"We've been forging this friendship for over 25 years together… through this shared journey," the actress tells PEOPLE

Renée Zellweger has been playing Bridget Jones for more than two decades but says the gaps are essential to the character.

And just like that, Ejiofor was cast as Mr. Wallaker, a pragmatic science teacher, in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the fourth installment in the beloved romantic comedy franchise starring Renee Zellweger as the titular heroine, which hit Peacock on February 14.