From late late ‘80s and through the ‘90s into the turn of the century, Bridget Fonda ruled the movie scene. A Primetime Emmy nominee and two-time Golden Globe nominee, Bridget comes from Hollywood royalty as the granddaughter of Henry Fonda, daughter of Peter Fonda, and niece of Jane Fonda. Despite all the trappings of a long and prosperous time in the limelight, Bridget formally retired from acting in 2002. The years since have been far quieter but quite eventful for her personal life.
Bridget got her first taste for acting when she was cast in a school production of Harvey. Her movie debut came with her dad’s 1969 film Easy Rider. She studied method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and went on to attend NYU. In ‘82, Bridget had a non-speaking part in Partners. The ‘80s stayed quiet only for the ‘90s to represent a massive proliferation in solid work for Bridget, including The Godfather Part III, Single White Female, Singles, Scandal, In the Gloaming, and No Ordinary Baby. But just when the momentum built, she halted it.
Bridget Fonda wanted to focus on her family
Before announcing her retirement, Bridget accrued some 49 credits to her name, including It Could Happen to You, Jackie Brown, and Night Vision. Her final credit came with the 2002 miniseries Snow Queen. This came on the eve of several definitive events in Bridget’s life. In March 2003, she would get engaged to composer Danny Elfman; they tied the knot in November of that year.
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Also in 2003, Bridget survived a severely traumatic event: she was caught up in a brutal car crash in Malibu. Reports indicate that the actress had lost control of her vehicle, causing it to tumble right off a nearby embankment. The media also reported that she only survived because she was wearing her seatbelt. She may have walked away with her life, but her thoracic vertebrae was fractured in the crash, right as she was set to appear in The Practice; the role was eventually recast with Teri Polo of Meet the Parents fame.
Marrying Elfman was the high point of that disastrous year for Bridget. The two met back in ‘98 on the set of A Simple Plan, for which Elfman provided the score. Their November 29 wedding was an elegant, candlelit affair with Bridget’s father walking her down the aisle to await her groom. Saying “I do” to Elfman saw Bridget close the door to Hollywood, a decision that stands to this day.
Why Bridget won’t be back
Two years into marital bliss and the couple completed their little family with their first and only child, son Oliver, born in 2005; Elfman has two children, Mali and Lola, from a previous marriage. Oliver’s birth sealed hte deal on Bridget’s decision to ditch Hollywood and focus on home.
Elfman has continued to compose for films, including Men in Black, Coraline, and Spider-Man, but Bridget makes a point of not accompanying him to red-carpet events. As of last summer, her final big appearance at a public event was in 2009 for a premiere. Otherwise, she continues to avoid even social media.
She maintains a home base around Tinsel Town, though; in 2020, the couple listed a 4,300 square-foot Midcentury style home and an 8,300 square-foot residence. Elfman had bought those properties for $3.6 million and $2 million respectively. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they stayed primarily in Santa Barbara while continuing to own a home in Los Angeles.
Earlier last year, Daily Mail touched base with Bridget while she was out and about at LAX. When asked if she might ever return to acting, she said a succinct, “No,” before adding, “I don’t think so. It’s too nice being a civilian.”
Which of her movies was your favorite?
