What the Hell Happened to Renee Zellweger?

Renee Zellweger has won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, she was nominated twice for Best Actress and she has won three Golden Globes.  For roughly a decade, she topped the A-list with both critical acclaim and commercial success.  But she has been missing from the big screen for the last several years.

What the hell happened?

Rene Zellweger - Dazed and Confused - 1993
Renee Zellweger – Dazed and Confused – 1993

Zellweger started acting in TV movies like A Taste for Killing in 1992 and the mini-series Murder in the Heartland in 1993.  She had uncredited roles in the zombie rom-com, My Boyfriend’s Back and the 70’s high school comedy, Dazed and Confused (pictured above) in 1993.

zellwegger - reality bites
Renee Zellweger – Reality Bites – 1994

In 1994, Zellweger appeared in Reality Bites as one of Ethan Hawke’s girl friends.  The picture above is pretty much the sum total of her part.  She gives the slacker heart-throb a kiss on the porch and is never seen or heard from again.  She was little more than an extra, but it was her first credited role in a Hollywood movie.

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Renee Zellweger – 8 Seconds – 1994

One week after the wide release of Reality Bites, Zellweger had a slightly larger role in Luke Perry’s bull-riding bio-pic, 8 Seconds.  The film was Perry last grasp at transitioning from TV star to the big screen.  Despite mostly negative reviews it was a small hit at the box office in relation to its modest budget.

Later that year, Zellweger starred in the Showtime movie, Shake Rattle and Roll.  SR&R was part of a series of remakes of 1950’s B-movies that Showtime produced under the title Rebel Highway.  The idea was to give drive-in movies a “90’s edge”.    Series creator, Samuel Z. Arkoff wondered “what it would be like if you made Rebel Without a Cause today. It would be more lurid, sexier, and much more dangerous, and you definitely would have had Natalie Wood’s top off”.

The clip above includes footage from several of Zellweger’s movies from 1994 set to a song from Shake Rattle and Roll.

zellweger - texas chainsaw massacre
Renee Zellweger – The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre – 1994

Just about every successful actress in Hollywood has a horror film in their early days they wish they could make go away.  For Zellweger, that film is The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The low-budget sequel starred Texas natives Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey who were both unknowns at the time.  Zellweger played the girl in peril and McConaughey went way, way, way over-the-top as the next generation cannibal who terrorizes her.

In spite of the presence of two future stars, The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was terrible even by the standards of a low-budget horror sequel.  It got dumped in a few theaters in 1994 and was screen at the South by South-west Film and Media Conference in 1995.

In 1997, when Zellweger and McConaughey were both rising stars, it was re-edited and released under the title Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.  McConaughey actively campaigned to prevent the film from getting a wide release.  And with good reason.  His performance is laughable.

Reviews were almost unanimously negative.  McConaughey successfully blocked the film from getting a wide release.  It opened in just 20 cities in 1997 before being dumped to video.

Rene Zellweger - Love and a 45 - 1994
Renee Zellweger – Love and a 45 – 1994

Zellweger’s final film of the year was the independent crime drama, Love and a .45.

She and Gil Bellows played a young couple on a Bonnie and Clyde-style crime spree.

Zellweger was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance.

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Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger – Empire Records – 1995

In 1995, Zellweger appeared opposite Liv Tyler, Anthony LaPaglia, Robin Tunney and Ethan Embry in Empire Records.

Empire Records follows a day in the life of the employees at an independent record store.  The employees are trying to prevent their beloved store from being sold to a soulless corporate chain.  It’s sort of like Clerks with a bigger budget and fewer Star Wars references.  Zellweger played Tyler’s best friend who seduces a fading pop star played by Maxwell Caulfield (of Grease 2 infamy).

Empire Records was severely edited during post-production.  The film was cut by forty minutes excising three characters entirely.  Originally, the movie took place over the course of two days, but it was edited down to just one day.

When it was released, Empire Records got mostly negative reviews and bombed at the box office.  But it has developed a cult following on video.

zellweger - whole wide world
Renee Zellweger – The Whole Wide World – 1996

In 1996, Zellweger starred opposite Vincent D’Onofrio in the romantic drama, The Whole Wide World.

D’Onofrio played pulp writer and Conan creator, Robert E. Howard.  Zellweger played school teacher, Novalyne Price Ellis who formed a relationship with Howard and later wrote two books about her relationship with the author.

Originally, the role of Ellis was to have been played by Olivia d’Abo who appeared in the Conan sequel, Conan the Destroyer.  But when d’Abo dropped out due to pregnancy, Zellweger was cast.

Zellweger used a tape of The Whole Wide World to convince her future Jerry Maguire director, Cameron Crowe, that she could convincingly play a 20-something woman.  She was once again nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

TOM CRUISE & RENEE ZELLWEGERJERRY MAGUIRETRISTAR
Renee Zellweger – Jerry Maguire – 1996

Later that year, Zellweger starred opposite Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr. in Cameron Crowe’s romantic dramedy, Jerry Maguire.

Cruise played a sports agent who leaves his job after suffering a crisis of conscience.  Zellweger played the single mom who follows him when he leaves.  Together, they attempt to start their own agency and a romantic relationship.

Originally, Crowe wrote the script with Tom Hanks and Winona Ryder in mind.  When Hanks was unable to commit to the project, Cruise was cast.  Ryder did screen tests with Cruise, but Crowe said they “looked like brother and sister”.

Several other actresses including Parker Posey, Mira Sorvino, Cameron Diaz and Courtney Love were considered for the role of Dorothy Boyd before Zellweger was cast.  Jennifer Lopez was offered the role, but turned it down on the advice of her agent.

Jerry Maguire wasn’t just a hit.  It became a cultural phenomenon.  Even today, the catch-phrases “Show me the money” and “You complete me” are over-used.  It received several awards nominations although Zellweger was shut out of the major awards.

Zellweger - Deceiver
Renee Zellweger – Deceiver – 1997

In 1997, Zellweger appeared opposite Tim Roth in the murder mystery, Deceiver.

Roth played a rich man accused of cutting a prostitute in half.  Zellweger played both halves of the prostitute.  Michael Rooker and Chris Penn played detectives investigating the case.  Roth’s character is a rich alcoholic prone to memory loss and fits of violence.  He uses his wealth to investigate the detectives.  He finds out that Rooker cheated on his wife (played by Rosanna Arquette) and Penn owes gambling debts to a bookie played by Ellen Burstyn.

Reviews were mostly negative.  Roger Ebert admired the craft but found the story too clever for its own good:

By the time the final twist comes along, it’s as if we’ve seen a clever show in which the only purpose, alas, was to demonstrate the cleverness.

Deceiver received a limited release in just over 200 theaters and earned around a half million dollars.

zellweger - price above rubies
Renee Zellweger – A Price Above Rubies – 1998

In 1998, Zellweger starred opposite Christopher Eccleston in A Price Above Rubies.

Zellweger played a young mother in a  Hasidic community.  When she feels ignored by her husband through an arranged marriage, she starts a relationship with her brother-in-law.

The movie got mixed reviews, though many singled out Zellweger for praise.  It was not a hit at the box office.

One True Thing starring Meryl Streep and Renee Zellweger.
Renee Zellweger – One True Thing – 1998

Later that year, Zellweger appeared opposite Meryl Streep and William Hurt in the drama, One True Thing.

Zellweger played a writer who puts her busy life on hold to care for her ailing mother played by Streep.  Although the movie was not a hit at the box office, it received mostly favorable reviews.

Zellweger had followed up her break-out hit with three well-reviewed art house dramas.  Her mainstream movie career was in danger of cooling off.  She needed a mainstream Hollywood hit.

Zellweger - The Bachelor
Renee Zellweger – The Bachelor – 1995

In 1999, Zellweger starred opposite Chris O’Donnell in the romantic comedy, The Bachelor.

The Bachelor was a remake of the Buster Keaton movie, Seven Chances.  The premise is kind of like Brewster’s Millions except instead of having to spend lots of money, O’Donnell’s character needs to get married in 24 hours.  Zellweger plays O’Donnell’s girl friend who turns down his hasty proposal.

The movie featured a scene in which hundreds of would-be brides chase O’Donnell through the streets for a chance to marry him.  The visual gag was included in the commercial and the poster.  As a result, the movie came under fire for its out-dated gender stereotypes.

It got mostly bad reviews and bombed at the box office.

zellweger - me, myself and irene
Jim Carrey and Renee Zellweger – Me, Myself and Irene – 2000

In 2000, Zellweger starred opposite Jim Carrey in the Farrelly brothers’ comedy, Me, Myself and Irene.

Carrey played a state trooper tasked with escorting a young woman to New York where she will face charges of hit-and-run.  Carrey’s character suffers a psychotic breakdown which results in a split personality.  Zellweger played the young woman, Irene.

The movie received mixed reviews.  Although it was a hit at the box office, it was a disappointment given Carrey’s track record at the time.  It also began a slide for the Farrelly brothers who peaked with There’s Something About Mary in 1998.

carrey zellweger
Jim Carrey and Renee Zellweger

Zellweger and Carrey became romantically involved off-screen as well.  At one point, the couple was engaged but the engagement was broken off.

zellweger - nurse betty
Renee Zellweger – Nurse Betty – 2000

Later that year, Zellweger starred opposite Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock and Greg Kinnear in Neil LaBute’s off-beat comedy, Nurse Betty.

Zellweger played a waitress who suffers a nervous breakdown after witnessing her husband’s murder at the hands of hitmen played by Freeman and Rock.  Betty becomes obsessed with her favorite soap star played by Kinnear.

The movie is a strange mix of comedy and violent drama.  Reviews were mostly positive, but audiences weren’t quite sure what to make of the film.  Despite the modest box office performance, Zellweger won her first Golden Globe for Best Actress.

2001_renee_zellweger_bjd
Renee Zellweger – Bridget Jones’s Diary – 2001

In 2001, Zellweger starred opposite Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in the romantic comedy, Bridget Jones’s Diary.

The movie was based on Helen Fielding’s novel of the same name.  When fans of the novel heard that a skinny American had been cast as their beloved Bridget Jones, they revolted.

To prepare for the role, Zellweger put on 25 pounds and took a job at a British publishing company for a month.  She worked under an alias and used her British accent.  Although she was not recognized by her co-workers, some thought it was strange that she had a picture of her then-boyfriend Jim Carrey on her desk.

In order to maintain her accent, Zellweger used it throughout filming.  Grant later claimed he never heard her real speaking voice until the wrap party.

Bridget Jones’ Diary received mostly positive reviews and was a big hit at the box office.  Zellweger was nominated for several awards including her first Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe nomination.

zellweger - white oleander
Renee Zellweger – White Oleander – 2002

In 2002, Zellweger starred opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman in the melodrama, White Oleander.

Alison Lohman stars as a 15-year old girl.  Pfeiffer plays her mother who is sentenced to jail after murdering her cheating boyfriend with a poison made from white oleander.  Lohman goes into foster care where she is shuffled between women played by Robin Wright Penn and Zellweger.  Tragedy follows her wherever she goes.

Reviews were mixed to positive.  But the movie bombed at the box office.  It opened in seventh place behind the Jackie Chan movie, The Tuxedo, which was in its third week in theaters.

zellweger - chicago
Renee Zellweger – Chicago – 2002

Later that year, Zellweger starred opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere in the Broadway musical adaptation, Chicago.

Zellweger played Roxie Hart, a would-be singer who goes to prison for killing her boyfriend.  Zeta-Jones played Velma Kelly, one half of a sister act who killed her sister after discovering she was having an affair with her husband.  Gere played their lawyer.

Several attempts were made to adapt Chicago for the big screen.  As a result, numerous actresses were attached to both of the lead roles over the years.  Most recently, Charlize Theron had been cast as Roxie.  But when Rob Marshall took over as director, he replaced Theron with Zellweger.

Chicago received mostly positive reviews and was a huge hit at the box office.  Zellweger and Zeta-Jones were both nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes, but not in the same categories.  Zeta-Jones won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and Zellweger won the Golden Globe for Best Actress.

zellweger - down with love
Renee Zellweger – Down with Love – 2003

In 2003, Zellweger starred opposite Ewan McGregor in the 60’s romantic comedy, Down with Love.

Zellweger and McGregor played writers who engage in a battle of the sexes in an homage to the comedies of the early 60s.  Our own Daffystardust recently named Down With Love as the Best Comedy of 2003.  He describes the film as “Mad Men as a frothy romantic comedy.”

Personally, I was less enthusiastic.  I really wanted to like Down With Love, but eventually I grew tired of the conceit.  I think you have to be a really big fan of Doris Day and Rock Hudson movies to appreciate it and I’m not there.

Critics overall were equally mixed.  The box office was disappointing.

zellweger - cold mountain
Renee Zellweger and Nicole Kidman – Cold Mountain – 2003

Later that year, Zellweger starred opposite Nicole Kidman and Jude Law in Anthony Minghella’s civil war drama, Cold Mountain.

Law played a deserter from the Confederate army trying to return to the woman he left behind.  Kidman played the Southern belle of his dreams whose life falls to ruins during the war.  Zellweger played a simple farm girl who came to Kidman’s aid while Law was off fighting in the war.

Cold Mountain received mostly positive reviews and was a hit at the box office.  It was nominated for more than seventy awards including seven Academy Award nominations.  Zellweger won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COoCaOoZLb0]

It’s probably worth noting that this is where Zellweger peaks.  It’s downhill from here.

zellweger - shark tale
Renee Zellweger – Shark Tale – 2004

In 2004, Zellweger did voice work for Dreamworks Animation’s Shark Tale.  Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Jack Black, Martin Scorsese and Angelina Jolie also provided voices for the film.

Despite mixed reviews, Shark Tale was a hit at the box office.

zellweger - bridget jones' diary
Renee Zellweger – Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason – 2004

Later that year, Zellweger returned to the role of Bridget Jones in the sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

The sequel reunited Zellweger with Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.  And it is a perfect example of why comedy sequels rarely work.  The first film was a delicate mix of comedy and romance.  The sequel the slapstick comedy is pushed to the edge of reason.  The result is a disappointing mess.

The reviews were mostly negative.  But fans of the first film made the sequel a hit at the box office.  Amazingly, Zellweger was nominated for another Golden Globe.

A third film in the series is planned.

zellweger - cinderella man
Renee Zellewger – Cinderella Man – 2005

In 2005, Zellweger starred opposite Russell Crowe in Ron Howard’s boxing biopic, Cinderella Man.

Crowe played heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock who was called “Cinderella Man” based on his status as an underdog.  Zellweger played his wife, Mae.

Cinderella Man looked like a sure-fire hit.  Crowe, Zellweger and Howard were all proven box office draws.  The film was also expected to be Oscar bait.  Instead, the movie was a disappointment at the box office in spite of mostly positive reviews.

Theater chains AMC and Cinemark eventually offered money back guarantees to audiences to try to entice them to give Cinderella Man a try.  While this strategy helped to moderately raise the box office, the movie still fell short of its production costs.

zellweger chesney
Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney

In May of 2005, Zellweger married country music singer, Kenny Chesney.  Four months later, the couple announced their plans to annul the marriage.

In the paperwork, Zellweger cited “fraud” as the reason for the annulment.  This set off a media circus with rumors that Chesney was gay.  Later, Zellweger clarified that the term was “simply legal language and not a reflection of Kenny’s character.”

zellwegger - miss potter
Renee Zellweger – Miss Potter – 2006

In 2006, Zellweger starred opposite her Down With Love co-star, Ewan McGregor, in Miss Potter.

Zellweger played children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, the creator of Peter Rabbit.

Originally, the script was developed for Cate Blanchett.  But when Blanchett dropped out, Zellweger came on board and became an executive producer.  She recruited McGregor with whom she had stayed in contact since Down With Love.

The film got mixed reviews and did so-so box office.

zellweger - bee movie
Renee Zellweger – Bee Movie – 2007

In 2007, Zellweger returned to voice work in Jerry Seinfeld’s animated feature, Bee Movie.

Seinfeld starred as a bee who befriends a human florist played by Zellweger.  Matthew Broderick played Seinfeld’s best bee friend. Chris Rock, Patrick Warburton, Kathy Bates and John Goodman co-starred.

Seinfeld claimed he pitched the movie as a joke while having lunch with Steven Spielberg.  But Spielberg loved the idea.

Reviews were mixed and the movie was a disappointment at the US box office.  Dreamworks promoted the hell out of Bee Movie, but it opened in second place at the box office behind American Gangster.  It performed well enough overseas to be considered a modest success overall.

zellweger - leatherheads
Renee Zellweger – Leatherheads – 2008

In 2008, Zellewger starred opposite George Clooney and John Krasinski in the 1920’s football comedy, Leatherheads.

Clooney directed as well as starred as an aging football player looking to revitalize his team, the Duluth Bulldogs.  To that end, he recruits a war hero played by Krasinski.  Zellweger played a reporter looking to expose Krasinski as a fraud.  Both men romance her in the screwball comedy tradition.

There is a lot that works in Leatherheads.  Clooney and Zellweger are at their best when sparring verbally.  But the tone of the movie is horribly uneven.  The screwball comedy keeps getting interrupted by an investigation into Krasinski’s war record and a clichéd sports movie.

Leatherheads got mixed reviews and was a disappointment at the box office.

Rene Zellweger - Appaloosa - 2008
Renee Zellweger – Appaloosa – 2008

Later that year, Zellweger appeared in Ed Harris’ Western, Appaloosa.  Harris wrote, directed and starred in the film which co-starred Zellweger, Viggo Mortensen and Jeremy Irons.

Originally, Diane Lane was cast in Zellweger’s role.  But New Line put production on hold over worries that a Western would not be successful at the box office.  Production resumed following the success of Deadwood on HBO and the film 3:10 to Yuma.  During the halt, Lane departed and was replaced by Zellweger.

The film got mixed to positive reviews.  But it turns out the studio was right to worry about its box office prospects.  It flopped.

zellweger - new in town
Renee Zellweger – New in Town – 2009

In 2009, Zellweger starred opposite Harry Connick Jr. in the romantic comedy, New in Town.

Zellweger played an arrogant city slicker who learns a little about humanity when she relocates to a small town.

Reviews were overwhelmingly negative and the movie bombed at the box office.

zellweger - my one and only
Renee Zellweger – My One and Only – 2009

Later that year, Zellweger starred in My One and Only which was loosely based on stories George Hamilton told about his early life on the road with his mother and brother.

Although the film got mostly positive reviews, it received a limited release at the box office.

zellweger - case 39
Renee Zellweger – Case 39 – 2009

Around this time, Zellweger returned to horror in Case 39.

Zellweger played a social worker who takes custody over one of her cases, a girl named Lilith.  As if that name wasn’t enough of a clue, it turns out the child may or may not be a demon.  Bradley Cooper (whom Zellweger was dating) and Ian McShane show up long enough to be victims of the scary kid.

I actually sat through Case 39 for this article and let me tell you it is bad.  It was originally scheduled for release in February 2008 and was pushed back four times before finally being dumped in theaters October 2010.  Reviews were bad and the movie tanked in the US.

zellweger - my own love song
Renee Zellweger – My Own Love Song – 2010

In 2010, Zellweger starred opposite Forest Whitaker in the drama My Own Love Song.

Zellweger played a paralyzed former singer who goes on a road trip with her stuttering friend played by Whitaker.

Reviews were mostly negative and the film failed to get a theatrical release in the US.

Rene Zellweger - Chicago Reunion at the Oscars - 2013
Renee Zellweger – Chicago Reunion at the Oscars – 2013

In 2013, the cast of Chicago reunited at the Oscars for the film’s tenth anniversary.  Catherine Zeta Jones performed All That Jazz and the cast presented an award.  As soon as Zellweger appeared on-screen, traffic for this article skyrocketed.  Why?  Because Zellweger was virtually unrecognizable.  People speculated that she was drunk.  Notice her swaying and appearing to miss her cues in this clip.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3MRCSDx8LQ]

The next day, people were buzzing about Zellweger more than they had in years.  But it had nothing to do with an upcoming movie.  It was about her botox.

In late 2013, people were buzzing about Zellweger again.  This time speculating that she had a “new face” thanks to a plastic surgeon:

zellweger before and after
Renee Zellweger – 2013 Plastic Surgery

In 2014, Zellweger made headlines again for another “new face”:

zellweger - 2014 Elle Awards
Renee Zellweger – 2014 Plastic Surgery

This time she showed up at the 2014 Elle Women in Hollywood Awards looking unrecognizable.  The internet and Twitter blew up.  (And thanks to all of you who stopped by to read about Zellweger as a result!)

Zellweger called the response “silly”.  The next day she told People Magazine:

“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   It seems the folks who come digging around for some nefarious truth which doesn’t exist won’t get off my porch until I answer the door.”

So, what the hell happened?

Zellweger had a pretty incredible run from 1996-2003.  In seven years, she had several hits, an Oscar and three Golden Globes.  But to a large extent, I think Zellweger got lucky.  She got the right roles at the right time.

Often times, I think her movies were more popular than she was.  For example, I don’t think all that many people went to see Bridget Jones or Chicago because Zellweger starred in them.

After Cold Mountain, that luck started to run out.  The Bridget Jones sequel was a hit, but nowhere near as beloved as the first film.  Cinderella Man and Leatherheads which looked like hits on paper, both turned out to be disappointments.

Once the big box office and accolades stopped rolling in, Zellweger backed away from her career.  In 2014, Zellweger said she needed a break for her own well-being:

I took on a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and didn’t allow for taking care of myself. 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.

Zellweger is slated to return to the big screen in 2015 opposite Keanu Reeves in The Whole Truth.  When she does, it will end a five-year absence for the star.  But according to Zellweger, she is happy.

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Tom
Tom
11 years ago

Another great review; Can’t tell you how much I enjoy reading these.

I remember reading that Renee beat out Bridget Fonda for the Dorothy role on Jerry Maguire; which I thought funny considering that her man at the time (Eric Stolz) had a role in the movie.

I thought she was great in Me Myself and Irene; but I agree with your commentary that the movies she was in were more another person’s movie that she happened to be in as well.

I always thought she was a fine actress.

tbob1
11 years ago

Irritating kind of best sums up Rene Z. in my mind. Any movie I’ve seen with her in it, I saw in spite of her…not because. She’s got kind of a mousy, whiny demeanor about her that just turns me off. That and she always looks like she just sucked on a sour pickle. Me, Myself and Irene is probably her best role if I’m forced to think on it. As usual Carey carries that movie anyway so any other actress would have been just as good. If you haven’t already figured it out, her fading away hasn’t disappointed me… Read more »

daffystardust
Editor
11 years ago

I’ve typically enjoyed Zellweger. If people haven’t seen Nurse Betty, they might be missing out on what makes her unique.
Unfortunately it seems that her look and personality may have been best suited for a younger woman. Maybe once she gets older we might see a resurgence for her in supporting roles.

daffystardust
Editor
11 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

It was a little unsettling in its mix of genre, but Zellweger was remarkable in it. Wonderful acting from her in it.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Renée Zellweger in Chicago: http://oscarnerd.blogspot.com/2010/09/renee-zellweger-in-chicago.html Renée Zellweger received her second Best Actress nomination for playing Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. She was even the front-runner to win her first Oscar as she won some important awards like the horrid, sorry Golden Globe and SAG (her face is actually quite amusing in her video). However, she had to wait another year to get the Academy Award for Cold Mountain where she played with the actress, who beat her at the Oscar. I really dislike Chicago as a movie and I’m constantly amazed (or simply shocked) that this nothing actually BEAT… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
11 years ago

What the hell happened to Renee’s career, well based on what I’ve read on her IMDb message board:
*Sort of like Meg Ryan, she ultimately got to that age where Hollywood didn’t really want her anymore.

*Renee apparently has some serious mental health and bulimia/yo-yo dieting issues that has ultimately wrecked her face.

*Renee held herself back by never “selling out” for sexually explicit roles.

*She became an easy mark for the comedian market from her “lemon sucking” facial expressions to her brief marriage to Kenny Chesney. Stuff like that perhaps helped crush Renee’s love for acting.

Terrence Michael Clay
11 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

It’s too bad, with all of this being theorized, that Renee wound up pretty much embarrassing herself at the Academy Awards a while back by coming across as intoxicated or dazed. While I was watching the pre-show on ABC, my mom saw Renee being interviewed and she wanted to know what was wrong w/ her right cheek.

Terrence Michael Clay
11 years ago

I wonder what Dave Chappelle would think of this “What the Hell Happened to…” discussion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF2FGMOBsjM

seandaniel1966
11 years ago

Another great article! The one thing I remember about Down With Love was how much I was looking forward to it, and how disappointed I was. kinda like Terminator Salvation. Looked great in the ads, the real thing, not so much.

I never really understood her appeal. Her voice is grating and she isn’t very pretty.

RB
RB
11 years ago

Good overview of her career! She is another one I hadn’t really thought of lately until reading this article which sort of ties it all together. RZ is interesting in that I remember when she first got the critics’ attentions, had her days in the sun and does now seem to be on the downhill slope of “Too old for a woman in Hwood.” HOWEVER she is fairly versatile an actress and may have some Streep-like transformations down the road. Certainly her ratio of good projects to bad is better than average, but then maybe her career couldn’t have withstood… Read more »

Stoich
11 years ago

As always – good read. As as usual my question is: any of this stuff work watching ? this jerry maguire flick keeps coming up – I guess I have to check it out. I’ve seen Down With Love like 10 years ago but I didn’t enjoy it much and I don’t think I would enjoy it much now either.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones’s Diary: http://oscarnerd.blogspot.com/2011/06/renee-zellweger-in-bridget-joness-diary.html Name: Renée Zellweger Movie: Bridget Jones’s Diary Number of Oscar nomination: One Other awards: None, some nominations Chances of winning: Not much, might have been fourth. I saw this film Bridget Jones’s Diary about some lunatic spinster. Sad, funny, entertaining. I guess it was meant for other lunatic spinsters and such. I cannot think of anything else. Casting two British heart-throbs (Hugh Grant and Colin Firth) made a sure audience among women. And it’s about some British spinster really. OK, it’s fun but is it that much? Yeah, why not? That bloke called… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

10 Worst Oscar Nominated Performances Of All Time: http://whatculture.com/film/10-worst-oscar-nominated-performances-of-all-time.php/7 4. Renee Zellweger – Bridget Jones’s Diary I still remember when I found out, a long time after the fact, that Renee Zellweger had been nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Sharon Maguire’s cutesy British rom-com Bridget Jones’s Diary. I nearly choked to death on my can of Coke. It’s a testament to that infatuation with Britishness that Americans seem to have – and we imagine BAFTA voters probably helped her get nominated – that something so ordinary, if decent, can end up on the nominees list.… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

15 of the most unnecessary sequels ever made: http://www.hitfix.com/galleries/overlay/15-of-the-most-unnecessary-sequels-ever-made/10# ‘Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason’ (2004) Sequel to: “Bridget Jones’s Diary” (2001) Did it kill the franchise: Maybe not Why it was so unnecessary: “Bridget Jones’s Diary” was a proposition as assured of success as its bumbling heroine wasn’t: not only was it based on a legitimate publishing phenomenon in Helen Fielding’s mega-bestseller, but it also followed the Working Title-Richard Curtis Britcom formula that had already made stratospheric international successes of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill.” It couldn’t, and didn’t, fail: the plucky, inexpensive romance earned nearly… Read more »

Gg
Gg
11 years ago

Really enjoyed this article. I googled this topic because she popped into my head & this was the best thing I found!

Terrence Michael Clay
11 years ago

Renée Zellweger: Where Did It All Go Wrong?: http://frettsonfilm.com/2012/09/06/renee-zelwegger-where-did-it-all-go-wrong/ She had us at “hello.” Beginning with her breakout role as Tom Cruise’s single-mom soulmate in 1996′s Jerry Maguire, Renée Zellweger completed us. Sure, she made a few career missteps in the immediate aftermath—her meshuggeneh turn as an Orthodox Jew’s wife in A Price Above Rubies springs to mind. But Zellweger soon went on a hot streak that included Oscar nominations for 2001′s Bridget Jones’ Diary and 2002′s Chicago as well as a win for 2003′s Cold Mountain. And then her career went into a deep freeze. Now comes news that… Read more »

Jake
Jake
10 years ago

You may find this strange, but I think Renee & Jamie Foxx should do a film together. Maybe because their great work in “Chicago,” “Cold Mountain,” “Collateral,” & “Ray” all came out at roughly the same time, but I just thought it’d be nice to see them share the screen.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Will Find Nice Sensible Movie & Avoid Attachments With Any of the Following: http://www.pajiba.com/career_assessments/renee-zellweger-career-assessment-will-find-nice-sensible-movie-avoid-attachments-with-any-of-the-following.php Subject: Renée Kathleen Zellweger, 41-year old American actress Date of Assessment: October 1, 2010 Positive Buzzwords: Versatile, talented, nonthreatening beauty Negative Buzzwords: Overrated, vanity, recluse The Case: Today’s surveillance involves the Magically Disappearing Career of Renée Zellweger. Not too terribly many years ago, this subject was an eminently employable actress who possessed everyday, realistic good looks. Of course, that was back when Zellweger began her acting career, with low budget productions (Love and a .45, The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre) in her home state… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

20 Film Stars You Definitely Won’t Remember In 20 Years: http://whatculture.com/film/20-film-stars-you-definitely-wont-remember-in-20-years.php/9 4. Renée Zellweger Bridget Jones will be remembered more than Renée Zellweger. Seriously, where is she? Someone needs to put her face on one of those milk cartons. Or hang up some posters. Do something. Considering she started acting 20 years ago and is barely remembered now, the next 20 years doesn’t look too great for her. She’s not a bad actress by any means. You can hardly call someone who was nominated for three Oscars (winning one of them) a bad actress. But she just doesn’t do anything… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Zellweger Faces Uncertain Future as Case 39 Flops: http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/zellweger_faces_uncertain_future Signature line: “You had me at hello.” Career Peaks: In 1996, Zellweger played the lovable chipmunk-cheeked girl next door who wins the love of jacked-up talent agent Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire. Women also identified with her as a Jane Austen-inspired chubby Brit diarist in Bridget Jones Diary and its sequel. Awards Attention: Bridget Jones Diary–and her flawless Brit accent– garnered Zellweger an Oscar nomination, as did her show-stopping turn as murderous song-and-dance girl Roxie Hart in the Oscar-winning Chicago. Zellweger finally won for her folksy supporting role in 2003’s Cold… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

What happened to Thora Birch?–and other actors that seemed to disappear for no reason…:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15161061&postcount=135

Originally Posted by ftg
Speaking of actresses whose careers have gone surprisingly cold. Leatherheads will do that do you (if your name isn’t “George Clooney”).

Actually, I think it’s more to do with fact she’s on the wrong side of 40 and there’s a younger doppelganger named Michelle Williams who can play her roles.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

10 Actors Whose Careers Went Downhill After They Won Oscars: http://whatculture.com/film/10-actors-whose-careers-went-downhill-after-they-won-oscars.php/2 10. Renee Zellweger Renee Zellweger shot to universal fame when she decided to put on weight and talk in a British accent for Bridget Jones’ Diary, and everyone agreed that – against the odds, perhaps – she did a pretty good job with that. A couple of years later, she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the somewhat overrated Cold Mountain, in which she played Ruby Thewes, a woman who “sorts out a farm” in the mid-19th century. Sadly, that was about the last… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Is There a Best Supporting Actress Curse? http://www.thejanedough.com/is-there-a-best-supporting-actress-curse/ Those in the Hollywood scene weren’t surprised when reports of Jesse James’s affair surfaced mere days after his wife Sandra Bullock won her first Oscar for The Blind Side. “It’s the Best Actress curse,” everyone whispered, alluding to the longstanding belief that there’s a casual relationship between winning an Academy Award and having one’s relationship unravel. The Best Actress statuette isn’t the only Oscar with bad juju — according to the grapevine, winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar turns into a long-term loss. Once a woman wins Best Supporting Actress, it’s believed… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

10 Victims of the Oscar Curse & Oscar Jinx: http://www.onlygoodmovies.com/good/movies/10-victims-of-the-oscar-curse-oscar-jinx/ Victim’s Name: Renee Zellweger Won For: Cold Mountain (2004) Why They’re Cursed: After doing her Granny Clampett impersonation in Cold Mountain, Zellweger found herself being handed an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. And while she’s still a favorite in the tabloids, her career has been plagued with box office disappointments following her win at the Academy Awards. Here are just a few: Leatherheads, Cinderella Man, Appaloosa, My One and Only and New in Town. Don’t be embarrassed if you haven’t heard of half of them. Her next project was supposed… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

10 Actresses Whose Careers Went Downhill After Winning An Oscar: http://whatculture.com/film/10-actresses-whose-careers-went-downhill-winning-oscar.php/9 Renée Zellweger The movies Renée Zellweger has appeared in since Cold Mountain have not been uniformly terrible, but she seems to have fallen off the face of the earth these past few years. After initially gaining fame for playing Tom Cruise’s love interest in Jerry Maguire, Zellweger continued that success in a string of box office hits such as Me, Myself & Irene, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Chicago. Her performance in 2002′s Chicago, in particular, garnered a great amount of positive press. Many wonder if her subsequent Oscar win… Read more »

Joboots
Joboots
10 years ago

Even with the next Bridget Jones(if if ever gets off the ground,to be honest!)& aging quite a bit (43),you wonder if she’s
more likely bound for the tube where more parts for females are in abundance,perhaps???

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  lebeau

Speaking of faces:

Shemp
9 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

She looks like Mrs. Gumby in the above pic. Sad.

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