Conversations with Renée Zellweger (2019)

A career retrospective with Renée Zellweger from November 26, 2019.

Moderated by Jenelle Riley, Variety.

Renée Zellweger is one of the most cherished and respected actors in modern cinema.  

Zellweger is most notably known for her starring role as the seminal British everywoman in the film BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY and its sequel BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON, both opposite Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.  

In the first installment of the franchise, Zellweger earned her first Oscar® nomination, also earning Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA nominations, among others. The sequel delivered her another Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.    She secured her second Academy Award nomination as convicted killer Roxie Hart in CHICAGO, the Oscar®-winning film version of the Tony Award-winning musical.  Acting, singing and dancing alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones, who portrayed fellow death row inmate Velma Kelly, Zellweger took home a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, among other awards.  

She later earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Anthony Minghella’s COLD MOUNTAIN, the Civil War drama in which she jumped off the screen as feisty farm worker Ruby Thewes. For her work in the film, Zellweger also garnered a Golden Globe Award and best supporting role honors from the Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Broadcast Film Critics Association.     Zellweger will next make her television debut starring in Netflix’s WHAT/IF, and her recent films include BRIDGET JONES'S BABY, alongside Colin Firth and Patrick Dempsey for Universal Pictures, the film adaptation of the book SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME, opposite Greg Kinnear and Djimon Hounsou, and THE WHOLE TRUTH, opposite Keanu Reeves.   After graduating with an English degree from the University of Texas, Zellweger did some initial film and television work before making her feature debut in Richard Linklater’s seminal coming-of-age film DAZED AND CONFUSED.  Other film roles quickly followed, including Ben Stiller’s REALITY BITES, LOVE AND A .45, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION and MY BOYFRIEND’S BACK.  Zellweger won the affection of audiences soon after with her breakthrough role opposite Tom Cruise in Cameron Crowe’s JERRY MAGUIRE.   

Subsequent film roles for Zellweger have included the acclaimed ONE TRUE THING with William Hurt and Meryl Streep, the dark comedy NURSE BETTY opposite Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman, ME, MYSELF & IRENE opposite Jim Carrey, the drama WHITE OLEANDER with Robin 

Wright and Michelle Pfeiffer, Peyton Reed’s romantic comedy DOWN WITH LOVE opposite Ewan McGregor, and director Ron Howard’s Depression-era boxing drama CINDERELLA MAN with Russell Crowe.  She has also lent her voice to such animated features as DreamWorks’ SHARK TALE, BEE MOVIE and MONSTERS VS. ALIENS.