‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ Actor Ashley Jones Says Her Role as Bridget Was a ‘Coming of Age’ Job
Bridget Forrester grew up in front of The Bold and the Beautiful viewers. Several actors portrayed her, but none made their mark on the character like Ashley Jones.
For Jones, it was the role of a lifetime. It gave her a solid base in the TV industry, which she’s still grateful for. But now that the character only appears sporadically, is she winding down her time in the daytime soap space?
Ashley Jones learned about daytime TV by playing Bridget Forrester
The Bridget character helped several actors get their first major, recurring work in the industry. Agnes Bruckner and Jennifer Finnigan defined the character’s younger years and their ensuing careers. Jones says her experience with taking on the role was similar.
“It was a coming-of-age job for me,” the now-veteran soap actor told She Knows. “I feel like I kind of grew up with her.”
It was one of her very first recurring roles. It was a daunting task, as she had to replace actor Emily Harrison, who audiences rejected in the role. Harrison lasted two months before she left the show. Another young actor lost his job thanks to Bridget’s plots being abruptly tossed on the backburner.
Bold producers needed Jones to come through big. And she did. She found her take on Bridget’s brassy personality quickly. She grew into one of the most, well, bold characters on Bold.
Will Jones return as Bridget?
Jones continues to play Bridget sporadically on Bold and its sister show, The Young and the Restless. Her returns are marked by big moments for the character, rather than simple fanservice. You won’t find Jones in the background of a wedding or funeral — when she shows up on Bold, something’s about to go down.
She first returned in March earlier this year. Unfortunately, she didn’t sign on for many episodes. The actress answered fan questions about her status with Bold via a Twitter post.
When asked whether she took a long-term deal on the show, she was quick to clarify. “Not a contract, but Bridget is not going anywhere. Not yet, at least. She is back in LA!”
Jones made good on her promise when Bridget re-emerged in June on Bold. Her busy career outside of daytime TV will likely keep her away from the character for another extended period. But she always seems enthusiastic to carve out time to return when Bold or Restless need a shot in the arm.
Jones is a daytime TV legend
In between runs as Bridget, Jones keeps more than busy enough. She has a full plate in front of the camera, not a little work behind it. For years, playing Bridget has been a passion project rather than the focus of her career.
Her body of work outside of daytime TV is diverse, IMDb reports. She has plenty of work with Lifetime, including starring roles in the movies The Secret Sex Life of a Single Mom and You Killed My Mother. She constantly has guest-starring work, including hit shows like The Rookie, NCIS, and For All Mankind. One of her most notable projects was a memorable eight-episode run on True Blood.
On the big screen, she appeared in films like the Will Ferrell vehicle Old School, and more recently, The Wedding Ringer. Jones also directed her own film in, the dark thriller Sugar Mommy.
Jones’ most recent project was another Hallmark movie. What Happened to My Sister is about a sorority murder investigation that becomes personal. It’s a bit darker than what Bold fans are accustomed to. But it should be a great watch to fill in the gap between Jones’ stints on daytime TV.
