Hollywood is cruel to elderly female celebrities. But that is ancient news. What many do not expect is a strong reaction and unpleasant debate from the general population. Unfortunately, this is exactly what Oscar winner Renée Zellweger had to deal with following a simple red-carpet appearance.
The internet went crazy over Renée Zellweger’s (rumored) plastic surgery, with many people angry that Bridget Jones did not look like the adored Bridget Jones. So, what changed the star’s face to look so different?
Who is Renée Zellweger?
You should be aware of Zellweger’s professional history. Renée Kathleen Zellweger, a native of Texas, was born in 1969. She began her acting career in 1992, at the age of 23, by starring in modest films. While her performances were hailed by critics, it wasn’t until her turn in Jerry Maguire that she got her big break.
When paired with Tom Cruise, Zellweger’s performance was equally outstanding, contributing to the film’s status as a classic. Renée’s portrayal in Bridget Jones’s Diary, however, was what really solidified her reputation as the quintessential rom-com star. She won a Golden Globe for her performance in Nurse Betty, which was released in 2000.
For many years, the Chicago star was at the pinnacle of her profession, even winning an Academy Award for her performance in Cold Mountain. However, after a string of disappointing box-office performances, the actress opted to stay away from the spotlight in 2010.
She later justified her decision to People magazine, saying, “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.”
However, the Oscar winner returned in 2016 for the third and last installment of the Bridget Jones’s Diary franchise. Later, she starred in Judy, a biography of Jude Garland, for which she won another Oscar, this time for Best Actress.
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When Did Renée Zellweger’s Plastic Surgery Speculation Begin?
The Case 39 star attended the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards in 2014 while the show was still on hiatus. She was 45 years old at the time, and her final public appearance was when she was 41. However, it appeared to many that the Hollywood A-lister had undergone surgery during those four years.
Even major magazines couldn’t stop gushing about Zellweger’s new look. People called her names and cried, wondering why she would ever do something like that to her face. Under such scrutiny, even the strongest would crumble. Despite this, Renée maintained a brave face.
She told People magazine in 2014, “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.” She merely labeled the debate around her face “silly.” She went on to explain, “People don’t know me [as] healthy for a while. Perhaps I look different. Who doesn’t as they get older?! Ha. But I am different. I’m happy.”
Now, there’s something else you should be aware of. Although Zellweger first made news in 2014, people made fun of her squint or pouting for a long time before that.
However, it was nothing compared to what she had to deal with after 2014. Everyone would bring up Renée Zellweger’s plastic surgery as if she had cheated them all. So, whether she had plastic surgery or not, someone always had something to say about her looks.
What Surgeries Was Renée Zellweger Rumored to Have Had?
Here’s a list of all the procedures Renée was said to have undergone:
Eyelid Surgery
Almost everyone agreed that the actress’ eyes appeared different. The native of Texas was born with stunning, hooded eyes. As a result, her upper eyelids lack a crease.
But after her appearance at the awards event, everyone concluded that she had undergone blepharoplasty, or surgery on her eyelids, to remove extra skin and fat around her eyes. It appeared more hollowed out and her eyes appeared larger as a result.
Later, in an op-ed published in the Huffington Post in 2016, Zellweger stated, “The ‘eye surgery’ tabloid story itself did not matter, but it became the catalyst for my inclusion in subsequent legitimate news stories about self-acceptance and women succumbing to social pressure to look and age a certain way.”
Brow Lift
The Chicago singer was also said to have undergone a brow lift in addition to eyelid surgery since the tips of her brows appeared to be higher than they were previously. That was remarked about her, nevertheless, even prior to her arrival in 2014.
Drooping eyebrows, a result of aging, can be repositioned with an eyebrow lift. Furthermore, it tightens the skin of the forehead, smoothing it out and reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Fillers
For a very long time, people have made fun of Zellweger’s cheeks by drawing comparisons to a chipmunk’s. This time, though, they protested plastic surgery (even though fillers aren’t quite plastic surgery) rather than “blaming” her genetics. Some even claimed that she underwent fat grafting or implants in her cheeks.
Other than that, rumors circulated that she had fillers put in her jawline to change its contour.
Botox
Botox functions by obstructing nerve signals that cause muscles to contract. Furthermore, rumors have claimed that the Golden Globe winner had Botox applied to her forehead to reduce wrinkles. However, this appears to be false.
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How Did Renée Zellweger React To The Rumors About Plastic Surgery?
As previously reported, the actress said in a statement to People magazine that the adjustments she had made to her lifestyle were the reason her face appeared different. She had more health. But in 2016, she finally wrote an open letter titled “We Can Do Better” in response to the bullying.
“Not that it’s anyone’s business, but I did not make a decision to alter my face and have surgery on my eyes,” she made it clear in that statement. She continued by criticizing gender stereotypes, saying, “It’s no secret a woman’s worth has historically been measured by her appearance…”
“The resulting message is problematic for younger generations and impressionable minds, and undoubtedly triggers myriad subsequent issues regarding conformity, prejudice, equality, self-acceptance, bullying and health.”
In a 2019 interview with Vulture, she addressed the rumors about her plastic surgery once more, stating, “That makes me sad.” She further mentioned in another interview that she overheard several train riders talking about her face and asking why she would do it, even going so far as to call her “dumb.” Needless to say, going through something like this wasn’t easy for her.
What Changed the Look of Renée Zellweger’s Face?
Renée Zellweger does not appear to have undergone plastic surgery. All of the physical changes she has experienced over the years can be explained by aging and weight reduction.
The actress that comes to mind for everyone is none other than 32-year-old Bridget Jones. However, a lot of people overlook the fact that she put on thirty pounds to fill that part. She also carried out the same action for Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, the movie’s sequel.
But as Zellweger admitted, people had never seen her looking well, so after all those years, she looked different. She therefore began to appear different (healthier) when she was on a hiatus and out of the spotlight. However, to the general public, she remained Bridget. Many were therefore astonished to see her face.
Moreover, she was aging like all other living things on the planet. Her eyes appeared different, which can be explained by changes in her skin with age. Remember that Renée’s eyes are naturally hooded.
And too much fat on top can cause eyes to appear “hooded.” As we age, this fat may atrophy, giving the eyes a “sunken” or, in certain situations, slightly larger appearance. Nonetheless, a lot of people believed that because she had blepharoplasty to remove extra skin from her upper eyelids, her eyes appeared larger (and different).
Regarding her eyebrows, they haven’t changed all that much from before. Perhaps it was her makeup, or perhaps the actress was merely experimenting with different eyebrow styles. It’s evident from her before and after pictures that the actress is aging gracefully.
Conclusion
Renée Zellweger faced many challenges over the years in relation to a rumored plastic surgery. Many were shocked that she dared to age and change her appearance after a four-year break. Plastic surgery was thus forced to take the blame.
Recall that an individual’s decision regarding what they do or do not do with their body is their own. It is a person’s decision to have plastic surgery or not. Therefore, no one should be publicly “attacked” for it.
