{"id":99093,"date":"2025-01-16T16:32:56","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T05:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/?post_type=articles&p=264505"},"modified":"2025-01-17T11:49:18","modified_gmt":"2025-01-17T00:49:18","slug":"renee-zellweger-quit-acting","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/renee-zellweger-quit-acting\/","title":{"rendered":"Ren\u00e9e Zellweger Reveals Why She Really Quit Acting All Those Years Ago"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – FEBRUARY 02, 2020: Ren\u00e9e Zellweger attends the EE British Academy Film Awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall on 02 February, 2020 in London, England.- PHOTOGRAPH BY Wiktor Szymanowicz \/ Future Publishing (Photo credit should read Wiktor Szymanowicz\/Future Publishing via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ren\u00e9e Zellweger, the two-time Academy Award<\/a> winner best known for her iconic role in Bridget Jones<\/em>\u2019s Diary<\/em>, has opened up about her six-year hiatus from Hollywood in a revealing interview. Speaking with her former co-star Hugh Grant<\/a> to British Vogue<\/em><\/a>, Zellweger described the break as a much-needed reprieve.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was sick of the sound of my own voice,\u201d she admitted. \u201cWhen I was working, I was like, \u2018Oh, my gosh, listen to you. Are you sad again, Ren\u00e9e? Oh, is this your mad voice?\u2019 It was a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

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BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 28: Ren\u00e9e Zellweger attends the Red Carpet Event for NBC’s “The Thing About Pam” at The Maybourne Beverly Hills on February 28, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The break, which began after filming My Own Love Song<\/em> in 2010, saw Zellweger step away from the spotlight to embrace\u00a0 more personal and behind-the-scenes pursuits. Instead of being on-screen, she immersed herself in studies and filmmaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wrote music and studied international law,\u201d she explained. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the actress<\/a> returned to the screen in 2016, it was to reprise her role in Bridget Jones\u2019s Baby<\/em><\/a>, it was with a fresh perspective that enabled her to take on more work such as Judy<\/em>, a Judy Garland biopic that won Zellweger an Oscar in 2020.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on her time away, she told InStyle<\/em> in 2019, \u201cI just knew that there were certain things I needed to prioritise… slowing down and working on building a life.\u201d<\/p>\n

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386900 89: Actress Ren\u00e9e Zellweger arrives for the 73rd Annual Academy Awards March 25, 2001 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Zellweger is wearing a Jean Desses vintage dress with hair by Robert Vetica of Cloutier and makeup by Laura Mercier. (Photo by Chris Weeks\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After a slew of performances since, Zellweger has again manintaind a life outside of the limelight despite beginning a romance with British TV presented Ant Anstead in 2021.<\/p>\n

She stars once again as the titular Bridget Jones in the upcoming fourth instalment, Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy<\/em> which premieres next moth\u2014catch the trailer below.<\/p>\n