For many people who grew up in the 2000s, Bridge to Terabithia is remembered for one thing: the devastating twist that turned what seemed like a sweet fantasy adventure into a heartbreaking story about loss.
Nearly 20 years after the movie was released, Josh Hutcherson, who played Jess Aarons, has heard plenty about the emotional damage the film left behind.
And, apparently, he feels a little guilty about it.
The actor recently reflected on the movie and the reactions he still gets from fans. In an interview with Refinery29 Australia, Hutcherson apologized for the lasting emotional impact, saying: “Sorry. It’s just, you know, that movie. I have so many people come up to me today in the streets, and they literally tell me that I traumatised them as children.”
It’s easy to understand why.
“I’m sorry”
Released in 2007, Bridge to Terabithia follows two young teenagers, Jess and Leslie, who become close friends and create an imaginary world called Terabithia. Their fantasy world gives them an escape from the difficulties of their everyday lives. But the story takes a devastating turn when Leslie dies while attempting to reach Terabithia by herself. Jess is left struggling with grief and guilt following her death.
The unexpected tragedy has continued to stick to viewers decades after the original story was published, and fans still regularly discuss how badly the movie affected them.
Hutcherson explained that many viewers expected something completely different, saying that they: “Went to this movie with their families thinking it was going to be this sweet movie with the fantasy world that these kids were building, and the things go awry. So, I’m sorry.”
