Renée Zellweger reunited with some of her Bridget Jones co-stars on Monday as a statue of her famous alter-ego was unveiled in Leicester Square.
The Oscar-winning actress was joined by Sally Phillips — who memorably played Shazza — as well as Leo Woodall and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who both starred opposite her as romantic leads in this year’s Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
The trio looked on as Phillips whisked away a purple cloth to reveal Bridget captured mid-stride with her diary, immortalising one of the capital’s most famous fictional residents in bronze.
Speaking at the unveiling, Zellweger said: “There's an extended family that has built up around the experience of making these films and also, I have something in common with people that I meet all around the world.
“We all sort of share an affinity for Bridget, because she makes us feel seen, that's a pretty big blessing.”
The figure becomes the latest addition to the West End’s popular Scenes in the Square trail, joining icons such as Harry Potter, Batman, Paddington, Mary Poppins, Wonder Woman and Daniel Kaluuya’s Chris Washington from Get Out. It also marks the first time a romantic-comedy character has been honoured as part of the installation.
Zellweger’s portrayal of Helen Fielding’s big-knickered, chain-smoking, perpetually hopeful Londoner has shaped British rom-coms ever since Bridget Jones’s Diary hit cinemas in 2001. With the franchise now having earned more than $900 million worldwide — and Mad About the Boy bringing Bridget’s story full circle earlier this year — the statue arrives just ahead of the first film’s 25th anniversary.
Fielding said she was “touched and delighted” by the tribute. “For Bridget to be honoured as a British Icon with her own statue alongside Paddington Bear, Mary Poppins and Admiral Lord Nelson (alright, he’s down the road a bit!) is a huge thrill and reason for everyone to raise a glass of Chardonnay to being ‘just as you are.’”
Michael Morris, director of Mad About the Boy, added: “Bridget has always belonged to London — her mess, her magic, her heart. To see her immortalised here, in the middle of the city she’s stumbled through and loved so fiercely, feels like the perfect love letter to her and to everyone who’s ever cheered her on.”
Kirsty Tullett-Jones, Director of Marketing & Communications for Discover Leicester Square, said it was long overdue: “Bridget has been making Londoners laugh, cry and feel seen for 25 years… we’re thrilled she’s finally getting her rightful place in Leicester Square.”
The statue is now on display as part of the free, family-friendly Scenes in the Square film trail.
