Renee Zellweger Biography

(Actress Known for Her Films: 'Bridget Jones's Diary', 'Chicago', 'Cold Mountain' and 'Judy')

Birthday: April 25, 1969 (Taurus)

Born In: Katy, Texas, United States

Renee Zellweger is a renowned American actress, Impressive performance, expressive features, sweet voice and strong artistic prowess has contributed to give Renee Zellweger the stardom and status that she enjoys today. Born in Texas, young Zellweger enjoyed dramatics just as she did sports and cheerleading. It was a chance taking up of dramatics as the fine arts subject to complete her BA that changed the path of her life completely. She found herself at ease while on stage and no sooner, took it up as a profession. Zellweger started off playing minor roles in several films, before she bagged the lead character in the film ‘Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation’. Her career witnessed a jumpstart when she relocated to Los Angeles. Her first major breakthrough came with the film, ‘Jerry Maguire’ in which she played the love interest of Tom Cruise character. The role-play won her international acclaim and commendation. Following this, she starred in super successful flicks like, ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’, ‘Chicago’, ‘Cold Mountain’ and so on. It was her impeccable acting talent that won her an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards, thus establishing her as one of the highest paid actress of Hollywood.
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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Renée Kathleen Zellweger

Age: 55 Years, 55 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Kenny Chesney

father: Emil Erich Zellweger

mother: Kjellfrid Irene (née Andreassen)

Actresses American Women

Height: 5'4" (163 cm), 5'4" Females

Ancestry: Norwegian American, Swiss American

U.S. State: Texas

More Facts

education: University Of Texas At Austin

  • 1

    What movies has Renee Zellweger starred in recently?

    Renee Zellweger has starred in recent movies such as "Judy" (2019) and "What/If" (2019).

  • 2

    Is Renee Zellweger a singer in real life?

    Yes, Renee Zellweger showcased her singing abilities in the movie "Judy" where she portrayed Judy Garland.
  • 3

    Does Renee Zellweger have any upcoming projects?

    Renee Zellweger is set to star in the upcoming movie "The Thing About Pam" based on a true crime story.
  • 4

    Has Renee Zellweger ever won an Oscar for her acting?

    Yes, Renee Zellweger won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie "Judy" in 2020.
  • 5

    What is the most iconic role of Renee Zellweger?

    One of the most iconic roles of Renee Zellweger is her portrayal of Bridget Jones in the "Bridget Jones's Diary" film series.
Childhood & Early Life
Renee Zellweger was born to Swiss father Emil Erich Zellweger and Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, and Sami mother, Kjellfrid Irene, in Texas. While her father is a mechanical and electrical engineer, her mother worked as a nurse and midwife
Academically, she gained her preliminary education from Katy High School in Texas. She was different from her female friend in school given her tomboyish attitude. Due to the same, she enjoyed what then was called boy’s stuff, playing sports and gymnastics.
In addition to sports, she loved cheerleading and dramatics. She was also a member of the drama club.
Post high school education, she enrolled at the University of Texas majoring in English language. To complete her degree, she took up drama class as she required a fine arts credit. Little did she realize that it would eventually change the course of her life!
Meanwhile, to support herself financially, she took up job as a waitress. She also acted in a few commercials and the Austin-filmed horror-comedy ‘My Boyfriend's Back’.
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Career
Graduating from college in 1991 with a BA in English, she started auditioning for roles in and around Houston. It was during this time that he landed in her first job that of working in a beef commercial.
From 1992 to 1994, she appeared in minor roles in several films, including, ‘A Taste for Killing’, ‘Murder in the Heartland’, ‘Reality Bites’ and ‘8 Seconds’
Her first breakthrough came in 1994 with the film ‘Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation’ in which she played a major role. Subsequently, she starred in a leading role in the film, ‘Love and a .45’. Her astute portrayal of the character won her an Independent Spirit Award for best debut.
The high reception and appreciation led her to relocate to Los Angeles, the hub of films and entertainment. Her first film after relocation was ‘Empire Records’ released in 1995. The following year, she was seen in the movie, ‘The Whole Wide World’.
The movie, ‘Jerry Maguire’, released in 1996, earned her worldwide appeal and stardom. In the movie, she played the character of Jerry, the love interest of Tom Cruise. The movie gained widespread critical and commercial success.
While she had steadied her base in Hollywood, the big blockbuster success still eluded her. However, 1998 proved to be a super successful year for her with two back to back blockbusters, ‘One True Thing’ and ‘Nurse Betty’. The latter even won her, her first Golden Globe award.
She soon cemented her position as one of the hottest and most bankable stars of Hollywood. What made her different from her counterparts was her willingness to break-from-the-obvious. She dared to play challenging roles, films with varying script and concept movies.
She was next seen playing the love interest of Jim Carrey, Irene P Waters, in the comedy film, ‘Me Myself and Irene’. Directed by Farrell Brothers, the movie had her playing twin characters.
Year 2001 witnessed the release of the critically acclaimed British rom-com movie, ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’. The movie had her play the character of Bridget Jones, a British overweight girl. Interestingly, she had to put on weight and work upon her accent to give authenticity to the character. However, the hard work paid off as she received praise from critics.
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In 2002, two of her movies were released: 'White Oleander’ opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and a directorial venture by Rob Marshall, named ‘Chicago’. The latter was critically acclaimed and won her, her second Golden Globe award.
In 2003, her movie ‘Cold Mountain’ was released. The movie was based on the Civil War and she played the character of Ruby Thewes. The perfection and realism that she brought to the character earned her first Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress. She also won the Golden Globe award for the movie.
She was next seen in the sequel of ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’, titled, ‘Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason’. Furthermore, she played voice roles for DreamWorks animated features ‘Shark Tale’ and ‘Bee Movie’.
Her 2005 releases include Ron Howard’s ‘Cinderella Man’ opposite Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti and a biopic on the singing legend Janis Joplin, ‘Piece of My Heart’. Additionally, she starred and produced the movie, ‘Miss Potter’ based on the story of the author Beatrix Potter.
Three years later, she starred in the western movie, ‘Appaloosa’ and the period comedy ‘Leatherheads’, opposite George Clooney. Additionally she produced the film, ‘Living Proof’.
Year 2009 was a busy year for this talented actress as she had a couple of projects scheduled for release. She was cast in the film, ‘My One and Only’, ‘New in Town’, and starred in the psychological horror film ‘Case 39’ as a social worker.
As of now, her last movie to be released was the 2010 drama, ‘My Own Love Song’ in which she played a former singer suffering from paralysis.
Awards & Achievements
In 2003, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie 'Cold Mountain'.
In 2005, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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In 2007, she received the Women in Film Crystal award
Personal Life & Legacy
She has been in a number of romantic relationships, starting from a short-timed but much publicized affair with Jim Carrey. Later on, she was involved with The White Stripes singer Jack White to whom she was linked with for two years.
She finally tied the knot with singer Kenny Chesney on May 9, 2005. However, just after four months of marriage, they annulled their marriage.
It was rumoured that she was involved with actor Bradley Cooper for a year or two.
Facts About Renee Zellweger
Renee Zellweger is a talented singer and has showcased her vocal abilities in several movie roles, including in the film "Chicago" where she sang her own songs.
She is known for her dedication to her roles and has undergone significant physical transformations for her characters, such as gaining weight for her role in "Bridget Jones's Diary."
Renee Zellweger is passionate about philanthropy and has been involved in various charitable causes, including supporting organizations that focus on children's health and education.
Despite her fame and success, Renee Zellweger is known for her down-to-earth personality and approachable demeanor, often engaging with fans in a friendly and genuine manner.
In addition to her acting talents, Renee Zellweger is also a skilled writer and has contributed articles to various publications, showcasing her creative abilities beyond the screen.

Renee Zellweger Movies

1. Jerry Maguire (1996)

  (Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sport)

2. Cinderella Man (2005)

  (Sport, Biography, Drama)

3. Chicago (2002)

  (Crime, Musical, Comedy)

4. Cold Mountain (2003)

  (Adventure, Drama, History, War, Romance)

5. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

  (Comedy, Drama, Romance)

6. Dazed and Confused (1993)

  (Comedy)

7. Miss Potter (2006)

  (Biography, Drama)

8. Judy (2018)

  (Drama, Musical, Biography, Romance)

9. New in Town (2009)

  (Comedy, Romance)

10. One True Thing (1998)

  (Drama)

Awards

Academy Awards(Oscars)
2020 Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Judy (2019)
2004 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Cold Mountain (2003)
Golden Globe Awards
2020 Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Judy (2019)
2004 Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Cold Mountain (2003)
2003 Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical Chicago (2002)
2001 Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical Nurse Betty (2000)
BAFTA Awards
2020 Best Leading Actress Judy (2019)
2004 Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Cold Mountain (2003)
People's Choice Awards
2005 Favorite Leading Lady Winner

See the events in life of Renee Zellweger in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Renee Zellweger Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/renee-zellweger-5086.php

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