RENÉE NEWS - NOVEMBER 2003

Renee Zellweger Dismisses 'Fat' Talk
Associated Press - November 29, 2003

NEW YORK - Renee Zellweger doesn't see what the big deal is about the fact that she put on weight to play Bridget Jones.

The petite actress packed on the pounds for "Bridget Jones's Diary" in 2001, then slimmed back down for last year's "Chicago," and now she's plumped up again for the sequel "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," due out next year.

"The first time I did it, I learned a lot. I realized the influence of living in a society that focuses so much on physicality has affected me," Zellweger tells Vogue magazine for its December issue.

"When the film was coming out, the question I was asked the most was regarding my weight. And again it's happening. I was followed around Heathrow (airport) by a guy who wanted to take a picture of my backside. I don't understand the obsession."

Conversely, when Zellweger hears comments from people who think she looks too skinny in real life, the 34-year-old actress responds, "Looks like a busy girl who takes care of herself!"

Zellweger's next film, "Cold Mountain" with Nicole Kidman and Jude Law, opens Christmas Day.

BACK ON TRACK
Chicago Sun-Times [suntimes.com]
November 26, 2003

For those keeping score, Renee Zellweger and White Stripes frontman Jack White have patched things up. The ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' star has recovered from White's less-than-kind cracks about Zellweger's appearance as she packed those pounds back on to reprise Bridget in the upcoming sequel.

Let's get back together
The San Francisco Examiner
November 25, 2003

Renee Zellweger appears to be back with her ex-boyfriend, White Stripes frontman Jack White. The unlikely couple reportedly broke up days before Zellweger was to leave for England to begin work on the sequel to "Bridget Jones' Diary." But Renee was spotted last week in the front row at a Stripes' show in New York.

FAT CHANCE
[macon.com] November 05, 2003

Weight Watchers is disavowing any knowledge of an offer supposedly made to actress Renee Zellweger to pay her $3.2 million to lose the 30 pounds she gained during filming of the sequel to "Bridget Jones's Diary." The report, attributed to the movie Web site imdb.com, appeared in numerous publications.

"Weight Watchers is flattered that everyone thinks Renee Zellweger plans to lose her `Bridget Jones' weight in a healthy way by following the Weight Watchers program," said WW spokeswoman Linda Webb Carilli. "However, the company has not approached Ms. Zellweger."

A rep for the actress did not return calls seeking comment.

Meredith Scripting Zellweger's Janis Joplin Biopic
Variety, November 4, 2003

Anne Meredith has been set to script Piece of My Heart, Lakeshore/Paramount's Janis Joplin biopic, in which Renee Zellweger plans to star next year. Zellweger is producing with Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi.

Meredith wrote the script for Bastard Out of Carolina and followed that with the Holocaust film Out of the Ashes. She also wrote Delmore Can't Dance, a Paramount film Scott Rudin is producing and Robert Benton will direct. That script won her the Joplin job.

Paramount and Lakeshore have competition in getting the first Joplin biopic into theaters. Producer Peter Newman is also developing The Gospel According to Janis, which Wayne's World director Penelope Spheeris is writing and plans to direct.

Crowe goes on wagon for his art 
[irishexaminer.com] November 3, 2003

Russell Crowe has sworn off alcohol until March 1, when he begins filming Cinderella Man, the story of heavyweight boxing champion James Braddock.

“I’m not drinking because I’m in training for the movie – not for any other reason,” he told journalists in Los Angeles.

Crowe, who is soon to be seen in the seafaring epic Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, is currently learning boxing choreography for the Depression Era story, which co-stars Renee Zellweger as his wife.

Director Ron Howard, who previously worked with Crowe on the Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind, said in an interview: “Russell has wanted to do this movie for years because of the family element.

"Braddock was completely driven and there finally came a point where every move he made was going to impact the survival of his family.”

Zellweger Offered Millions To Shed Pounds
 [Zap2it.com] November 01, 2003

LOS ANGELES - Actress Renee Zellweger, who packed on the pounds for her characterization of the zaftig Bridget Jones, has been offered a sizeable amount of money to shed the weight. According to industry reports, once shooting of "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" is wrapped, Zellweger, 34, could receive millions to return to her normal size.

The dieting service WeightWatchers is allegedly dangling an approximate $70,000-per-pound sponsorship deal in front of the actress if she loses 30 pounds after the movie, which has already netted the actress a reported $15 million.

Zellweger was nominated for the Oscar and the Golden Globe for her portrayal of everyone's favorite singleton in "Bridget Jones's Diary" in 2001. Last year, she won the Golden Globe for her supporting role in "Chicago."

"Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," which also stars Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, expects a Nov. 2004 release date.

Colin Firth loses voice in fight with Hugh Grant
31st October 2003

Colin Firth has lost his voice on the set of Bridget Jones II after being thrown into a pond during a fight with Hugh Grant.

The sequel sees a second brawl between Firth's character Mark Darcy and Hugh Grant's character Daniel Cleaver - in which Firth ends up being thrown into a pond.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason sees the return of Renee Zellweger and is currently shooting in London.

"You may have noticed I've lost my voice," Firth told Empire Online.

"It's not puberty, it's actually because I was freezing cold - we end up in the water in that fight. I spent a couple of days in a very, very cold pond with Hugh Grant, which socially was pleasant enough but has left me a little worse for wear."

Firth admitted that he had reservations about starring in the sequel to Bridget Jones' Diary.

He said: "It's very odd actually, I think most of us were skeptical. Obviously a sequel is fraught with dangers but most of my fears were allayed the minute Renee opened her mouth.

"I thought there's a lot more life in this now, she's great and we're going to want to see a lot more of this."

In the new film Bridget has moved in with barrister Mark Darcy, but discovers domestic bliss is not so blissful after all.

A tough new storyline sees the heroine dumping her beau, before a series of mishaps land her in a Thai prison.

Barrett Hints at Twist in 'Bridget Jones' Sequel
[Zap2it.com] [www.ananova.com]