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.”
But despite acknowledging the emotional whiplash, he also said the film can introduce younger viewers to grief and loss in a way that is accessible to them. That perspective has also been echoed by fans online.
Bridge to Terabithia
Many Reddit users argue that the story’s devastating turn is actually part of what makes it such an effective portrayal of grief. Some fans were perfectly happy to joke about the fact that Hutcherson now knows exactly what he did to an entire generation.
“Well at least he knows”, one person wrote, according to Tyla.
Another pointed out that: “He was a child himself lmao”.
Others noted that the story has long been associated with school curriculums because of the way it introduces children to difficult subjects such as death.
One Reddit user explained: “Tbf, that’s also what the book is, and kind of the point- it’s all a normal childhood until it’s not. I agree it’s a very realistic portrayal of grief, and there’s a reason so many schools choose to traumatise children with the book. It’s an age appropriate way to help contextualise loss and living on after.”
Another fan remembered encountering the book at school, writing: “I know. It was required reading when I was in middle school, and we watched the original movie in class. Seeing the trailer for the Hutcherson version had me wondering how they’d handle the… swimming lesson… but it was a surprisingly faithful adaptation when I saw the full movie years later.”
“It did f**k me up for awhile”
Not everyone was quite so philosophical about the experience, however.
One viewer wrote: “Great movie, probably would never have watched it if I knew what it was about. It did f**k me up for awhile”.
Some fans believe the movie’s marketing deserves at least part of the blame for the emotional devastation. As one commenter put it: “This falls more on the marketing department for making the movie look like some sort of magical Narnia adventure.”
Another fan praised Hutcherson, writing: “The ‘but it’s a great intro into grief’ was actually an incredible thought for him to have and say out loud. He’s not wrong and that’s a great way to approach it!”
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