Renee Zellweger Answers Plastic Surgery Questions!

Renee Zellweger is doing promo for her upcoming return to the world of award season buzz, Judy Garland biopic Judy, so naturally she’s doing tons of interviews.

Unfortunately for her — and for some of the journalists asking her about it — that means she’s getting questions about the biggest controversy of her career.

In a new interview for New York magazine, the actress was asked about the criticism of her presumed plastic surgery after she showed up on the red carpet at ELLE‘s Women In Hollywood event in 2014 looking undeniably… different.

Renee Zellweger Face 2014 — (c) Brian To/WENN

At the time, Renee would only say:

“I’m glad folks think I look different! I’m living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I’m thrilled that perhaps it shows. My friends say that I look peaceful. I am healthy.”

Yeah, that’s not what people were responding to. People love seeing ya happy, gurl — but that is not what anyone was talking about. Fans were completely taken aback by the very obvious changes. Mostly around the eyes.

If you think it’s awkward trying to describe the work Renee did or didn’t have, asking her to her face was even worse, as her interviewer notes. Renee prods:

“Because it probably gives you a stomachache, asking me about that, doesn’t it?”

The interviewer admits it’s a sensitive subject, to which the Oscar winner responds:

“Well, because there’s a value judgment that’s placed on us. As if it somehow is a reflection of your character — whether you’re a good person or a weak person or an authentic person.”

The interviewer points out it’s less judgment and more concern on behalf of fans, who — like Mark Darcy — loved her just as she was. And suddenly she looked like a completely different person.

Renee Zellweger in 2004 — Renee with her BAFTA in 2004. / (c) WENN

Renee has some strong feelings about the controversy generated by her face, saying:

“And the implication that I somehow needed to change what was going on because it wasn’t working. That makes me sad. I don’t look at beauty in that way. And I don’t think of myself in that way. I like my weird quirkiness, my off-kilter mix of things. It enables me to do what I do. I don’t want to be something else.”

For sure! Exactly! Same page! We totally love her “weird quirkiness” too!

We even think Down With Love is underrated.

But she looked so different, fans worried she didn’t like the way she looked. However, Renee seems unwilling to acknowledge she ever did make any changes.

“I got hired in my blue jeans and cowboy boots with my messy hair. I started working like that. I didn’t have to change to work. So why was I suddenly trying to fit into some mold that didn’t belong to me?”

Yes, that’s it exactly!

So, yeah… why?

Unfortunately, while Renee was able to put her finger right on the question in everyone’s minds, she does not have an answer. The interview moves on to other things. And we’re left on the edge of reason, as unsatisfied as after her 2016 op-ed in which she basically denied everything, writing:

“Not that it’s anyone’s business, but I did not make a decision to alter my face and have surgery on my eyes.”

Innerestingly she is back to looking like the Renee we all fell in love with these days. So whatever she did or didn’t get done in 2014 was apparently temporary.