Renee Zellweger Packs on Bridget Jones Pounds Again

by Maggie Vink (Subscribe to Maggie Vink's posts)
Jul 17th 2009 12:00PM

Photo: Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images

Odds are, if you've had to lose weight in the past, some of those lost pounds have crept back on at one time or another. That yo-yo cycle of dieting is never fun. Can you imagine if your job actually required you to gain and lose pounds? Many of the Hollywood set have had to adjust their weight for a role, but Renee Zellweger just might be the queen of the doughnut. With the third installment of the Bridget Jones's Diary series in the works, Renee Zellweger is gaining once again.

Zellweger gained roughly 28 pounds for each of the first two movies. Certainly not enough to make her tiny frame overweight by any standards -- in fact, she looks downright cute as Bridget Jones. But gaining 28 pounds probably isn't as fun as it seems. "I had a panic attack with all the specialists talking about how bad this is for you long-term, putting on that much weight in short periods of time," Zellweger told the Daily Mail. In fact, Zellweger has described her body as "whacked" after putting it through the Bridget Jones weight gain. "It doesn't know what has happened because it thinks there's supposed to be a baby and there's no christening," joked Zellweger.

For the first Bridget Jones movie, Zellweger gained the weight by eating as many doughnuts and cheese pizzas as her body could take. Not surprisingly, the junk food and lack of exercise made her feel sluggish. For the second movie, she hired a nutritionist and gained the weight with a controlled, but high-calorie, diet.

Losing the weight again was no bed of roses, either. Zellweger said that she felt like she had a toddler strapped to her back while running around the track. Obviously, Zellweger has the funds for trainers and the expensive Ashram Spa in Calabasas, Calif., but the hard work required to lose the pounds was all hers.

If you could earn a Zellweger-like salary, would you be willing to gain and lose weight repeatedly for work?

Comments (20)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

benjikim 7-18-2009 @ 1:35PM

compared to what Christian Bale is doing now and has done before, Renee has it pretty easy.

Katheryn 7-18-2009 @ 1:35PM

No way.

Michelle CJ 7-18-2009 @ 1:34PM

Hell yes!!

Pearl 7-19-2009 @ 10:32PM

Renee is so cute and I love Bridget Jones and the concept which is what Monique does and says. There are beautiful women who are not a size 3 and I'm tired of the pressure placed on women whatever their age. They don't do that with men. However, I don't want Renee's health to be in jeopardy.

mimi 7-18-2009 @ 1:34PM

Why don't they give roles that require more normal looking women to actresses that are naturally like that, like Jessica Simpson, Eva Langoria, Sarah Jessica Gillar, etc.? It is unhealthy for Rene and anyone to gain weight only for a role in a movie, or any job. The joints suffer from carrying the extra load, circulatory and respiratory problems develop, and if sugar calories are being abused, diabetes can be part of the outcome. Remember that in your wish list, you should have health before wealth, for the latter without the first does not matter.

ed 7-19-2009 @ 11:45AM

with all the money they are making, I'm sure they have a doctor monitoring the situation

elwainsobe103 7-19-2009 @ 3:07PM

Would I gain 28 30 pounds for tons and tons of money UMMM now let me think
HELL TO THE YEA !!!!!

Carol 7-19-2009 @ 6:21PM

Yeah, of COURSE I would lose weight if I gained it first off- I actually DID lose 90+ lbs., but I gained 60ish of it back. If I had enough money to go through weight training, I would do it in a heartbeat. No Joke!!!

nayacutie 7-19-2009 @ 9:15PM

I think she looks better with the extra weight personally. When she was in Chicago she was way too skinny. She looks way better as bridget jones.

huhhh 7-19-2009 @ 7:55PM

why does she have to be fat for the movie. whats the movie aboouttt? somebodyy explainnnnnnnnnn

Sova 7-29-2009 @ 10:01AM

the movie is all about her life and her problems her weight being one of them. It is hilarious and i suggest you watch it before you ask a dumb question like that. she is brilliant and for the first commenter that was a really dumb comment about finding someone like jessica simpson for the role. Do you think jessica simpson or eva longoria could play the role of bridget jones? The producers of the movie write the script and automatically have someone in mind about who they want for the role. No one besides Renee could fulfill that character. My friend Scott just wrote a move, 500 days of summer if youve heard of it, and is in the process of writing a script for jennifer aniston, my neighbor from south jersey. If you heard of the movie he had the actress zooey decshanel in mind while writing it. And MIMI i still cannot get over you saying that, neither of those 2 can act. zellwegger is a true actress. I have never went out of my way to read this before but now that I have i'm actually offended for those who know so little about movies and the art of acting.

Mary 7-19-2009 @ 11:25PM

Surely they could pad her everywhere or maybe they could write it into the script that she had been on some fancy diet and lost weight. I think the only reason they would have her heavier is to make fun of fat people like they did in the first movie - with the granny panties and etc. What is so cute about that? Why do Americans think making fun of people's looks is so entertaining? We live in a sick society. Not every woman needs to look like a stick with fake boobs. Once upon a time "pleasingly plump" was desired. (-:

Jessie 7-20-2009 @ 8:17AM

Actually, it's not Americans that were making fun. It's written by a British author and it's about a British character.....

sue 7-20-2009 @ 8:18AM

Yes I would! Can't wait for the next Bridget Jones movie! Love the story line!

susan 7-20-2009 @ 10:10AM

Who wouldnt gain weight for a lot of money? Many of us gain weight periodically without even trying, why not get at least get PAID for it?
Renee made I believe $20mm for the last Bridget Jones movie, in part because of the first movie's success, but also because of the weight gain factor. All I can say is she must have some serious diet drugs to help her get back in shape. With that up and down weight issue,anyone else's metabolism would be trashed by now. And she is nearly 40...her metabolism is not going to just keep bouncing back. I hope she doesnt suffer a heart attack or heart and health problems.
If they can make Gwyneth Paltrow fat in her Shallow Hal movie, they should be doing the same for Renee without fattening her up in real life.

greenknight2814 7-20-2009 @ 4:46PM

Miss Z is a master actress and has the allure that always projects a beautiful woman, give or take 20 lbs. She can do what few American actresses have accomplished: put on a flawless British accent and get men to fight over her. I'm looking forward to seeing her reprise Bridgit Jones a third time. I hope it's as hilarious as the first two.

Elena 7-20-2009 @ 5:05PM

I understand the demand that is on actress' and how cruel the casting people and the media can be on a woman for both her wieght and aging. What I don't understand is why we as a sociaty would accept this cookie cutter image they keep telling us we should measure ourselves by. Why can't Hollywood have people as they really are in movies, bith by age and wieght. What are their sponsor's afraid their products won't sell, unless they spoon feed us a lie that look tasty nomatter how false it it. I think we should all take a closer look at what we believe and accept as truth. Yes I would be tempted, but after time my body would be telling me something is wrong, and I would have to take a serious look at what I have accepted in exchange for my health.

Linda 7-27-2009 @ 7:44AM

News Flash! She need not gain weight! They will use a prostetic (sorry about spelling) to make her look like she gained weight :) However, the media wants you to think she is yo-yo dieting!

yaya 7-31-2009 @ 4:17AM

be real not everyone has to be a size 2or 3 puleeese! I hope that people dont want to look like madonna totally sucked of all body. she looks like hell thinking she looks good as a skeleton with muscles ummmmmm not! be real