I’ve mentioned this before, but I love the Bridget Jones character, and I love Renee Zellweger as that character. Even though I didn’t care for the sequel book or film, I still love the franchise, and I was thrilled when they announced the third film over the summer. At the time of the announcement, the start date for the production was left up in the air, and many people assumed that was because it would take Renee Zellweger months to put on her Bridget Jones pounds.

For the first film, Renee put on something like 25 to 30 pounds to play Bridget, and she looked lovely with the extra weight. For the sequel, Renee seemed to put on even more weight, and ended up looking rather puffy and sketchy. I was hoping for a return to the first film’s weight gain, but my hopes were just dashed. A source just told the British magazine Reveal (story via the NY Daily News) that Renee isn’t interested in gaining weight for the role for a third time, and that she’ll most likely wear padding and/or a “fat suit”.

Renee Zellweger famously packed on the pounds to play “Bridget Jones,” but she’ll be faking the fat for the third installment of the popular film franchise, according to a report.

“Renee will be wearing a fat suit in the third film, as it took her a while to lose the weight last time,” a source revealed to British magazine Reveal. “She’s also thinking about the effect quickly putting on and then losing 30 pounds has on her body.”

While some fans and bloggers are worried Zellweger’s portrayal of “Bridget Jones” will be less authentic the third go-round if she dons a fat suit, the actress has voiced concern over gaining weight for the famous role in the past.

“My body is whacked by the time we finish one of those [‘Bridget Jones’ movies],” Zellweger told the Daily Mail in December 2007.

She went on to tell the Mail how the 2004 fast-food documentary “Supersize Me” scared her.

“I had a panic attack with all the specialists talking about how bad this is for you, long term, putting on that much weight in short periods of time and they’re all saying, ‘You must stop this now or you’re going to die.’ “

[From the NY Daily News]

Oh for goodness sake, Renee. It’s like she never stopped to think that maybe she didn’t have to take off every single little pound she gained for the Bridget Jones films. It’s like she never looked in the mirror and said, “Yes, I am scary skinny, maybe putting on five pounds would be a good thing.” I like her and everything, but I do wonder if she has some serious body image issues. From her too-thin frame, to her trying-too-hard posing, I think Renee has gotten weird.

I also wonder if she’s refusing to put on the weight because she’s in a relationship with Bradley Cooper now, and she thinks that if she gains some weight, it will affect her relationship in a negative way. Maybe it will – God knows what kind of body type Bradley goes for, but I tend to think he would be understanding about the situation.

In one other piece of Bridget Jones-related news, I’ve been hearing some rumors that Colin Firth (Mark Darcy) hasn’t officially signed on for the third film. What’s the hold up? You can’t make the film without Mr. Darcy! The rumors go either way – some saying Colin hasn’t even been approached but that he’d love to sign on, or that Colin has been approached, and is making the producers sweat. The second one might be right on – Colin’s having a little career comeback lately, and many are pegging him for a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work in Tom Ford’s A Single Man. He might want more money. I know I would ask for more money if I had to star with Renee in a fat suit. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.

Here’s Renee spotted sipping coffee after going shopping in Vancouver on September 13th. Images thanks to INF Photo.