Renée Zellweger explains six-year acting hiatus
Renée Zellweger has discussed her lengthy hiatus from the spotlight. The actor, who is best known for playing the titular character in the Bridget Jones film series, has taken several extended breaks from acting, including from 2010 to 2016.
In a recent interview with her Bridget Jones co-star Hugh Grant in British Vogue, Zellweger revealed why she chose to step away despite winning an Oscar in 2004 for Cold Mountain, earning two further nominations, and being one of the most in-demand stars in Hollywood.
When Grant asked her why she spent six years out of the spotlight, she said, “Because 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.”
Despite retreating from the screen, however, Zellweger insists that she was busier than ever during her time away from Hollywood. She built a house, wrote music, rescued a couple of dogs, started a production company, and spent time with friends and family. All in all, she said, she “got healthy.”
When Zellweger returned to acting in 2016, it was for another Bridget Jones movie, this time titled Bridget Jones’s Baby. Three years later, she played Judy Garland in Rupert Goold’s biopic Judy, which earned her a second Academy Award.
Although it was a decisive comeback, the actor stayed away from the screen for another handful of years, only returning for the limited series The Thing About Pam in 2022, which she also produced.
More recently, Zellweger made another reprisal of her most famous role in the upcoming Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, which is scheduled for release on February 14th, 2025.
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