Renée Zellweger reveals that voice confrontation drove her away from acting

In simple terms, Renée Zellweger hates her voice. The "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy" star is in British Vogue's February 2025 issue and took the opportunity to reflect on the reasons behind her six-year acting hiatus from 2010 to 2016. "The bottom line? Because I needed to," Zellweger, 55, admitted. "I was sick of the sound of my own voice."  

The two-time Academy Award winner revealed that her relentless work schedule had left her feeling emotionally repetitive. "When I was working, I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, listen to you. Are you sad again, Renée? Oh, is this your mad voice?' It was a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences," she explained.  

Zellweger's break was a reset for her career and an opportunity for personal growth. The actress spent her time away from Hollywood delving into various activities that brought her joy and purpose. "I wrote music and studied international law," she told the magazine, adding that she also "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."  

This time of self-reflection and focus on meaningful pursuits was transformative for Zellweger. "I got healthy," she said, summarizing how the hiatus gave her the mental and physical reset she needed.  

Looking back, Zellweger questioned whether acting would still be her calling if she started in today's entertainment landscape. "I'm not sure about the way that it works now, celebrity and all of that stuff. I don't know if that suits me," she admitted.  

The star also expressed concern about the blurred lines between art and fame over the past two decades. "There used to be a line between celebrity and art," she reflected. "Now, that balance has become increasingly ambiguous. And 'notorious,' 'famous,' and 'known' are now all the same thing. It used to be that you were known because you had done something that was worth knowing about."  

As for whether she prefers the term "actor" or "actress," Zellweger demonstrated her trademark wit and indifference to labels. "I became an actress and now I'm an actor," she said. "I guess I'm indifferent to those things. I don't care. It's so fun not to have opinions about certain things, isn't it?"  

Zellweger seems poised to embrace this next chapter of her career on her own terms. The actor is also in a relationship with TV personality Ant Anstead, known in the US for appearances on HGTV. "I live in Southern California, near San Diego," she revealed, explaining that she chose the area "because that's where my fellow lives, and his little boy," referring to Ant and son Hudson, whom he shares with ex-wife HGTV star Christina Haack.