Renée Zellweger has unveiled the reasoning behind her acting hiatus, sharing intimate details in an interview with British Vogue, published on Wednesday. Accompanied by her co-star Hugh Grant, the beloved Bridget Jones's Diary actress reminisced about her time away from the silver screen, spanning from 2010 to 2016.
When queried about her decision to step back, Zellweger disclosed, "It was imperative. I was weary of the monotonous echo of my own voice. While working, I'd think, 'Good heavens, listen to yourself! Are you melancholy again, Renée? Oh, is that your irate tone?' It felt like a repetitive cycle of the same emotional beats."
During her respite, Zellweger kept herself engrossed in a myriad of endeavors. "I penned melodies, delved into international law, constructed a home, adopted a pair of senior dogs, forged a partnership that birthed a production company, supported and fundraised alongside an ailing friend, and cherished moments with family, godchildren, and embarked on road trips across the nation with my canine companions. I reclaimed my vitality," she shared.
Zellweger paused her acting journey after wrapping up My Own Love Song in 2010. She gracefully returned in 2016 to breathe life back into her iconic role as Bridget Jones for Bridget Jones’s Baby.
Prior to her comeback in 2016, Zellweger had also opened up to British Vogue about the necessity of her hiatus. "As a creative soul, rejecting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is arduous," she admitted. "Yet, I was worn-out, failing to allocate the necessary time to recuperate between projects, and it eventually took its toll."
She further elaborated that during that sabbatical, she "discovered anonymity" and "engaged in genuine human connections, being seen and heard, not constrained by the predefined image that preceded me wherever I went."
"One cannot be a proficient storyteller devoid of life's vicissitudes and empathy for humanity," she stressed.
Currently, Zellweger has once again embraced her Bridget Jones character for Bridget Jones: Mad About a Boy. Speaking on her return, she enthused, "I cherish her. And her narrative is unfinished. As long as Helen [Fielding] pens her thoughts, Bridget remains alive."
In Bridget Jones: Mad About a Boy, Bridget Jones grapples with the aftermath of losing Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and navigates life as a solitary parent. She eventually finds herself entangled in two potential love interests: a teacher at her children's school (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and a younger man (Leo Woodall).
The film marks the fourth installment in the franchise, following Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), and Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016). Mad About the Boy will premiere exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. on February 13.
