Bridget Fonda stuns as she showcases dramatic weight loss after years away from the spotlight 

Bridget Fonda rose to fame for her role as a journalist in The Godfather Part III, carrying on the rich acting legacy that her family had established before her.

The star faded from the spotlight after giving birth to her son Oliver, whom she shares with her husband Danny Elfman, and the pair had not been spotted together on the red carpet since 2009.

New lease on life

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Bridget made a triumphant return when she stepped out at LAX Airport in April sporting a gray trench coat, black trousers and casual sneakers, with her gray hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She shouldered an overnight bag as she walked into the airport, looking incredibly slim and lithe. 

This comes just weeks before she was spotted with her composer husband in a rare appearance for the 61-year-old, who showcased her newly-slimmed figure in a stylish outfit.

She looked incredible in the black pea coat with matching trousers, adding a pop of color with her red cross-body bag and scarf. 

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Her gray locks were tied back in a simple bun and she donned glasses for the day out.

Danny, the famed musician who composed the scores for films like Batman, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice and Good Will Hunting, sported a casual baseball tee and cap.

The couple put to rest rumors that they had called it quits on their 21-year marriage with the casual outing, almost 16 years since they made their last red carpet appearance together.

Fading from the spotlight

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Hailing from a long line of incredible actors like her grandfather Henry Fonda, her father Peter Fonda and her aunt Jane Fonda, Bridget was a certified ’90s star and received two Golden Globe nominations throughout her career, as well as a Primetime Emmy nom.

Bridget Fonda: 5 top roles 

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1. Scandal (1989)

Based on a true story of an incident in the British Government in the 1960s, Bridget plays real-life model and showgirl Mandy Rice-Davies.

2. The Godfather III (1990) 

Brenda plays journalist Grace Hamilton in the film, starring opposite Andy García as Vincent and Al Pacino as Michael. She is an intriguing and slightly out-of-place character among the party of Italian friends of the Corleone family. 

3. Single White Female (1992)

In this psychological thriller, Bridget plays Allison, who rents a room in her apartment to Hedra Carlson. When Allison reunites with her ex-boyfriend, her new roomie grows hostile and jealous.

4. In the Gloaming (1997)

Bridget’s most celebrated television role was In the Gloaming, which focuses on a family dealing with AIDS. The all-star line-up includes Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close, and David Strathairn.

5. A Simple Plan (1998)

In this neo-noir thriller, Bridget plays pregnant wife Sarah, whose husband and brother find a crashed plane that contains $4.4 million in cash. 

Despite receiving critical acclaim, she revealed in a 2000 interview that she still felt insecure when watching her work.

“What is it with my low self-esteem?” Bridget exclaimed. “I’m trying to be happy with my career. I think I should give myself a break, but I’ve got this bug that rides me. ‘You should be doing better.’ Every time I work, I’m frustrated with my physical inability to catch up to my mental picture.”

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Some of her most famous roles were in films like Jackie Brown and Point of No Return, yet she gave up her place in Hollywood to raise her son Oliver, whom she welcomed in 2005 with Danny.

Her last screen credit was in the 2002 television film Snow Queen, which was released a year before she was involved in a major car accident.

The mother of one was driving on a highway in the rain when her car flipped and rolled down a hill, leaving her with two fractured vertebrae and a totalled vehicle.

Becoming a “civilian”

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Since leaving the spotlight, Bridget has rarely been seen out and about in Los Angeles, apart from a sighting at an airport in 2023 when picking up her son.

Asked by the Daily Mail if she would ever consider returning to the limelight, she simply replied: “No, I don’t think so. It’s too nice being a civilian.”

While it is unclear what the secret is to Bridget’s incredible transformation, the star looks better than ever and shines with a newfound confidence not seen since her Hollywood days. 

To learn more about Bridget’s A-lister aunt, see below…