The actress says freshly unveiled Bridget Jones statue is “sweet”, noting, “It’s sweeter than me.”
Renée Zellweger has praised the new statue of Bridget Jones as “adorable”, explaining, “In my opinion, it’s much cuter than me.”
The actress was commenting as the new statue honoring the beloved figure she played for more than 20 years was uncovered in the iconic London square on the start of the week.
Bridget Jones was introduced in the mid-1990s by writer Helen Fielding, and first adapted for the cinema in the early 2000s. The latest installment was released in recent months.
Commenting at the unveiling, Fielding left open continuing the series, remarking you should “always keep options open.”
The star added that people everywhere can relate to Bridget, which accounts for her enduring charm.
“Her openness, her authenticity,” she said. “We recognise ourselves in her, we recognise ourselves in her journeys.
“It gives permission for the rest of us to be truly who we are. Imperfect.”
The character of Bridget Jones went straight to many women’s hearts, who took comfort in her personal journey.
From her embarrassing work incidents, to her infamous granny pants, Bridget resonated with a demographic who saw themselves in her—and has gained a whole new set of younger fans too.
The latest movie in the series, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, was released in early this year, and depicts Bridget living as a single mother and facing modern dating.
It garnered mixed reviews, but achieved the best box office opening ever for a rom-com in the UK and Ireland, according to industry sources.
The film was described as the conclusion in the franchise—but commenting at the event, two dedicated followers, Faye and Wayne, said they were sure there would be a sequel.
“There were so many things that were open-ended at the conclusion of the latest installment,” said Faye.
“Bridget keeps evolving. I hope to be with Bridget Jones all the way to the nursing home,” added Wayne.
When prompted about the prospect of a future story in Bridget Jones’ saga, Fielding said: “Never say never. Inspiration come to you as a author. So if a concept was inspired that I thought was real and engaging and new then I would develop it.”
A few commentators think the floundering and human lead, who’s preoccupied by her weight and love life, is not the ideal role model.
And Fielding herself has acknowledged in the past that elements of the story have not aged well.
“Bridget Jones’s Diary couldn’t be written today, written in this era, because all those workplace characters would be sacked,” she said in the past. “That was a distinct period.”
But speaking on the unveiling day, she said she wished the wider message of the book would still resonate for audiences.
“I think, to have the reassurance of observing a persona that you can identify with, because they are genuine and imperfect and emotionally honest, it’s like having the companion you can be true with,” she said.
The monument is the first to honor a love story on the square’s Scenes in the Square trail.
The public art exhibition first debuted in recently with the installation of multiple figures including comedy legends, Mary Poppins, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Don Lockwood, Paddington Bear, Mr Bean and Wonder Woman.
In the time since, sculptures of the boy wizard, the royal chair from Game of Thrones, the beloved dog and the adventurer have been installed.
