The Transformation Of Renee Zellweger From 27 To 51 Years Old

Renee Zellweger is a well-established actress whose career has continued to propel over the years. The star was born on April 25, 1969, in Katy, Texas, and started acting in 1991 while at the University of Texas. In 1992, Zellweger made her film debut in the television movie A Taste for Killing. Throughout the 1990s, she consistently landed herself more roles and starred in a number of successful films, including Dazed and Confused, 8 Seconds, One True Thing, and The Bachelor.

In 1996, she was cast as the love interest of Tom Cruise, Dorothy Boyd, in the romantic-comedy Jerry Maguire. The movie earned Zellweger (pictured above at 27-years-old) numerous nominations at various award shows and helped her get the recognition she deserved. During its opening weekend, the film grossed $17 million at the box office and made over $153 million in total, per Box Office Mojo.

After the success of the film, Zellweger's personal life also became the subject of media attention. In 1999, Zellweger started dating Jim Carey after they finished shooting Me, Myself and Irene together. At the time, Zellweger told Entertainment Weekly that their relationship "was a very unexpected, wonderful thing." They quickly got engaged but split up in 2000, per Today.

Zellweger's success certainly didn't stop there. Keeping reading to find out what other iconic roles she took on.

The 1990s got Rene Zellweger's acting career off to a great start. However, the 2000s was the decade that turned her into a household name.

In 2001, she won her first Golden Globe Award for her role as Betty Sizemore in the comedy film Nurse Betty. The following year, she starred as Bridget Jones in the iconic Bridget Jones Diary. The public fell in love with the legendary character and, to this day, it remains one of her most notable roles. The massive success of the movie not only grossed over 280 million at the box office, per Box Office Mojo, and earned Zellweger her first Oscar nomination, but it also had its own sequel in 2004, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, that was just as popular.

Zellweger (pictured above 32-years-old) continued to dominate the big screen and was in high demand. In 2002, she received her second Golden Globe Award and another Oscar nomination for her performance as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. A year later, she slayed as Rubey Hewes in Cold Mountain, which saw her take home more awards: a BAFTA, Golden Globe, and an Oscar.

In May 2005, Zellwegger married country singer Kenny Chesney. Four months later, the marriage was annulled.

As the decade continued, Zellweger appeared in more high-profile movies before taking a mini hiatus in 2010. In 2009, she dated Bradley Cooper after meeting on the set of Case 39. The couple split two years later in 2011, per People.

After the release of My Own Love Song in 2010, Rene Zellweger took a break from acting for six years. In an interview with British Vogue, she told the publication why she decided to go on a hiatus. "I was fatigued and wasn't taking the time I needed to recover between projects, and it caught up with me," Zellweger said (via Vanity Fair). "I got sick of the sound of my own voice: it was time to go away and grow up a bit."

During this time, Zellweger formed a relationship with musician Doyle Bramhall II, whom she dated from 2012 until 2019, per MamaMia.

She returned to the big screen in 2016 and appeared in the long-awaited third and final Bridget Jones film, Bridget Jones's Baby. Unsurprisingly, it was another commercial success for Zellweger (pictured above at 47-years-old) and grossed over $211 million at the box office, per Box Office Mojo. According to Deadline, Bridget Jones's Baby made $4 million during its first day in the UK & Ireland, becoming the biggest comedy/romantic comedy opening ever in the British Isles. 

Rene Zellweger has enjoyed a career spanning nearly three decades that shows no signs of slowing down. Her most recent big-screen role as Judy Garland in 2019's Judy not only showcased Zellweger's versatility but has cemented her status as one of Hollywood's most talented and well-respected actresses. In February 2020, she won her second Academy Award for Best Actress and another BAFTA for Best Film Actress in a Leading Role. Zellweger (pictured-above 50-years-old) sings all the songs on the soundtrack and earned her first Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Zellweger has portrayed all sorts of characters throughout the years but admitted that playing Garland was no walk in the park. "Playing Judy Garland was the most challenging and terrifying role I've done," she revealed to Vanity Fair. "At times, if I could have run away, I would have. But there is so much affection for her. What I found so compelling about this particular project is that it contextualizes that she didn't make those choices for herself. I hope people will realize this and understand how truly spectacular she was." Hopefully, we'll be seeing more of this multi-hyphenate talent for years to come.