‘She’s cuter than me,’ says Zellweger on new Bridget Jones statue

Renée Zellweger has called a new statue of Bridget Jones “adorable,” adding: “I think she’s much cuter than me.”

The actress was speaking to BBC News as a new statue celebrating the character she played for more than 20 years was unveiled in London’s Leicester Square on Monday.

Bridget Jones was created in 1996 by the author Helen Fielding, and first adapted for the big screen in 2001. The fourth film came out earlier this year.

Speaking at the unveiling, Fielding refused to rule out taking her story further, saying you should “never say never”.

Zellweger added that everyone can relate to Bridget, which explains her huge appeal.

“[It’s her] vulnerability, her humanness,” she said. “We recognise ourselves in her, we recognise ourselves in her struggles.

“It makes it OK for the rest of us to be authentically who we are. Imperfect.”

The character of Bridget Jones went straight to many women’s hearts, who took comfort in her trials and tribulations.

From her embarrassing work mishaps, to her infamous granny pants, Bridget spoke to a generation who saw themselves in her – and has recently won over a whole new set of younger fans too.

The fourth film in the franchise, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, was released in February, and sees Bridget living as a single mother and tackling modern dating.

It received mixed reviews, but earned the best box office opening ever for a romantic comedy in the UK and Ireland, according to Universal.

The film was billed as the final one in the series – but speaking to BBC News at the statue unveiling, two superfans, Faye and Wayne, said they were sure there would be a sequel.

“There were so many things that were left unresolved at the end of the last film,” said Faye.

“Her character keeps evolving. I want to be with Bridget Jones all the way to the nursing home,” added Wayne.

When asked about the possibility of a new chapter in Bridget Jones’ story, Fielding said: “Never say never. Stories come to you as a writer. So if a story came to me that I thought was true and interesting and new then I would write it.”

Some think the floundering and flawed heroine, who’s fixated with her weight and relationship status, is not the best role model.

And Fielding herself has previously admitted some parts of the story have not aged well.

“Bridget Jones’s Diary couldn’t be written now, set now, because all those men in the office would be sacked,” she said last year. “It was a really different time.”

But speaking on Monday, she said she hoped the wider message of the book would continue to chime for readers.

“I think to have the comfort of seeing a character that you can relate to, because they are real and human and emotionally honest, it’s like having the friend you can be honest with,” she said.

The statue is the first to celebrate a rom com on Leicester Square’s Scenes in the Square trail.

The Scenes in the Square trail originally launched in 2020 with the introduction of eight sculptures featuring Laurel and Hardy, Mary Poppins, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Don Lockwood, Paddington Bear, Mr Bean and Wonder Woman.

Since then, statues of Harry Potter, the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Indiana Jones have been added.