Renée Zellweger

Infobox actor


imagesize =
caption =
birthdate = birth date and age|1969|4|25
birthname = Renée Kathleen Zellweger
birthplace = Baytown, Texas
yearsactive = 1992–present
spouse = Kenny Chesney (2005) (annulled)
academyawards = Best Supporting Actress
2003 "Cold Mountain"
goldenglobeawards = Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2001 "Nurse Betty"
2003 "Chicago"
Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
2004 "Cold Mountain"
baftaawards = Best Actress in a Supporting Role
2003 "Cold Mountain"
sagawards = Outstanding Cast - Motion Picture
2002 "Chicago"
Outstanding Actress - Motion Picture
2002 "Chicago"
Outstanding Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
2003 "Cold Mountain"

Renée Kathleen Zellweger (born April 25, 1969) is an Academy Award-, BAFTA-, SAG Award-, and Golden Globe-winning American actress & producer, who has established herself as one of the highest-paid Hollywood actresses in recent years. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/category?blogid=7&cat=178 "Witherspoon Tops Rich List"] . SF Gate.com. 30 November 2007.]

Early life

Zellweger was born in Baytown, Texas, an eastern suburb of Houston. Between junior high school and high school her family moved to Katy, Texas, a western suburb of Houston. Her father, Emil Erich Zellweger, is a Swiss-born mechanical and electrical engineer who worked in the oil refining business. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/1/Renee-Zellweger.html "Renee Zellweger"] . Film Reference.com. 6 February 2008] Zellweger's mother, Kjellfried Irene (née Andreassen), is Norwegian-born and of Sami origin [http://uk.askmen.com/women/actress/43_renee_zellweger.html "Actress of the Week: Renee Zellweger"] . Askmen.com. 6 February 2008.] [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2004/10/28/bfzell.xml "Lone star"] . Telegraph.co.uk. 28 October 2004] and is a nurse and midwife, who moved to the United States in order to work as a governess for a Norwegian family in Texas. [Agelorius, Monica. [http://www.unreel.co.uk/Features/interviewreneezellweger.cfm "Bridget Jones's Diary LA junket"] . Unreel.co.uk. 17 March 2001.] [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/renee_zellweger_biog.html "Renee Zellweger Biography"] . Tiscali.co.uk. 6 February 2008.] Zellweger described herself as being raised in a family of "lazy Catholics and Episcopalians". She has an older brother, Andrew.

In junior high school, Zellweger actively took part in several sports, including soccer, basketball, baseball and football. She attended Katy High School, where she was a cheerleader, a gymnast, and a drama club member. Zellweger acted in several school plays and was voted the "Best Looking" of her class before graduating from high school in 1987. After high school, she went to the University of Texas at Austin to major in English language. Zellweger was a good student, and made the Dean's List several times. At the beginning she took a drama class only because she needed a fine arts credit to complete her degree, but the experience made her appreciate how much she loved acting. [http://www.bravotv.com/Inside_the_Actors_Studio/guest/Renee_Zellweger "Inside the Actors Studio"] . Bravotv.com. Season 9, Episode 912. 9 May 2003.] During this time, she supported herself by taking jobs as a waitress in Austin, Texas and worked maintenace at The Velvet Touch in Flint, Michigan. . [http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019230/bio "Renee Zellweger"] . Yahoo! Movies. 6 February 2008] In 1991, Zellweger graduated from university with a BA degree in English. She considered moving to Hollywood but decided to stay in her home state, Texas, to seek more experience. Her first job after graduation was working in a beef commercial, at the same time she started to audition for roles around Houston.

Film career

While still in Texas, Zellweger appeared in several films. She appeared in "The Bachelor" as Anne, then had a minor role in ABC TV mini series named "Murder in the Heartland". The following year, she appeared in "Reality Bites", the directorial debut of Ben Stiller, and the biopic film "8 Seconds", directed by John G. Avildsen. Zellweger's first main part in a movie came with the 1994 horror movie "Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre", in which she acted alongside Matthew McConaughey. She played Jenny, a teenager who leaves a prom early with three friends and ended up getting into a car accident, which leads to their meeting a murderous family. Her next movie was "Love and a .45", in which she played the role of Starlene Cheatham, a woman who plans a robbery with her boyfriend. The performance earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance. She subsequently moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting, winning roles in the films "Empire Records", "The Whole Wide World". Zellweger first became widely known to audiences around the world with her role in 1996's "Jerry Maguire", where she played the romantic interest of Tom Cruise's character. She won the role over Mira Sorvino and Marisa Tomei. Since then, Zellweger has won acclaim in roles such as "One True Thing" opposite William Hurt and Meryl Streep, and in Neil LaBute's "Nurse Betty" opposite Morgan Freeman. The role garnered the actress her first of three Golden Globe Awards, but she was in the bathroom when future co-star Hugh Grant announced her name. Zellweger later protested: "I had lipstick on my teeth!" [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1130453.stm Zellweger's flush of success] BBC News. February 7, 2008.]

In 2001, Zellweger gained the prized lead role as Bridget Jones, playing alongside Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, in the British romantic comedy film "Bridget Jones's Diary," a film that is based on the 1996 novel "Bridget Jones's Diary" by Helen Fielding, amid much controversy since she was neither British nor overweight. During casting Zellweger was told she was too skinny to play the chubby Bridget, so she very quickly embarked on gaining the required weight. She gained 20 pounds in order to complete her transformation to Bridget Jones. [http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/13/arts/13BRID.html?ex=1203310800&en=d24402979583bd46&ei=5070 'Bridget Jones's Diary': 120 Pounds and 1,000,000 Cigarettes Later ] ] Her dramatic weight fluctuations became the subject of much media interest. Her performance as Bridget received praise from critics, with Stephen Holden of "The New York Times" commenting, "Ms. Zellweger accomplishes the small miracle of making Bridget both entirely endearing and utterly real." Along with receiving voice coaching to fine-tune her English accent, part of Zellweger's preparations involved spending three weeks working undercover in a "work experience placement" for British publishing firm Picador in Victoria, London. [ [http://www.iofilm.co.uk/feats/interviews/r/renee_zellweger.shtml "Overweight and over here. Texan Renee Zellweger plays a modern British everywoman"] . iofilm.co.uk.] As a result of her considerable efforts to effect author Helen Fielding's character, Zellweger caught the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and received her first Best Actress Academy Award nomination.

In 2002, she starred with Michelle Pfeiffer in "White Oleander". The same year, she appeared in the critically-acclaimed musical film "Chicago", directed by Rob Marshall, co-starring Catherine Zeta Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, and John C. Reilly. She played the lead role of Roxie Hart, a show girl who is arrested by the police for murdering her boyfriend, but later becomes a celebrity of Chicago. The movie received an Academy Award for Best Picture, and Zellweger received positive reviews from the critics. The "SFGate" commented, "Zellweger is a joy to watch, with marvelous comic timing and, in her stage numbers, a commanding presence." [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2002/12/27/DD41828.DTL&type=movies That's showbiz / 'Chicago' sparkles with sexy women, jazz energy and spectacular numbers ] ] The "Washington Post" noted that even though Zellweger couln't dance well in real life, the audience" wouldn't know it from this movie, in which she dances up a storm." [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41879-2002Dec26.html Pure Razzmatazz (washingtonpost.com) ] ] As a result, she earned her second Academy Award nomination as Best Actress, as well as the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe Award. In 2004, Zellweger received an Academy Award, this time as Best Supporting Actress in Anthony Minghella's "Cold Mountain" opposite Jude Law and Nicole Kidman. Zellweger has since starred in the sequel to "Bridget Jones's Diary" in "", lent her voice to the DreamWorks animated features "Shark Tale" and "Bee Movie", and starred in the 2005 Ron Howard film "Cinderella Man" opposite Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti. On May 24, 2005, Zellweger received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She also appeared in "Miss Potter", based on the life story of acclaimed author Beatrix Potter, with Emily Watson and Ewan McGregor, released in December 2006. This became the first and only film to date that Zellweger has produced herself. In 2008, she starred in the period comedy "Leatherheads" with fellow Oscar-winner George Clooney and John Krasinski from "The Office".

Zellweger and Marc Forster, took part in the 2005 HIV prevention campaign of the Swiss federal health department. [ [http://www.lovelife.ch/stopaids.php "Swiss Government AIDs campaign"] ((Flash: click "Campaign", then choose "2005") ]

In 2008 she is producing a film starring Harry Connick, Jr., about the true story of Dr. Denny Slamon. The film, called "Living Proof", is scheduled to premiere in October 2008 on Lifetime Television. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron is also producing. [ [http://blog.nola.com/davewalker/2008/05/harry_connick_jr_to_star_in_ne.html Harry Connick Jr. to star in New Orleans-shot movie for Lifetime] , The Times Picayune, May 2, 2008]

StudioCanal and Alain Goldman's Legende are currently developing the next film from La Vie En Rose director Olivier Dahan entitled My Very Own Love Song. StudioCanal has confirmed that Renee Zellweger as well as Forest Whitaker are attached to the project.

It has been confirmed that she will star along side Chris Noth in the feature film 'My One and Only', due for release in 2009. The film is a 1950s-set comedy in which the glamorous Anne Deveraux (played by Zellweger) embarks on a drive down the Eastern Seaboard in a quixotic search for a wealthy man to fund a new life for her and her sons.

Personal life

Zellweger dated Joshua Pate, whom she began seeing in November 1997 after the filming of "Deceiver". She also was rumored to have dated George Clooney. Her first high-profile romance was with actor/comedian Jim Carrey. The relationship ended in December 2000. The two were rumored to have been engaged, but Zellweger frequently denies this claim. Zellweger notably poked fun at the prior relationship when she ended her opening monologue on Saturday Night Live by reading an entry from her own "diary", marked "Dear Diary, I can't believe I am dating Jim Carrey."

For two years, Zellweger dated The White Stripes singer Jack White, who is six years her junior. The pair met while filming "Cold Mountain", and later began dating after the film wrapped. They broke up two years later, after schedule demands kept them apart. [ [http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/white%20calls%20off%20relationship%20with%20zellweger "Jack White - White Calls Off Relationship with Zellweger"] . Contact Music.com. 19 December 2004.] Friends said the split was amicable. [ [http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/17782004.htm "Renee Zellweger splits with Jack White"] . Female First.co.uk.]

On May 9, 2005, Zellweger married singer Kenny Chesney in a ceremony at the island of St. John. They had met in January at a tsunami relief benefit concert. Zellweger missed out on the engagement ring since the wedding was planned over a short span of time. [ [http://diamondbug.blogspot.com/2005/05/renee-zellweger-misses-out-on.html "Renée misses out on engagement ring"] . Diamond Bug. 12 May 2005.] On September 15, 2005, after only four months of marriage, they announced their plans for an annulment. Zellweger cited fraud as the reason in the related papers.Thomas, Karen. [http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-09-15-zellweger-chesney_x.htm "Renee Zellweger cites 'fraud' in split to Kenny Chesney"] . USA Today. 15 September 2005.] After media scrutiny of her use of the word "fraud", she qualified the use of the term, stating it was "simply legal language and not a reflection of Kenny's character. I would personally be very grateful for your support in refraining from drawing derogatory, hurtful, sensationalized or untrue conclusions. We hope to experience this transition as privately as possible." The annulment was finalized in late December 2005.

Since the annulment, she has been linked to various personalities, including actor Luke Perry of "Beverly Hills, 90210" fame. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=12962 "Zellweger Finds Love with Perry?"] SF Gate.com. 17 January 2007.]

After selling her home in the Hollywood Hills, [Johnson, Tricia. [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,355156,00.html "Renee's roost!"] . EW.com. ] Zellweger bought a home in Bel Air. However, due to the constant attention from the paparazzi, she purchased a home in Connecticut and moved in 2005. In January 2007, she admitted that she gets scared at home alone due to security problems and fans who send or leave mail at her homes. She said that she considered buying a gun for reasons of personal security. [ [http://www.netscape.com/viewstory/2007/01/09/renee-zellweger-says-being-home-alone-is-scary-sometimes/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.exposay.com%2Frenee-zellweger-says-being-home-alone-is-scary-sometimes%2Fv%2F7417%2F&frame=true "Renee Zellweger Says Being Home Alone Is "Scary" Sometimes"] . Netscape News. 9 January 2007.] She claims she rarely spends time there, and keeps a small apartment in New York where she stops over to do laundry before moving on to her next film.

Filmography and awards

References

External links

*imdb name | id=0000250 | name=Renée Zellweger
*tvtome person|id=53792|name=Renée Zellweger
* [http://www.stv.tv/content/out/film/displayHotnow.html?id=opencms:/out/hotnow/films/newArticle9183516 Interview with Zellweger about her role in "Miss Potter"]
* [http://www.moviehole.net/news/20041106_4485.html Renée Zellweger interview for "Bridget Jones's Diary"]
* [http://www.whildonen.net/slekt/p258.htm/ Renée Zellweger Norwegian/Sami family tree]

###@@@KEY@@@###
-! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Academy Award
-succession box
title=Best Supporting Actress
years=2003
for "Cold Mountain"
before=Catherine Zeta-Jones
for "Chicago"
after=Cate Blanchett
for "The Aviator"
-! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Golden Globe Award
-succession box
title=Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
years=2000
for "Nurse Betty"
before=Janet McTeer
for "Tumbleweeds"
after=Nicole Kidman
for "Moulin Rouge!"succession box
title=Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
years=2002
for "Chicago"
before=Nicole Kidman
for "Moulin Rouge!"
after=Diane Keaton
for "Something's Gotta Give"succession box
title=Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
years=2004
for "Cold Mountain"
before=Meryl Streep
for "Adaptation."
after=Natalie Portman
for "Closer"
-! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | BAFTA Award|succession box
title=Best Actress in a Supporting Role
years=2004
for "Cold Mountain"
before=Catherine Zeta-Jones
for "Chicago"
after=Cate Blanchett
for "The Aviator"
-! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Screen Actors Guild Award|succession box
title=Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - Motion Picture
years=2002
for "Chicago"
before=Halle Berry
for "Monster's Ball"
after=Charlize Theron
for "Monster"succession box
title=Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
years=2002
for "Chicago"
co-awardee with Christine Baranski, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, Taye Diggs, Denise Faye, Colm Feore, Richard Gere, Deidre Goodwin, Mýa, Lucy Liu, Queen Latifah, Susan Misner, John C. Reilly, Dominic West, Catherine Zeta-Jones
before= Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, Richard E. Grant, Tom Hollander, Derek Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Northam, Clive Owen, Ryan Phillippe, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Geraldine Somerville, Sophie Thompson, Emily Watson, James Wilby
for "Gosford Park"
after=Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, John Noble, Miranda Otto, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Liv Tyler, Karl Urban, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham, Elijah Wood
for ""succession box
title=Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture
years=2003
for "Cold Mountain"
before= Catherine Zeta-Jones
for "Chicago"
after=Cate Blanchett
for "The Aviator"

Persondata
NAME= Zellweger, Renée
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Zellweger, Renée Kathleen
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Actress
DATE OF BIRTH= April 25, 1969
PLACE OF BIRTH= Baytown, Texas
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=