Hugh Grant Admits He Didn't Initially Didn't Think Renee Zellweger Was Right Fit for 'Bridget Jones's Diary'

Hugh Grant is looking back on Bridget Jones’s Diary 19 years later!

The 60-year-old actor took part in the new BBC Two documentary Being Bridget Jones where he chatted about Renee Zellweger being cast as the British lovesick thirtysomething, admitting that he wasn’t entirely convinced she was the right choice at first.

“There was a whole scandal about why isn’t this a British actress?” Hugh said, according to The Independent. “I didn’t know Renée Zellweger, and a Texan playing a British character, it did seem like a stretch.”

Hugh then went on to talk about the 51-year-old actress’ audition, saying it was “good” and that he found it “startling” because her accent sounded very familiar to Queen Elizabeth‘s sister Princess Margaret’s voice.

“She was told to kind of, well she thought she better loosen it up a bit,’” Hugh said, adding that a week later Renee‘s accent “was bang on.”

Earlier this month in another interview, Hugh said Renee is one of the few co-stars he still keeps in touch with.