1. There were LOADS of actresses considered for the role of Bridget Jones, many of whom were actually British

Including Kate Winslet, Helena Bonham-Carter, Tilda Swinton, Liz Hurley, Rachel Weisz, Selma Blair, Nicolette Sheridan, Emily Mortimer, and Kristin Scott Thomas. But we're glad Renée Zellweger got it. Because we love her. Just the way she is.

2. To prepare for the role, Renée Zellweger worked at Picador publishing company for three weeks

She told staff she was doing work experience, and used the name Bridget Cavendish.

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3. During that time, she had to write up multiple tabloid stories slagging her off because she was an American playing Bridget Jones.

'She kept her cool, but did scribble 'rubbish' in the margins of one particularly fanciful piece.' Classic Bridget.

4. Renée was so good at her act that no one noticed it was her, apart from one person who said she looked 'just like the girl from Jerry Maguire'.

Picador's deputy editor even said she wanted to find 'Bridget' a job after her work experience had ended.

5. While working at Picador, Renée kept a framed photo of Jim Carrey (her boyfriend at the time) on her desk.

People probably thought it was a bit weird, but no one said anything. Awkward.

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6. Renée also kept her English accent throughout filming, even when the cameras weren't on her.

Impressive!

7. The film was directed by Sharon Maguire, who's best friends with Helen Fielding - author of the original Bridget Jones's Diary.

Sharon is also the inspiration for Shazza, which is pretty much the best way your friend can see you, right? We should all be the Shazza to someone's Bridget.

8. The character of Bridget Jones started off as a newspaper column in The Independent.

Helen Fielding was meant to write a first-person dating column. Instead she created Bridget Jones. The column ran for ten years.

9. Renée had to gain around two stone in order to play the role.

She did this by eating around 4,000 calories a day of mostly junk food. It took seven months and she hated every minute, as her glucose levels were going crazy.

The diet was mostly made up of beans on toast, cheesecake, and croissants.

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10. All those cigarettes Bridget smokes? They're all herbal

Renée is no smoker. But she makes us think she is!

11. The first time we see Jude, she's crying in the bathroom. That's weird because...

....She's played by Shirley Henderson, who also played Moaning Myrtle, who cries in the bathroom in Harry Potter. Magical.

12. Salman Rushdie's cameo happened because Helen Fielding called him up and asked if he was up for 'making a fool of himself'

Surprisingly, he said yes!

13. Colin Firth and Hugh Grant are both mentioned in the book series

It's like the different universes are colliding, and it's weird. In the books, Bridget is obsessed with Colin Firth and is really excited when she gets to interview him for work.

14. Speaking of Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, did you know they were born only one day apart?

Same year and everything. Colin was born on September 10th, 1960, while old man Hugh Grant was born on September 9th, 1960.

15. Oh, and the fighting scene between Darcy and Cleaver was not choreographed

According to Colin and Hugh, anyway, which makes all that flailing about even more brilliant.

16. In case you missed it, the comment Bridget makes in The Edge of Reason about Mark Darcy's wet shirt is a Pride and Prejudice reference

Because Colin Firth played Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and wore the white shirt that launched a thousand crushes.

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17. There were initial plans to have George Clooney pop up in the second film, but it didn't work out.

How unfortunate...

18. That running through the snow scene was shot in the middle of Summer.

They used fake snow!

19. In between takes, Hugh Grant read The Telegraph, while Colin read The Guardian.

The deepest representation of their conflicting souls.

20. The third Bridget Jones movie is coming out in September 2016, which is now only a few months away!

We are seriously excited for this one.

21. Hugh Grant turned it down, but hey.

Ed Sheeran, Colin Firth, and Patrick Dempsey will all make an appearance. And maybe Bridget will lip-synch in some pyjamas again, and our lives will be complete.

From Cosmo UK. Images: Rex

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