Renée Zellweger Career Retrospective | SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations

Renée shares stories from her performances in Judy, Chicago, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Cold Mountain, Empire Records, Jerry Maguire, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Love and a .45, and Nurse Betty in this interview about her acting career. She recalls working with Woody Allen, improving her singing and dancing for Chicago, and her experience at the Golden Globe Awards in this Q&A moderated by Jenelle Riley, Variety. This interview is part of the SAG-AFTRA Conversations series, an essential resource for actors, filmmakers and students of discussions with performers, exploring the process and profession of acting.
The views expressed in the presentation materials and films, and by the guests and moderators are solely those of the organization and/or individual providing them and do not reflect the opinions of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, its staff or Board of Directors.
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0:00 Introduction
1:35 SAG card
3:16 Beginnings with acting
7:22 Texas Chainsaw Massacre
8:51 Moving to Los Angeles
11:21 Love and a .45
12:12 Empire Records
13:40 Jerry Maguire
16:00 Auditioning, Woody Allen
19:25 Sundance, Jerry Maguire (continued)
26:44 Nurse Betty, Golden Globe Awards
32:52 Bridget Jones’s Diary
36:36 Chicago
41:11 Cold Mountain
45:55 Judy
52:59 Judy’s look
57:33 Lessons from Judy

[@johnn.5033]

Holy crap, I always liked Renee but I had no freaking idea how charming she was. She is so naturally funny and effervescent.

[@Ernie1978]

Renée deserves the second Oscar and her fourth SAG, come on voters! Watch Judy before you vote! She did a brilliant job paying respect to a legend that we had taken for granted. Brilliant, Renée!!!

[@mikekillagreen9432]

I love Renee and Jeanelle is the best interviewer. Love this!

[@MrAmojo]

I love Nurse Betty. Such a great actress. Sometimes I think she doesn't realize herself how good she is.

[@giovanabrandao5789]

This interviewer made she feel so comfortable! Best interview I’ve seen with Reneé

[@reginasemenenko148]

Even though she has been in many successful movies, she is so down to earth! Love her!

[@thomasofarabia]

Wasn't expecting to enjoy this interview so much. But one hour later and she still has my full attention. So glad you're back Renée. We missed you. Fingers crossed for Oscar gold.

[@jaytrolan1602]

“Judy” the movie was fantastic. Just incredible. Thank you 🙏 Renee Z for that work. The woman is adorable. Both of them. I love the hat actually that she wore as it suggests Renee wore it as a sort of armour to hide behind as she is quite possibly very fragile as an acting 🎻 instrument, very sensitive human being. Makes her seem soo brave to have accomplished what she has created, in spite of and perhaps because of her sensitivity as an artist. Renee makes our world a better, richer place through her 🖼 art and her humanity. 👏

[@nirvana4230]

I’ve always loved Renée Zellweger, so talented and a class act.

[@stephenmichalski2643]

....."their all asleep now"........are you frickin kiddin me!!??!!??.....She was captivating!!!!.......hysterical!!!......what a precious down to earth personality.......my god.....this was soooo great.....loved it!!!

[@contactjoy4140]

Yes, she's a superb actress in any venue.

[@brvndxxxn]

So proud of her winning best actress!! Go Rene!!!!

[@caseymanuel7199]

If Jenelle isn’t doing the interview I don’t watch! I love her!!!

[@nathalievanquin2994]

Renée Zellweger is definitely one of the most talented actresses ever! I love love her and her performance is just mind blowing! 👌❤️ Wonderful interview!

[@FerDeLaParra]

isn’t she just delightful? wow.

[@MrAmojo]

What an absolutely delightful, genuine and funny person she seems. Kudos to the interviewer as well. I'm gonna be binging on Renée this weekend. Thanks guys!

[@cathvite9765]

Renee is a class act.

[@JamesWilliams-vo8ld]

She’s gonna win the Oscar.

[@perkyporkpie]

Ms Riley is once again a wonderful inteviewer

[@maretijewel1470]

The lipstick incident was SO Bridget !!...

[@hyzenthlayrose2176]

I didn't want this video to end

[@miss.phyllisreneefoster9547]

this is a great interview just a great interview. God bless Renee, and god bless the interviewer Jeanelle she has a wonderful demeanor and personality in interviewing people wonderful personality, no cheap shots at all, wonderful interview good luck Renee amen.

[@Joules-rm5os]

Jenelle is superb. Renee is truly iconic. Thanks very much for sharing this here. I love this video.

[@AndrewMichaelsen1990]

She’s STUNNING in every way possible!!!

[@crosscastle100]

Renee is a Texas girl,we love her

[@juancarlosojano]

Who did even dare dislike this video?

[@weasley2o13]

Harvey Weinstein. What's to like about a strong, intelligent woman who stand up for herself?

[@dthinkr66]

Darth Zellweger! She's awesome.

[@somakkamos]

Who knew renee is sooo hilariousss

[@user-zu1po6er8o]

Oh my gosh. The lipstick story!! Hilarious.

[@satyapersaud1488]

Renee is simply brilliant!

[@annestoriesph]

She’s such an entertaining story teller... 😃

[@raquelra5878]

Such a nice conversation!

[@MA-dh4bk]

I was excited to see her at the Golden Globes!!

[@kendallspooner703]

Nurse Betty - such a perfect performance

[@JuanGomez-oc5eo]

Omg, she is sooooo adorable ❤️

[@studio3ten]

Renee has SUCH unique speaking voice...

[@1Cyberix]

A joy to see. Thank you.

[@erlindapena9669]

She’s so down to earth ,love her 💕

[@chrismcevoy2503]

Renee is very genuine.

[@drrajunagar8612]

One of the best

[@siddharthnaagar7028]

Amazing

[@oneseeker2]

Great Actress!

[@carlomagno1196]

Love her ❤️❤️❤️

[@francishernandez7395]

GOAT! Renee ❤️❤️❤️

[@makaylahollywood3677]

Great interviewer, Renee is lovely. Thank you.

[@sunflower-oo1ff]

Renee is awesome and beautiful... I don't mind the hat, I think she wanted to hide a little bit...its all good :)

[@tehreemamitha8524]

A Price Above Rubies, one of her best.

[@chrismcevoy2503]

She was wonderful in Cold Mountain and Judy.

[@brianwebberable]

Oh wow, she's lovely!

[@philippeh3904]

Part of me feels like she’s pissed off that Hollywood dumped her and now their embracing her

[@kevlow9494]

I felt the same way.. Hmmmmmmmm

Yes! There's almost a vengeful thing to it. Like she's proving them all wrong and she wants them to know it.

[@terricampbell9376]

While keeping a smile on her face so they can’t quite know for sure. Diplomacy at its finest.

[@emaratilicious-4079]

I didn't get that from this interview. She said that she took 6 years off cuz she needed that break.

[@UnoHoo1]

Emaratilicious - not to mention her entirely different face. Js

[@yourmajesty1630]

she's s pretty and charming and such an amazing actor it is odd she acts sort of insecure about something i have no idea what... her body language and her hat, like she is hiding. odd. the first time i noticed her was in a movie called "one true thing'. she made me cry. she was the lead and she was amazing and she was working with meryl streep and william hurt and she stood out even among them. i was astonished that she was so front and center and that she made me cry in that move. and then i saw her in a comedy, nurse betty,n and she made me laugh. that was it. she can do anything , you name it. judy garland. no problem. she is so good at what she does. very impressive. overall the interview was not that interesting, but she was very heartfelt, very sincere. and she is interesting, just the direction of every moment of this interview didn't grab me like some others. it is fascinating to see her just talk outside of her doing her thing because she really is an artist.

[@65Davis65]

i love you Renee

[@oop2614]

She’s so adorable

[@duben55]

Fun!!!

[@jjroseknows777]

I would have liked this a lot more if she didn't wear the hat....or at least had it back some so that we could see her eyes.

[@marymagnificat8567]

I think that was the idea of wearing that hat by Renee, to cover her eyes. For some reason her eyes are different. Maybe she did an eye surgery. Just thinking.

[@dr.calebrobbins.3177]

I've oscillated btwn. thinking Z. as an artist who was still looking for best medium of committed self expression & really taking herself seriously then we would share in the best of her artitistic self. Somewhere btwn Ruby & Judy is the real Z. For me anyway ... Z should only play strong women who Life has been pushing around then realises ' Hey, F U , this is me & then starts pushing back - & even if still up against it becomes comfortable with her new sense of self perception & the inevitable outcome will be whatever ... This is where her talent & personal strength can be found. I like this girl she fun and has very firm boundaries. That is what makes her worth watching. Like Streep she is in possession of a broad range. Z ! Also very cool woman.

[@contactjoy4140]

Renee should have been a stand up comedian.

[@jbt6007]

It would be interesting to hear Renee talk about working with Harvey Wienstein. She thanks him in her Oscar speech for Cold Mountain.

[@serphiemould4248]

What's The Frequency do you know that every actor who worked with Weinstein has been told to thank him during awards season? why single her out? RZ just did what she was told to do. In fact, there's no reason for her to not thank him because he's like the man whom she and every Hollywood's A-lister worked with

[@jbt6007]

@@serphiemould4248 I think she has a story. Why did she drop out for six years?

[@serphiemould4248]

What's The Frequency what kind of story? please tell us. because as far as i know she stated in interviews that she wanted to take a break after working nonstop from 90's until 2010. besides, if you really want to mention Weinstein's name, why wouldn't you take other actors name? you can hate Weinstein as you want, but these actors know Weinstein used to have a big influence in Hollywood back then. so you cannot really single RZ out. however if you still want to believe in your theory, RZ shouldve been a Best Actress Oscar in 2003 where she lost to Nicole Kidman. both actresses worked with Weinstein. you better do your research before accusing somebody you're talking about

[@jbt6007]

@@serphiemould4248 I don't know anything, not singling anybody out and am a fan of RZ ..... I'm assuming RZ was a victim and has found her story to painful to tell. Many people have wondered the same thing.

[@mikeycon10]

I don’t get what the thing was with the posters in James Brooks’ office??…Anyone know ??

[@nocchi.9589]

I love her accent lol

[@frellyheck]

I wish they would give Jenelle a more comfy chair. That is all.

[@craigmack9427]

Texas girl :-D

[@adrianamarconetti3318]

Porque no están subtitulados una pena,

[@rebecasoto6046]

When she talked about a heart breaking experience in early 2000 she meant Jim Carrey ?

[@onecasualvampire]

That hat though.

[@rio197]

I like Rene a lot. This is a great video, thanks. But the hat is just too distracting.

[@chelspat5920]

Who knew Zellweger was a Debbie Jellinski fan?!

[@stephenvincent4989]

I must first apologise as not being a great fan of this ladies work (not overly impressed with Judy). However, in interviews she excels as a true natural as her every word is enthusiastically delivered as a kid lovingly indulging in the Hollywood dream. Possibly you can take the girl out of Texas but you can’t take Texas out of Renee - which in her case is a definite plus not a minus.

[@Aurora-lp9sn]

I thought the hat was photoshopped in the thumbnail......alas it is not.

[@romanclay1913]

MISS POTTER

[@catlucky9815]

Who goes to the loo just before your name may be called for an award ??? Weird.

[@raclarke7379]

Take hat off! Can’t see your eyes

[@carybaxter274]

Call me!

[@SIMADAYUKIUSA]

レニーの整形の噂は今思うとひょっとしたら、ジュディーガーランドに似せる為のプチ整形じゃないかな・・・・。元の顔に戻ってる。