiful and wanted to be a part of it.“He added, “I’ve always loved the films. There’s only so many chances you’ll get to be a part of something as special asBridget Jones.”
British actorLeo Woodall, 28, was only four years old when the originalBridget Jones’s Diaryfilm came out in 2001 — so being cast as Bridget’s sexy love interest in the latest film,Mad About the Boy(now streaming on Peacock), threw his mother for a loop.
“She’d been a fan of the original, so she was so excited when I got cast in this,” Woodall tells PEOPLE. “But she was also quite startled when I told her what the role would be. My sister was, too. But luckily, we all had a great sense of humor about it.”
InBridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Woodall plays a park ranger and student named Roxster, 29, who meets and falls for Bridget while she’s playing in the park with her two children. They embark on a sexy summer romance, which helps bring Bridget back to life after she’s spent the last four years mourning the death of her husband, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).
Woodall says he grew up knowing that the Bridget Jones universe was a total phenomenon.
“Well, I didn’t know it at four!” he says with a laugh. “But obviously, I grew up a bit. So yes, I knew it growing up, and I am very aware of the impact it has had on people at the age I am now. Being part of it is very special.”
Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones, Leo Woodall as Roxster in Mad About the Boy.Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures
Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Woodall, who became a big star after his turn onTheWhite Lotusseason 2, recently said in an interview that it can be strange playing a heartthrob.
“There are sides of it that can make you feel quite vulnerable and exposed. That side isn’t as fun,” he told U.K. magazineRadioTimes.“When you’re playing a role described like that, you can’t help but look at yourself and go, ‘Am I that guy?’ There’s sometimes pressure in making people buy that.”
And though he’s aware he plays a bit of a boy toy in the newBridget Jones, he told the outlet that he was all about the script.
Leo Woodall as Roxster in Mad About the Boy.Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
“I wasn’t thinking I wanted to explore that type of ‘boy toy’ role,” he said. “I thought the script was beautiful and wanted to be a part of it.”
He added, “I’ve always loved the films. There’s only so many chances you’ll get to be a part of something as special asBridget Jones.”
source: people.com
