Renee Zellweger is the queen of reinvention.
Throughout her 30-year acting career, we’ve seen the iconic actress morph her body and her look for every character she plays.
We first met a baby-faced Zellweger in the cult classic film Empire Records, with her adorable 90s bangs and brown lipstick, and later fell in love with the wonderful Bridget Jones, a role for which the actress famously gained about 15kg.
In 2019, we saw the actress reinvent herself again, making her TV series debut in the juicy Netflix thriller What/If, which explores “the ripple effects of what happens when acceptable people start doing unacceptable things.”
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Renee Zellweger on set as Bridget Jones.
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Zellweger famously gained 15kg to play Bridget Jones.
(Credit: Supplied)A stunningly svelte Zellweger played Anne Montgomery, a wealthy woman who offers a financially challenged woman an ultimatum – let her sleep with her husband and she will wipe away their debts.
Zellweger looked incredible in the show, rocking beautiful blonde locks and a taute visage, her gorgeous toned figure poured into slim dresses, her blonde locks blow-dried into a perfect bob and her incredible skin glowing.
Can you believe she is 51?!
Renee Zellweger in the Netflix thriller What If.
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Renee Zellweger on the red carpet at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars party in February.
(Credit: Getty)Most recently, we saw Zellweger transform herself again, this time into iconic actress and singer Judy Garland, in the 2019 film, Judy.
The movie focuses on the later years of Gardland’s life, when she was troubled by addiction to drugs and alcohol.
Renee Zellweger completely transformed herself in the film Judy.
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She was almost unrecognisable when in costume.
(Credit: Supplied)The American actress looked positively glowing on the red carpet at the film’s premiere in London in October 2019.
Despite the rainy weather, Zellweger stunned in a pretty pink frock that showed off her very slim figure, and confidently strutted down the red carpet, holding her own umbrella nonetheless!
Renee also looked fresh-faced and well-rested, as you can see in the close-up image below. Perhaps the result of a relaxing summer in the northern hemisphere, or perhaps a little help from her dermatologist?
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How gorgeous did she look?!
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Seriously, she has no wrinkles.
(Credit: Getty)The actress has long dogged questions about any surgical procedures she’s undergone, with fans constantly marvelling at how good she looks.
But not all of the commentary has been positive.
When Zellweger stepped out on the red carpet at ELLE magazine’s Women in Hollywood event in 2014, both social media and mainstream news outlets lit up with commentary about the then 47-year-old’s VERY different look.
Her new face was so shocking to some, with respected US entertainment outlet Variety even publishing an op ed entitled, Renee Zellweger: If She No Longer Looks Like Herself, Has She Become a Different Actress?
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Renee Zellweger at the 2014 Elle Women In Hollywood event. (Image: Getty)
The internet blew up with commentary about how different her face looked. (Image: Getty)
The actress looked considerably different. (Image: Getty)
When asked about the commentary shortly after the internet commentary went into overdrive, Zellweger told People: “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,” she added, referencing the six-year acting hiatus she took from, to focus more on her health and wellbeing.
“My friends say that I look peaceful. I am healthy. For a long time I wasn’t doing such a good job with that. I took on a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and didn’t allow for taking care of myself,” she said.
“Rather than stopping to recalibrate, I kept running until I was depleted and made bad choices about how to conceal the exhaustion. I was aware of the chaos and finally chose different things.
“People don’t know me in my 40s,” Zellweger added. “People don’t know me [as] healthy for a while. Perhaps I look different. Who doesn’t as they get older?! Ha. But I am different. I’m happy.”
WATCH BELOW: Renee Zellweger and Patrick Dempsey reveal their favourite scenes in Bridget Jones’ Baby. Story continues after video.
Then in 2016, Zellweger penned a brutally honest open letter in The Huffington Post discussing the intense media speculation about her new look.
“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,” she wrote.
Renee on the red carpet in 2016.
(Credit: Getty)
Renee looking fresh-faced back in 2005.
(Credit: Getty)“It’s no secret a woman’s worth has historically been measured by her appearance,” she continued.
“Although we have evolved to acknowledge the importance of female participation in determining the success of society, and take for granted that women are standard bearers in all realms of high profile position and influence, the double standard used to diminish our contributions remains, and is perpetuated by the negative conversation which enters our consciousness every day as snark entertainment.
“Too skinny, too fat, showing age, better as a brunette, cellulite thighs, facelift scandal, going bald, fat belly or bump?
Renee cut a dazzling figure at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards.
(Image: Getty)
The 51-year-old announced the late Chadwick Boseman for Best Actor in Motion Picture Drama.
(Image: Getty)“Ugly shoes, ugly feet, ugly smile, ugly hands, ugly dress, ugly laugh; headline material which emphasizes the implied variables meant to determine a person’s worth, and serve as parameters around a very narrow suggested margin within which every one of us must exist in order to be considered socially acceptable and professionally valuable, and to avoid painful ridicule.
“The resulting message is problematic for younger generations and impressionable minds, and undoubtably triggers myriad subsequent issues regarding conformity, prejudice, equality, self acceptance, bullying and health.”
Most recently the acclaimed performer won the Best Actress award for her role in Judy at the 2020 Academy Awards.
And in March 2021, Renee dazzled on the stage at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards as she announced the late Chadwick Boseman had posthumously won Actor in a Drama Motion Picture for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Harking back to a more classic look, the starlet opted for a textured, messy dark blonde bob, which she teamed with a strapless black Giorgio Armani Privé gown and natural-looking make-up.
