“To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Valentine’s Day has arrived, and with it, the release of Renee Zellweger’s latest film, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Round of applause, please. It’s exciting for women of all generations, not only because the rom com”, — write: metro.co.uk
Valentine’s Day has arrived, and with it, the release of Renee Zellweger’s latest film, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
Round of applause, please.
It’s exciting for women of all generations, not only because the rom com era is officially back but also because it marks the first time Renee, 55, has returned to the big screen since her captivating 2019 award-winning film Judy.
And, of course, it is yet another successful film to add to her already impressive 33-year portfolio.
While she was once one of the highest-paid actresses in the late 2000s thanks to a winning streak of films, Renee has also experienced her fair share of hardship, including taking a six-year break to rediscover her passion for the industry.
Now, with the star once again reminding us why she’s worth two Academy Awards, two Baftas and four Golden Globes, we take a look at Renee’s rollercoaster career and how she ended up on top.
Renee is back as Bridget alongside Leo Woodall (Picture: Photo Credit: Jay Maidment/Unive) Is Renee Zellweger English? While she does do a pretty good British accent and has worked alongside some of the nation’s greatest actors, Renee’s English background is about as real as Bridget Jones herself.
Born and raised in Texas, Renee adopted the accent when she began playing Bridget in 2001 and has kept it for the recurring role, but that’s all.
Off camera, she is as American as they come.
What age is Renee Zellweger? Renee was born on April 25, 1969, making her 55 years old and part of the baby boomer generation.
She first rose to fame in 1992, when she was just 23 years old and starred in her first film, A Taste for Killing.
The actress found fame alongside Tom in the late 90s thanks to Jerry Maguire (Picture: Bei/REX/Shutterstock) 
The 2000s were a lucrative time for Renee (Picture: Sipa/REX/Shutterstock) By 1996, when she was 27, Renee starred in Jerry Maguire alongside Tom Cruise, marking her first major role. Just five years later, when she was 32, she graced our screens as the all-too-lovable Bridget Jones.
Renee Zellweger’s best films While Renee has starred in many films throughout her career, 40 to be exact, a few must be honoured as her best.
There was Jerry Maguire, her fame-finding film in which she starred as a single mum raising a young son who devotedly follows her sports agent boss, who is trying to change the way sports stars negotiate their salaries.
Her line: ‘You had me at hello’, became one of the most memorable moments of the film.
In 2004 and 2020, she won herself an Oscar (Picture: Alex Berliner/BEI/REX/Shutterstock) 
Winning awards almost seems like it comes naturally (Picture: Chris Chew/UPI/REX/Shutterstock) Cold Mountain in 2003 has also been praised as one of her best films as it earned her an Oscar, Golden Globe, Bafta, and Sag award, all for best supporting actress.
Speaking of prestigious awards, in 2019, her role as Judy Garland in Rupert Goold’s biographical drama Judy landed her a number of wins for best actress, including at the Oscars, Golden Globes, Bafta, SAG, and Critics Choice Awards.
At the time, it marked her comeback after her lengthy career break – but more on that soon.
Looking back to 2001, Bridget Jones’s Diary undoubtedly deserves a spot on this list. Renee was up against harsh criticism before she even got in front of the camera, as the books from which the films were adapted were hugely popular in the UK and written by British writer Helen Fielding.
At the time of the casting announcement, there was upset that the lead role went to an American actress rather than a British one, but Renee quickly proved she was the right actress for the job, and it became a defining era of her career in more ways than one.
Bridget Jones was a defining point in Renee’s career (Picture: Everett/REX/Shutterstock) Finally, Chicago. After being on stage for 25 years, the Broadway show was finally turned into a film in 2002 with Renee at the helm. Her portrayal of Roxie Hart saw her nominated for best leading actress at the Academy Awards and Bafta Awards.
She also won a Golden Globe Award for best actress – motion picture musical or comedy and a Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role.
With all these titles and countless awards, it’s no wonder the actress was one of the highest-paid in the late 2000s, estimated to hold a fee of US$15million (£11.9million) per film at the time.
Renee Zellweger six-year career break Unfortunately for Renee, it didn’t last forever, and in 2010, after a series of her films failed to impress critics or fans, she decided to take an acting break, which lasted until 2016.
She recently explained her decision to British Vogue, telling the news outlet: ‘I needed to. I was sick of the sound of my own voice. When I was working, I was like, “Oh, my gosh, listen to you. Are you sad again, Renée? Oh, is this your mad voice?” It was a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences.’
After a six-year break between 2010 and 2016, she returned to the big screen (Picture: Gregory Pace/REX/Shutterstock) Renee also clarified that while she stepped away from acting in front of the camera, her career didn’t exactly stop.
She used her time off to write music and study international law among other things.
‘I built a house, rescued a pair of older doggies, created a partnership that led to a production company, advocated for and fundraised with a sick friend, and spent a lot of time with family and godchildren and driving across the country with the dogs. I got healthy,’ she told the publication.
When she did return to films, she reprised her most memorable role in Bridget Jones’s Baby and was estimated to be paid over US$15million (£11.9million).
While it’s unclear how much she has earned for the most recent installment of the franchise, it’s likely to be over $15million.
Renee Zellweger net worth Now 55, with many accolades and impressive achievements both in and out of Hollywood under her belt, it may come as no surprise that Renee’s net worth is an eye-watering one.
Celebrity wealth website, Celebrity Net Worth has estimated she is worth $90million (£71.41million), most of which comes from her successful acting career but some from her real estate portfolio.
She has previously owned homes in New York, and California and is understood to currently own a 40-acre farm in Connecticut and a multi-million dollar lakefront property on Lake Travis in Austin, Texas, which she purchased in 2020 for $3million (£2.3million)
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is in cinemas now.
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