Bridget Jones Immortalized in London — Renée Zellweger Calls New Statue “Adorable and Surreal”

London has given one of its most iconic fictional residents a permanent home. A statue of Bridget Jones — the beloved, chaotic, and irresistibly relatable heroine — was unveiled Monday in Leicester Square, marking the 25th anniversary of the first film in the franchise. Renée Zellweger, who portrayed Bridget across four films, attended the ceremony and shared an emotional reaction.

The bronze sculpture captures Bridget in classic form: hair neatly tied back, skirt slightly above the knee, notebook and pen in hand — ready to chronicle yet another misadventure in her famously honest diary. The statue joins the Scenes in the Square collection, standing alongside cinematic icons such as Mary Poppins, Harry Potter, Batman, Laurel & Hardy and others.

“It’s absolutely wild. Really strange. Not something you’d ever expect… but a lovely surprise,” Zellweger told Reuters. She added with a laugh: “She’s adorable. I recognize her. There’s something very real about her stance.”

Bridget Jones was born more than 30 years ago in a newspaper column written by Helen Fielding. The column led to the bestselling novel Bridget Jones’s Diary (1996), followed by three more books. The 2001 film adaptation skyrocketed the character to global fame, thanks to Zellweger’s performance and the unforgettable dynamic with Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.

The sequels — The Edge of Reason (2004), Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016) — and most recently Mad About the Boy (2025), cemented Bridget’s place as an enduring pop-culture figure.

Fielding, visibly moved at the unveiling, highlighted the cross-generational love for Bridget: “My daughter’s generation adores her — that means so much to me, because it’s rare. I feel very lucky, and yes, proud.”

More than a romantic comedy character, Bridget Jones became a cultural mirror. Her insecurities, clumsy charm, questionable decisions and relentless optimism turned her into an icon of authenticity in a world obsessed with perfection.

The statue’s placement in Leicester Square — the beating heart of UK cinema premieres — symbolizes not only the impact of the films, but the emotional bond millions share with Bridget. She stands not as a flawless heroine, but as a reminder that vulnerability is relatable, imperfection is human, and humor can soften almost any hardship.

Bridget Jones has secured her place among cinematic giants. And now, immortalized in bronze, she is officially part of London’s cultural landscape — forever holding her diary, ready for the next chapter.