Whatever Happened To Renée Zellweger?
Renée Zellweger never planned on being famous. She grew up in Katy, a small town outside Houston, Texas. After high school, she attended the University of Texas in Austin, with plans of becoming a writer or journalist. However, that all changed when a drama class led to a role in a student film and she realized that she wanted to pursue acting professionally.
Zellweger began her career locally, landing small parts in Texas-based productions, including Richard Linklater's coming-of-age classic "Dazed and Confused." "I felt really lucky to be a glorified extra on ['Dazed and Confused']," Zellweger told People. "I learned so much about how a film set works and how it breaks down into different departments and what your responsibilities are as a performer." She went on to land a lead role in "The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre," which helped to launch her career.
Before long, she was heading to Hollywood. "I moved to L.A. because I just ran out of things to do," Zellweger explained to People. "If Austin Studios had been here at the time, I might not have gone anywhere." A small role in "Empire Records" led to her breakthrough performance in "Jerry Maguire" and she quickly became one of the most in-demand names in Tinseltown, with her turn as the titular character in "Bridget Jones's Diary" transforming her into an international star.
Zellweger was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in "Bridget Jones's Diary," and she was nominated again the following year for "Chicago." She didn't take home the statuette on either occasion, but it was third time lucky for the Texan — she won best actress in a supporting role for 2003's "Cold Mountain." What happened to her in the years following her heyday? Read on to find out.
Zellweger's star power began to fade as the flops piled up
Renée Zellweger appeared in a series of movies that were critical or commercial failures — sometimes both — following "Cold Mountain." Although 2005's "Cinderella Man" was nominated for three Oscars, the film performed sluggishly at the box office, barely eclipsing the production budget despite the star power of Zellweger and Russell Crowe. The same was true of 2006's "Miss Potter" and 2008's "Appaloosa." The George Clooney-directed "Leatherheads" (2008), which co-starred Zellweger, actually lost money, failing to recoup its budget.
Zellweger's return to the world of romantic comedy didn't go as planned: 2009's "New in Town" made less than $30 million, and it has terrible scores with critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. By the time the decade that made Zellweger famous ended, her star power was being questioned in Hollywood. "The gifted actress is facing an unforgiving industry that doles out few juicy roles for women over 40," IndieWire wrote in 2010, predicting her retreat from acting while acknowledging ageism in Tinseltown. According to the outlet, execs began to see the former A-lister as being "too long in the tooth to play the cute and spunky ingenues that worked best for audiences early in her career."
As early as 2009, Zellweger herself was questioning how she wanted to spend her time going forward. "I don't feel like my life is empty or that I have to make something happen. I have projects to develop," she told Marie Claire. "I want to study American history and political science, live in an apartment in France, and fix my bad French. And is there really time for all of it?" She was clearly ready to slow down a bit, and for good reason – Zellweger later told Vulture, "If I could remember more of it, that would be nice, because my 30s are a blur."
She took a six-year hiatus from acting
Between the release of "My Own Love Song" in 2010 and her return to acting in 2016, Renée Zellweger pretty much retreated from public life. She decided that it was time to concentrate on things other than her career in the film industry. "I don't even know if it was a conscious decision more than it was time for something else," she told Vogue. "I wanted to explore things, I wanted to be still for a minute, and I needed to tend to my personal life for a minute and not let that be secondary to my professional obligations."
At this point, Zellweger was committed to taking some time to grow as a person. However, that doesn't mean it wasn't difficult to pass on offers that came her way during her hiatus. "As a creative person, saying no to that wonderful once-in-a-lifetime project is hard," the Oscar winner admitted during a separate interview with British Vogue. "But I was fatigued and wasn't taking the time I needed to recover between projects, and it caught up with me. I got sick of the sound of my own voice."
Zellweger has stated that the tough filming schedules she regularly endured during her 30s were not sustainable and that she had become unhealthy as a result. With the help of a therapist, she realized that she was depressed and needed to make herself a priority. Zellweger opted to make room in her schedule to have a personal life and make a home for herself. "I had lots of different places to live but no home," she explained to Vulture. "No home where I actually unpacked pictures and put them on the shelf."
She went back to school
Renée Zellweger took some time to rest up when the '00s came to a close, but that doesn't mean she did nothing during that time. During an appearance on the Today Show, the Texan star revealed that she studied public policy and international law during her self-imposed hiatus from acting. "I needed to step away and kind of grow as a person and learn some things that were not related to work. I snuck into UCLA for a little while and did some public policy," Zellweger shared, adding, "It's one of my favorite things. I'll bore you to death at a dinner party. Don't get me started."
Was this part of a new career path? Not necessarily. When asked if her classes were related to a future goal, Zellweger admitted that she wasn't sure. During her candid interview with Vulture, she said that her classes were more about broadening her knowledge. "I was just interested in learning a little bit more about international policy, getting a little smarter about it all, to see if it was something I had an aptitude for away from the news on the television set," she said. "It was fantastic." Zellweger isn't the only Hollywood actor to take time away from the limelight to pursue higher education. Hollywood stars such as Eva Longoria and James Franco are among those who have gone back to school for graduate degrees after achieving fame.
She created a TV pilot
During her sabbatical from the limelight, Renée Zellweger wrote and developed a TV pilot. She teamed up with Anthony Tambakis ("Warrior") to create "Cinnamon Girl," which they pitched to Lifetime. Partly inspired by Zellweger's story, the series would have been a coming-of-age tale following four young women trying to make it in La-La Land in the late '60s and early '70s. Zellweger was an executive producer on this project, but it wasn't her first time in that role: She was an executive producer for "Miss Potter" and "Living Proof" before "Cinnamon Girl."
Zellweger brought her real-life experiences as a small-town girl who transformed into a star in Los Angeles to "Cinnamon Girl." Tambakis, meanwhile, explored his fascination with the vibrant Laurel Canyon music scene from the late '60s and early '70s. Unfortunately, the network opted against picking up the series, much to the disappointment of those who were hyped for it. "I watched this program as part of a focus group. I LOVED it — I was so looking forward to seeing it," one fan commented on a Deadline article about Lifetime passing on the series. "I loved the characters and I'm really hoping that this show comes to fruition with another network. It really was that good."
If the recent success of Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine is any indicator, female audiences are hungry for entertainment that resonates with their demographic. This is something that Zellweger has been aware of for years. "All my girlfriends are waiting to go to films that are relatable, and I don't know why we're not making movies for [them]," she told The Hollywood Reporter. Hopefully, roles for older women will expand as powerhouses like Zellweger and Witherspoon create their own opportunities within an industry that has historically shunned middle-aged actresses.
Her appearance was unfairly put under the microscope
Renée Zellweger attended the Elle Women in Hollywood event in 2014, and speculation of cosmetic surgery hit the tabloids. "I'm glad folks think I look different! I'm living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I'm thrilled that perhaps it shows," Zellweger told People in an exclusive statement in response to the speculation. Two years later, ahead of Zellweger's return to the big screen in "Bridget Jones's Baby," film critic Owen Gleiberman brought up her looks again in a piece for Variety, and it led to heated debate.
Rose McGowan's response to Gleiberman's article was fierce. McGowan called the piece "vile, damaging, stupid and cruel" in an op-ed published by The Hollywood Reporter, adding that it "reeks of status quo white-male privilege." Zellweger barely acknowledged the surgery gossip when it first began outside of her People statement, but she eventually wrote an op-ed of her own for The Huffington Post, denying the accusations while calling out the media's absurd obsession with the physical appearance of actresses, especially as they age.
Why did she decide to write her own article about the rumors? "I realized, at that point, that if I didn't comment that it was going to escalate," Zellweger later explained to the Los Angeles Times. She revealed that the article in Variety hurt her feelings, but it also encouraged her to stand up for herself and discuss the "disheartening" aspects of the entertainment industry. Zellweger's co-star in "Bridget Jones's Baby" may have said it best: "Hollywood can be unsparingly brutal," Patrick Dempsey told The Hollywood Reporter, "and it's always worse for women."
Renée Zellweger's big comeback as Bridget Jones
After six years out of the public eye, Renée Zellweger returned to the big screen to play the character that made her a household name in "Bridget Jones's Baby." Zellweger said that reprising her iconic role was "a no-brainer" while talking to The New York Times. "I was just so happy to be back in her world." Hugh Grant decided not to return as love interest Daniel Cleaver, which the producers and writers worked around (he's involved in an off-screen accident). However, Eric Fellner, co-chairperson of Working Title, told The Hollywood Reporter that he never considered recasting the role of Bridget. "When I think of Bridget Jones, I think of Renée, and when I think of Renée, I think of Bridget Jones," he said. "Renée and Bridget are synonymous."
Zellweger still has so much love for Bridget Jones, who remains one of cinema's most relatable characters. "I love that she's hopelessly romantic and optimistic," she told The New York Times. Although the third film in the franchise didn't do all that well at the box office in North America, it was a huge hit in the United Kingdom. Does that mean a fourth entry could come out at some point? According to Helen Fielding (author of the "Bridget Jones" books) an adaptation of "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy" is in the pipeline. "I'm working on it and I really hope it will happen," she told the Radio Times. "Every film that gets made is a miracle — it's really difficult to make films happen and to make them good. But I'd love to see it on the screen."
She won plaudits for portraying a Hollywood icon
Renée Zellweger received widespread praise for her depiction of Hollywood icon Judy Garland in the 2019 biopic "Judy." The film follows Garland during a series of sold-out concerts in London shortly before her tragic death from an accidental overdose. As a Garland fan, starring in the biopic was a dream come true for Zellweger. "I'm one of millions and millions through the generations who fell in love with her," she told Vanity Fair.
Zellweger actually performed the vocals in "Judy" live while filming. She admitted to Jimmy Kimmel that she experienced stage fright and had thought she could talk the director out of having to sing live, but it was ultimately for the best — Zellweger won her second Oscar for her mesmerizing performance. The Texan made sure to give Garland plenty of credit during her acceptance speech. "Judy Garland did not receive this honor in her time," she said. "I am certain that this moment is an extension of the celebration of her legacy [...] You are certainly among the heroes who unite and define us, and this is certainly for you."
Zellweger also won a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a SAG award for "Judy." A big shock came later when Zellweger was nominated for a Grammy for her vocal work on the motion picture soundtrack. "I thought we'd all moved on [from the film]," Zellweger told the Los Angeles Times. "I didn't realize that it was in contention for consideration this year. It was a big surprise, and, of course, it was thrilling. It was an odyssey, and I loved every minute of it."
Renée Zellweger is now dating Ant Anstead
Wanting to celebrate the life of her recently deceased friend, renowned Hollywood publicist Nanci Ryder, Renée Zellweger agreed to be a guest on "Celebrity IOU: Joyride." She hit it off with host Ant Anstead while tricking out two cars for nurses Jerome Cowan and Jerald Cowan, who cared for Ryder at the end of her life. Anstead and Zellweger made a genuine connection and began dating after filming the show.
Zellweger has dated a few other famous men. She was engaged to Jim Carrey after they met while filming "Me, Myself & Irene." Zellweger also dated musician Jack White after they met while working on the film "Cold Mountain." Zellweger married country singer Kenny Chesney months after meeting him and filed for an annulment just as quickly. She was also romantically linked to Bradley Cooper after they met while filming "Case 39." She also dated musician Doyle Bramhall II, who she met when she was a student at the University of Texas.
Although Anstead, who is very active on Instagram, might seem like an unusual match for someone as private as Zellweger, the couple seems very happy in the moments Anstead shares with fans. Just don't expect Zellweger to start posting any time soon. "I'm a private person, so it's difficult for me to talk to the whole world like we're all best friends," she told the Los Angeles Times.
She looked unrecognizable in her network television debut
Renée Zellweger familiarized herself with Betsy Faria's murder and the exoneration of Russ Faria, as many other people did, by listening to the true crime podcast "The Thing About Pam." She had actually pursued the film and television rights to the story herself, so when NBC approached her about starring in a series based on it, she jumped at the opportunity to play Betsy's friend and suspected killer Pam Hupp. Zellweger even became an executive producer on the show.
"I wanted to do something that was lighter, which sounds absurd, because this is, ya know, based on a horrific crime," Zellweger told Harper's Bazaar. The versatile actor vanishes under the prosthetics that transform her into Hupp for the dramedy, in which she demonstrates her range. The producers were surprised that Zellweger would consider doing television, but it's clear that she has moved into a new phase of her career, choosing projects that speak to her. "Celebrity is a different job than what I'm interested in," Zellweger told Vogue. "I like the collaborative, creative experience."
Zellweger's production company The Big Picture Co. has signed a first-look deal with MGM, which she hopes will lead to directing opportunities. "Why not?" she said about helming future projects during a chat with Vulture. "I might not have been ready to do it 15 years ago, but I feel like I'm ready now." Zellweger may have taken an extended sabbatical from Hollywood when things got too hectic, but she's back now, and she's doing things on her own terms this time.