Renee Zellweger

Renee Zellweger (born 25.4.1969)

Renee Zellweger is an American Actress, best known for her title role in Bridget Jones' Diary.

Renee Zellweger: Childhood

Renee Zellweger was born and raised in Texas, by her father Emil (an oil refinery engineer) and her mother Kjellfried Irene (a nurse). Her father is of Swiss origin and her mother is Norwegian. Renee has one older brother, Andrew.

Whilst attending Katy High School, Renee was a keen participant in soccer, baseball and football. She was also a member of the drama club. Zellweger graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, with a BA in English Language.

Renee's first acting job after university was an appearance in a beef commercial.

Acting Career: Renee Zellweger

Zellweger's acting career began whilst she was still living in Texas, In 1993, she landed a small role in the ABC TV series Murder In The Heartland, followed by her first film appearance the next year, in Reality Bites, which was Ben Stiller's directorial debut. Her first major film role came in 1994's Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Zellweger starred in the film alongside Matthew McConaughey.

After moving to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career, Zellweger appeared in Empire Records in 1995, followed by 1996's the Whole Wide World.

Renee Zellweger's breakthrough role came later on in 1996 when she appeared alongside Tom Cruise in the hit movie Jerry Maguire. Her performance in Nurse Betty, opposite Morgan Freeman, earned her a Golden Globe Award. When Hugh Grant announced her name as the winner, she was in the bathroom. She later apologized, saying that she had had lipstick on her teeth.

The role that really propelled Zellweger to international stardom was as Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones' Diary, the film based on Helen Fielding's novel of the same name. To make for a believable performance, Renee had to gain a substantial amount of weight and learn to do a convincing British accent. Her performance earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination. She also starred in the sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

In 2002, Zellweger undertook the legendary character of Roxy Hart in the big screen version of Chicago, which also starred Catherine Zeta Jones and Richard Gere.

Her first Oscar win came in 2004, for her Best Supporting Actress role in Cold Mountain, which starred Nicole Kidman and Jude Law.

In 2006, Zellweger turn her hand to film production, with Miss Potter. She also took the lead role in the film, which was based on the life of Beatrix Potter. In 2008, she also co-produced Living Proof, a TV movie starring Harry Connick Jr.

Personal Life: Renee Zellweger

Renee Zellweger has been romantically linked with a number of actors, including Joshua Pate and George Clooney. She also dated Jim Carrey - a relationship that was frequently in the media spotlight. She also dated Jack White, the guitarist and lead singer of The White Stripes.

In 2005, Zellweger married Kenny Chesney, a musician and singer, but the marriage was annulled after just four months.