Renee Zellweger on new look: 'I'm glad folks think I look different'

When Renee Zellweger attended the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards on Monday, people immediately took notice of her new appearance, commenting that she nearly looked unrecognizable. Now, the 45-year-old is speaking out.

Renee Zellweger: 'I'm living a different, happier, more fulfilling life'

"I'm glad folks think I look different!" she said in a statement to People. "I'm living a different, happier, more fulfilling life, and I'm thrilled that perhaps it shows."


Renee said she decided to respond to the "silly" ongoing conversations about her appearance because "it seems the folks who come digging around for some nefarious truth which doesn't exist won't get off my porch until I answer the door."



Renee was nominated for an Oscar for her leading role in the 2002 film Chicago

She continued: "My friends say that I look peaceful. I am healthy. For a long time I wasn't doing such a good job with that. I took on a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and didn't allow for taking care of myself.

"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."


Renee attended the Elle Women in Hollywood event with boyfriend Doyle Bramhall

The actress credits her boyfriend Doyle Bramhall, a musician and producer who has worked with acts such as Eric Clapton and Sheryl Crow, for aiding with her emotional transformation.

"I did work that allows for being still, making a home, loving someone, learning new things, growing as a creative person and finally growing into myself," she explained.

Renee also wants people to know that she is comfortable in her own skin. "People don't know me in my 40s," the Cold Mountain actress said. "People don't know me [as] healthy for a while. Perhaps I look different. Who doesn't as they get older?! But I am different. I'm happy."

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