The actress says freshly unveiled Bridget Jones statue is “adorable”, adding, “She’s cuter than me.”
Renée Zellweger has called the freshly installed statue of Bridget Jones as “delightful”, explaining, “In my opinion, she’s a lot sweeter than me.”
The actress was talking as the new statue honoring the character she played for over two decades was unveiled in the iconic London square on Monday.
Bridget Jones was first imagined in the mid-1990s by writer Helen Fielding, and first adapted for the movies in 2001. The latest installment came out earlier this year.
Commenting at the unveiling, Fielding refused to rule out continuing the series, remarking you should “never say never.”
The star explained that people everywhere can connect with Bridget, which accounts for her massive popularity.
“Her openness, her authenticity,” she said. “We recognise ourselves in her, we recognise ourselves in her struggles.
“It reassures us for the everyone else to be genuinely who we are. Imperfect.”
The figure of Bridget Jones resonated deeply with many female hearts, who found solace in her trials and tribulations.
From her embarrassing work incidents, to her notorious granny pants, Bridget spoke to a generation who identified in her—and has recently won over a fresh wave of Gen Z followers too.
The new installment in the series, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, was launched in early this year, and sees Bridget portrayed as a solo parent and exploring contemporary romance.
It earned divided opinions, but secured the highest theatrical launch ever for a love story in the region, according to industry sources.
The film was described as the conclusion in the franchise—but reflecting at the ceremony, two superfans, Faye and Wayne, said they were convinced there would be a sequel.
“There were so many things that were open-ended at the end of the last film,” said Faye.
“Bridget keeps growing. I want to be with Bridget Jones all the way to the later years,” said Wayne.
When asked about the possibility of a new chapter in Bridget Jones’ journey, Fielding said: “Anything is possible. Inspiration come to you as a author. So if a narrative appeared that I thought was authentic and compelling and original then I would develop it.”
Certain critics think the struggling and flawed lead, who’s preoccupied by her body image and relationship status, is not the best role model.
And Fielding personally has acknowledged in the past that certain aspects of the series have not aged well.
“Bridget Jones’s Diary would not be created in the present day, set now, because all those male coworkers would be fired,” she said in the past. “That was a distinct period.”
But speaking on Monday, she said she hoped the broader theme of the novel would remain relevant for readers.
“In my view, to have the solace of seeing a character that you can connect with, because they are authentic and flawed and emotionally honest, it’s like having the friend you can be true with,” she said.
The monument is the first to honor a love story on Leicester Square’s movie trail trail.
The Scenes in the Square trail first debuted in the year 2020 with the introduction of multiple figures including classic duos, Mary Poppins, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Don Lockwood, Paddington Bear, Mr Bean and Wonder Woman.
In the time since, sculptures of Harry Potter, the iconic seat from Game of Thrones, the giant canine and the explorer have been included.
