Renée Zellweger & why you need to face facts - she's a beauty
Renée Zellweger is an honorary national treasure thanks to her role as Bridget Jones. From brunette Texan girl-next-door to blonde Hollywood bombshell - with a certain Bridget Jones stopover along the way - we chart the changing look of Renée...
Rex FeaturesThe early years
After graduating from Katy High School, Texas, in 1989, Renée Kathleen Zellweger – a cheerleader who was named ‘Best Looking’ in her year book – studied English at university, taking on an extra drama class only because she needed a fine arts credit to complete her degree. However, she soon caught the acting bug and in ’91, the starlet started building up an acting resume whilst still living in Texas and working as a waitress to make ends meet. The blonde perm and pillar-box red lippy of this promo shot screams ‘wannabe’.
Getty Images1994
After appearing in several low-budget flicks and TV commercials, Renée – now a girl-next-door brunette – got her first major role in the 1994 horror flop Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, alongside Matthew McConaughey. She subsequently moved to LA, where she nabbed the role that would change her life…
Rex Features1998
After winning critical acclaim as Tom Cruise’s romantic interest in Oscar-winning flick Jerry Maguire, Renée was suddenly Hollywood’s most-wanted rising star! She went blonde again – hurrah – and notched up several acting awards for her role in Nurse Betty (a comedy with Morgan Freeman), before a certain British institution came a’ calling…
Rex FeaturesLate 1998
Bridget Jones as we know and love her! When we first heard a stick-thin Texan was to play our beloved – and archetypically British – heroine, we were shocked. But Renée nailed the role as the loveable, unintentionally hilarious singleton and won herself an army of fans here in Blighty, as well as across the Atlantic.
Rex FeaturesFebruary 1999
Renée took a break from filming Bridget Jones' Diary in London to attend the 1999 Academy Awards. By now, the starlet was a fully fledged member of the Hollywood elite – AND dating Jim Carrey (her co-star in the hilarious Me, Myself and Irene). She was also looking a little fuller – having piled on the poundage to play lovable scales-obsessed Bridget – and we thought it suited the usually willowy star. As for the hair; Renée had cropped her blonde curls into this questionable ‘do for Oscars night. Hmmm, we're not convinced.
PA PhotosNovember 1999
Wrapping the filming of Bridget Jones (for now), Renée’s softer, rounder face and naturally sunkissed, fuss-free locks really suit her. Cue the media’s much-hyped obsession with her weight fluctuations...
PA Photos2001
She may not have won the Oscar (Renée was nominated for Best Actress as Bridget Jones) but she sure stole the show! This GORGEOUS canary-yellow, Jean Desses gown, with soft, silver-screen-siren curls and ruby red lipstick was definitely one way to show Jim what he was missing! The two had split the month before, after two years together.
PA PhotosLate 2001
Pale and interesting; the starlet looked stunning at a red carpet event with this soft fringe, fuss-free up-do and clever eye make-up.
PA Photos2002
Amping up the glamour at the 2002 Vanity Fair post-Oscars party in LA – Renée, again, kept her hair and make-up simple but effective. This night saw her second nomination for the Best Actress Oscar, this time for her role as Roxie Hart in the critically acclaimed musical Chicago. She might have walked away from the Oscars empty-handed again, but she didn’t from the Golden Globes, nor the Screen Actors Guild. Go, Renée!
PA Photos2003
Looking beautiful at a fashion party in New York with a rose-bud pink flush, a sleek up-do and sweeping side-parting. By now, Renée was filming a certain romantic period drama (Cold Mountain) and romancing a certain rock star (Jack White of The White Stripes).
PA PhotosEarly 2004
Oozing glamour at the 2004 Met Ball Gala in NYC with strawberry-blonde locks and coral-red lips. By now, Renée had bagged her long-awaited Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for Cold Mountain, and was getting ready for a second round of keeping up with the Jones’ – reprising her role as Bridget for the much-anticipated sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason.
PA PhotosLate 2004
Nabbing plenty of column-inches with her newly darkened locks at the Parisian premier of Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason.
PA PhotosEarly 2005
Still a brunette, Renée’s near-black locks showcased her dreamy, creamy complexion to perfection at the People’s Choice Awards in 2005.
PA PhotosSummer 2005
Back to blonde and looking (shock!) incredibly tanned at the Cinderella Man photo-call in Hollywood. By now, Renée had made headlines the world over by announcing her marriage to country singer Kenny Chesney – after only four months of knowing him. Uh-oh.
PA Photos2006
By Christmas 2005, after only four months, Renée’s marriage to Kenny was annulled – citing fraud on his behalf as the reason for the split. Ever the professional, Renée’s public face never floundered and she looked impossibly stunning at the BAFTAs, with new ash-blonde locks and smoky eyes.
PA Photos2007
Sporting an on-trend blonde bob and sunkissed skin at the 2007 Women In Film Awards in Hollywood.
PA Photos2008
Looking every inch the glamourpuss with platinum locks and pillar-box red lips at the French premiere of new flick Leatherheads, in which she starred with ex-boyf, the gorgeous George Clooney.
PA PhotosLate 2008
Blonde and glowing with peachy-pink lippy during a press conference at the Toronto International Film Festival for latest movie Appaloosa; a western with Viggo Mortensen.
PA PhotosJanuary 2009
Dividing style columns the world over with her curly, frou-frou up-do at the 2009 Golden Globes. Not her finest hour, we agree.
PA Photos2009
Now, that’s more like it! Renée looked confident and sexy for her appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, with her trademark relaxed locks and minimal make-up.
Getty Images2010
It's amazing what a fringe can do. Renée switched up her look in 2010 with a very chic short hairstyle. It was a pivotal year for Renée - after her role in My Own Love Song (where she played a former singer suffering from paralysis) which didn't really go to plan as it went straight to video. After this movie, she took a five-year hiatus from screen acting.
Getty Images2011
It didn't stop Renée from getting involved with matters close to her heart. Here she is at a Tommy Hilfiger fashion event which raised money for a breast health international. She collaborated with the design house to bring out a bag which would raise money, saying: "Because of the experiences of close friends and family members who have had to endure and battle the challenges of breast cancer, I am a passionate supporter of breast health education and charitable causes".
With a nude lip, and luminous complexion, she looked stunning. In 2011, she split from Bradley Cooper who she had been dating since 2009 after meeting on the set of Case 39.
Getty Images2012
Glamour puss! Taking time off from acting obviously did her a world of good. Renée looked glorious with her tousled hair and natural makeup at the 2012 MET Gala. She really let those earrings dominate her look. She also started dating blues musician Doyle Bramhall II.
Getty Images2013
In 2013, Zellweger co-created and executive produced Cinnamon Girl, an original drama series set in the Hollywood movie and music scenes of the late 60s/early 70s, but the Lifetime network passed on the pilot. Regardless, she did nail it with her look - choosing a blunt fringe. Will it stay or will it go?
Getty Images2014
Renée went back to work after a five-year break, and looked glorious with glowing skin and lighter locks. The new role to sink her teeth in to was indie film The Whole Truth, and production started in July 2014. However media scrutiny surrounding her face was starting to build. Had she had 'work done?' - the headlines said yes.
Renée later set the record straight: "As you mature, you’re not just getting older, you’re becoming more of who you are supposed to be, and becoming the best version of yourself, better and more interesting. It’s a more powerful beauty and it’s a more valuable beauty. Besides - I don’t want to stay the same! I’m curious about what comes next!"
Rex FeaturesLate 2014
It was this picture that sparked a huge conversation about Renée and whether she had underdone plastic surgery. At the sight of her drastically changed appearance, Twitter was rife with comments like "Renée doesn't look like this anymore" and "what has she done?!", while others leapt to her defence and pointed out that this is what our insane expectation of what women should look like leads to - a lotta plastic surgery.
Renée later set the record straight in an open letter, titled We Can Do Better: "Not that it's anyone's business, but I did not make a decision to alter my face and have surgery on my eyes. This fact is of no true import to anyone at all, but that the possibility alone was discussed among respected journalists and became a public conversation is a disconcerting illustration of news/entertainment confusion and society's fixation on physicality."
Getty Images2015
Renée headed to fashion week and was obviously loving the bun hairstyle. The year 2015 was deemed Renée's official comeback as she starred in a new movie, The Whole Truth with Keanu Reeves.
Getty Images2016
Renée looked gorgeous when she attended the SeriousFun Children's Network London Gala in the UK. She was in town because she was filming the highly anticipated Bridget Jones's Baby.
Rex Features2016
Oh we love those waves, Renée! Looking gorgeous at a photocall for Bridget Jones's Baby, Renée looked incredible. Addressing the plastic surgery rumours that have been plaguing her in recent years, Renée told the BBC: "It's disconcerting when you see something you know is not true becoming the truth, simply because its been repeated enough. It opens the floodgates for something that could be of far greater consequence."
Getty Images2016
Beautiful! Renée rocked up to the world premiere of Bridget Jones's Baby with an undone up-do which loose tendrils framing her face. It was a good job she chose this particular hairstyle because she spent the entire night hanging out with fans, posing for pictures and signing autographs. What a trooper!
