Chiwetel Ejiofor on Joining Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and His Transformative Career in FAULT Magazine Issue 32

Chiwetel Ejiofor X FAULT Magazine Issue 32

Photographer: Lee Malone l Stylist: Mark Anthony Bradley l Grooming: Carlos Ferrez l Lighting: Jake Milsom l 2nd: Alex Jones l Video: Ben Garrnett

Words & Editor: Miles Holder

From Chiwetel Ejiofor’s heartrending portrayal of Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave to the cunning and calculating Mordo in Marvel’s Doctor Strange films, Ejiofor’s range is as boundless as it is impressive.

In January 2025, Ejiofor embarks on unexpected territory, stepping into the world of romantic comedy with Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the highly anticipated new chapter in the beloved series.

We sat down with Chiwetel Ejiofor to talk about stepping into the world of Bridget Jones, the emotional toll of his past roles, and of course, his FAULTs.

READ/SEE THE FULL COVER STORY WITH CHIWETEL EJIOFOR IN FAULT MAGAZINE ISSUE 32 – AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW

What first attracted you to the role in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy?

It’s a super fun and engaging series of films that celebrates the love of London and life within the city. At the centre of it all is Renée Zellweger’s absolutely fantastic performance as Bridget. I’ve always been really engaged with the films, so it was thrilling to be part of them.

While you’ve got such a diverse portfolio I wouldn’t say you’ve explored being the love interest in a traditional rom-com was there a reason for this?

I don’t believe I’ve ever avoided them in my acting. I feel like I’ve always been excited about different roles what a part means, and what a character means.

I haven’t either leaned into or avoided anything in my career, and I don’t think I ever would. I don’t believe there’s a genre I wouldn’t do. I’m excited about parts, I’m excited about characters, I’m excited about stories, and I’m excited about audiences—what engages an audience and what moves an audience. All of those elements came together really beautifully in Bridget Jones. I find Wallace to be a truly fascinating character to portray.

In a romantic comedy, the role of a love interest typically includes elements of fun, light-heartedness, and a touch of sexiness, often accompanied by a playful form of objectification. For this particular project, do you think the dynamics of these aspects are viewed differently when most of the cast is over 40?

I’ve got no idea how to answer that question. Completely stumped. I have—and it’s very rare for me to be stumped!

I haven’t seen the film yet, so it’s difficult for me to fully discuss its themes regarding sexuality. However, I believe that broadly speaking, romantic life, sexiness, and moments shared with a partner are experiences that stay with you throughout your life. You hope it stays with you in a very centralized way with the person you’re with. There are all sorts of variations of that.

I think that, obviously, all those things can be joyfully reflected in cinema and often have been. Historically, films have embraced romance and love affairs in middle age, so I don’t think it’s an anathema to cinema. I think it’s embraced in the medium.

I think there’s a recent tendency to focus on specific age groups when exploring attraction and romance, but historically, films have embraced love and relationships in middle age and beyond. So, it’s not a departure from cinema traditions. I think the Bridget Jones films resonate because audiences have grown up with Bridget, reflecting on their romantic experiences—both the ways we mature and the ways we don’t.

So, while there’s youthful romantic energy, these films also explore deeper, more enduring ideas of romance, no matter what stage of life you’re in.

Kinky Boots will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2025. Whether the discussions sparked by the movie were beneficial is up for debate. Do you think these conversations pushed us forward, or did they go unheard?

There was definitely a serious undercurrent to the project, but we couldn’t predict how the world would change or how these conversations would evolve. It’s been incredible to see how they’ve progressed, often in wonderful ways.

Looking back, there are always things you might do differently, but given the time we were in, it was a special project—well-thought-out and engaged for that moment. That’s why it’s stood the test of time. People still connect with it and forgive its imperfections because the intent was in the right place.

It’s also been amazing to see Kinky Boots have a life beyond the film, especially as a musical. It’s fascinating how different people have interpreted Lola and how that role has become so meaningful in both film and theatre history.

What is your FAULT? 

I think evasion is my biggest FAULT. I spend a lot of time avoiding uncomfortable conversations or situations, reorganizing things in my mind to avoid dealing with them. It’s not procrastination; it’s more about not addressing things that need to be dealt with.

READ/SEE THE FULL COVER STORY WITH CHIWETEL EJIOFOR IN FAULT MAGAZINE ISSUE 32 – AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW