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Renée Zellweger has called the freshly installed statue of Bridget Jones as “endearing”, adding, “I think, she’s much cuter than me.”

The actress was speaking as the recently revealed statue celebrating the beloved figure she embodied for many years was unveiled in the iconic London square on Monday.

Bridget Jones was created in the mid-1990s by writer Helen Fielding, and first adapted for the movies in the early 2000s. The latest installment debuted in recent months.

Speaking at the unveiling, Fielding left open writing more, saying you should “avoid closing doors.”

The star noted that everyone can connect with Bridget, which highlights her huge appeal.

“Her vulnerability, her authenticity,” she said. “We identify in her, we recognise ourselves in her journeys.

“It makes it OK for the others to be truly who we are. Imperfect.”

The character of Bridget Jones resonated deeply with many women’s hearts, who found solace in her personal journey.

From her embarrassing work incidents, to her infamous granny pants, Bridget spoke to a generation who saw themselves in her—and has attracted a whole new set of Gen Z followers too.

The fourth film in the franchise, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, was launched in early this year, and shows Bridget living as a solo parent and tackling contemporary romance.

It garnered divided opinions, but recorded the strongest theatrical launch ever for a romantic comedy in the UK and Ireland, according to reports.

The film was described as the final one in the series—but speaking at the ceremony, two dedicated followers, Faye and Wayne, said they were convinced there would be a sequel.

“There were so many things that were open-ended at the finale of the last film,” said Faye.

“Her character keeps evolving. I want to be with Bridget Jones all the way to the later years,” said Wayne.

When questioned about the chance of a next installment in Bridget Jones’ journey, Fielding said: “Never say never. Ideas arrive as a writer. So if a concept appeared that I thought was true and compelling and new then I would pursue it.”

Some think the imperfect and human lead, who’s preoccupied by her appearance and love life, is not the strongest role model.

And Fielding herself has acknowledged in the past that some parts of the story have not aged well.

“Bridget Jones’s Diary would be impossible to produce today, written in this era, because all those male coworkers would be dismissed,” she said previously. “That was a really different time.”

But speaking on Monday, she said she hoped the broader theme of the novel would still resonate for fans.

“In my view, to have the comfort of watching a persona that you can identify with, because they are genuine and flawed and emotionally honest, it’s like having the companion you can be true with,” she said.

The monument is the inaugural to commemorate a romantic comedy on the landmark’s public art exhibit.

The public art display first debuted in the year 2020 with the installation of eight sculptures including Laurel and Hardy, Mary Poppins, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Don Lockwood, Paddington Bear, Mr Bean and Wonder Woman.

In the time since, figures of the boy wizard, the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, the beloved dog and the adventurer have been added.