Actresses tend to face harsher judgement than actors based on their looks, and Renee Zellweger hasn't been immune. After the Bridget Jones's Baby trailer came out, a Variety article asked, "If She No Longer Looks Like Herself, Has She Become a Different Actress?" This criticism was based on rumours that she'd gotten surgery, which she's said are false.
In a Hollywood Reporter interview, Zellweger addressed the double standards for media coverage of actors and actresses. When asked about ageism in Hollywood, she stated that she sees age as a sign of power and would rather not even talk about women's appearances. "Why are we talking about how women look?" she said. "Why do we value beauty over contribution? We don't seem to value beauty over contribution for men. It's simply not a conversation."
It doesn't seem like the public scrutiny of her appearance has gotten to her, though. Instead, she's focusing on her writing. "There are so many women now who are answering their creative calling — writing, producing, directing," she said. Before the interview, she'd attended a seminar called "Great Female Voices."
Her responses remind us that no matter how much people gossip about female celebrities, nobody has to engage with them. She, for one, refuses to have a conversation on anyone else's terms.
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