Bridget Fonda makes her biggest comeback yet in radiant outing


Bridget Fonda stepped away from acting in 2002 after a horrific car crash, and has been raising her son, Oliver Elfman, out of the spotlight.


Bridget fonda sparkly dress© Getty Images
Faye James
Faye JamesSenior Editor
March 12, 2026
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Bridget Fonda was glowing as she stepped out in Santa Monica to run errands amid her incredible weight loss journey, which has seen her lose around 100 lbs in a stunning comeback. The former A-lister looked relaxed in a gray T-shirt, loose black pants and a green button-up shirt thrown over the top.

She added black sneakers and sunglasses to complete the look, and wore her gray locks pulled back into a low bun. Bridget largely stepped back from the spotlight after her son, Oliver Elfman, was born in 2005, and only made rare public appearances until recently, with the 62-year-old being seen frequently running errands or meeting up with friends.

The mother of one previously spoke about how she wished to live a normal life off-screen, a luxury rarely afforded to celebrities. "Nobody on the street recognizes me, but I love that because it gives you someplace to go," she told The New York Times.

Bridget fonda errand running© Clint Brewer Photography / BACKGRID
Bridget looked incredible as she stepped out in Santa Monica

"You really give up your life, in a way," she said of fame. "Your growth pattern is altered because everything you do is magnified and scrutinized. But it's the price you pay for doing something that is so satisfying."

She also hinted at her intention to leave Hollywood after becoming a mother, saying: "I've been thinking about [having kids]. But when it happens, I want to be able to put away movies for a long while and be satisfied with that."

Bridget's career is littered with credits like Single White Female, The Godfather Part III, Scandal, Jackie Brown and Point of No Return.

bridget fonda walking© Clint Brewer Photography / BACKGRID
The mother of two has lost around 100 lbs on her weight loss journey

Despite her incredible accolades, including being Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated, the star revealed that she was always ready to work harder than in her previous role. "I'm very work-obsessed. It's how I define myself," she shared with the publication. "I'm never completely happy with what I do on screen. What comes out is never as good as I think it'll be, or hope it'll be."

Her father, actor Peter Fonda, explained that Bridget's work ethic was unlike anyone from his family, including her grandfather, the legendary Oscar-winning actor Henry Fonda.

bridget fonda patterned dress© Corbis via Getty Images
Bridget was one of Hollywood's best-known actresses in the '90s

"To my father, acting was everything," he said. "It was escape; it was therapy. When he completed a role, he was certain he would never be hired again, and he reverted to a rejection of himself. Bridget isn't like that. It's not compulsive; it's not out of fear. With her, it's basically about packing in as many good films as she can, while she can. She just knows what she wants."

Bridget Fonda is rarely seen out in public© GC Images
The star has frequently discussed her desire to stay out of the spotlight

Ever since her return to the spotlight, Bridget has been steadily slimming down and growing in confidence, although it was a long journey to self-love.

bridget fonda gold gown© WireImage
She left Hollywood in the mid-'00s

"What is it with my low self-esteem?" she said in a 2000 interview, as per The Independent. "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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