All the movies, books, and columns about fictional British singleton Bridget Jones confirm that she's more in tune with pop culture than she is, say, world affairs. ("Isn't it terrible about Chechnya?") But after a 12-year hiatus since her last big screen venture, Bridget finds herself in her '40s and ever so slightly out of touch in that area too. Her uncoolness comes to embarrassing light when she meets a real musician who makes an appearance in the movie. Ed Sheeran cameos in Bridget Jones's Baby , and the British singer-songwriter appears to have had a lot of fun in the role.
The "Thinking Out Loud" artist let his followers in on his Bridget cameo using the "diary" of today, a.k.a. his Instagram. Sheeran posted a photo taken of himself while he was taking a selfie with star Renee Zellweger. "Spent the day being an actor in the new Bridget Jones movie," he wrote in the caption. "Loved it, you're gonna love it too." When the international full-length trailer for the movie eventually dropped, fans caught a glimpse of Sheeran, tipping a glass to Bridget and looking a little bewildered. Why the face? (If you don't want to know the context of the cameo, turn back now! Spoilers ahead.)
Ed Sheeran plays himself in the third Bridget Jones movie, which is why his presence leads to an awkward moment for the clumsy heroine. Bridget accompanies her friend Miranda (Sarah Solemani) to one of the most significant annual music events in the United Kingdom, the Glastonbury Festival. They have a run-in with Sheeran in a bar and don't recognize him. They realize their mistake when they catch his set, becoming finally aware that they made fools out of themselves in front of a hugely famous singer-songwriter.
Bridget Jones's Baby isn't Sheeran's first foray into acting. He played Sir Cormac in five episodes of the historical drama The Bastard Executioner, created by Sons Of Anarchy showrunner Kurt Sutter. In this behind-the-scenes video, the stars and director of Bridget Jones's Baby confirm that Sheeran isn't just a total pro, but also "a delight" to work with. "Very unassuming," Zellweger says. "And really good! He was a total natural." The actress also calls the opportunity to watch Sheeran record music for the film "a real treat." Director Sharon Maguire agrees: "He nailed it, first time. He was brilliant." Meanwhile, Solemani knows she hit the jackpot, her role requiring her to be serenaded by the artist. "By the end of that, I was like, 'I get this. I get it. I feel things,'" she remembers. Watch the full MTV News video below.
Sadly, it looks as if the movie version of Ed Sheeran missed the opportunity to get in on the movie's central love-and-baby triangle. As you probably know, the movie's plot revolves around a pregnant Bridget trying to discern if ex Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) or new fling Jack Qwant (Patrick Dempsey) is the father of her unborn child. But the musician's appearance does add some celebrity glitter to a rather confusing time in Bridget's life, even if she doesn't realize it at first. See Sheeran's cameo when Bridget Jones's Baby hits theaters on Sep. 16.
