Renee Zellweger is back on our screens in the latest edition of the hit Bridget Jones franchise. While the new film sees the beloved character single once again, Renee is currently in a relationship with British television presenter Ant Anstead.
The couple have been together since 2021, but before meeting Ant, Renee had been in relationships with some of Hollywood's leading men, including Jim Carrey and Bradley Cooper. The 55-year-old has also enjoyed romances with several musicians, and she married country star Kenny Chesney in 2005, although the pair's union was annulled just months later.
Here's all you need to know about Renee's dating life...
© Ron Galella, Ltd.Jim Carrey
Renee's first foray into the dating world was with The Mask star Jim Carrey, with the couple meeting when they were filming Me, Myself & Irene back in 1999. The pair were rumoured to have been engaged before their romance ended in 2000. Renee denied the rumours in 2003.
The couple's split was put down to wanting "different things" from their relationship, with director Ron Howard saying they also didn't want the public spotlight on them as much.
However, Jim still has fond memories of his time with the Hollywood star, and when speaking about their former relationship in 2020, he commented: "She definitely was special to me, very special, I think she's lovely," and described her as his "last great love."
© Justin BakerJack White
Renee's next relationship was with White Stripes star Jack White, with the pair meeting on the set of Cold Mountain.
The former couple were able to keep their relationship out of the spotlight, with it being confirmed in 2004 that they had gone their separate ways. At the time, a source said: "It was mutual. No scandal. No new relationships."
© Terry WyattKenny Chesney
It was during her third relationship that Renee got married, to country star Kenny Chesney; the pair first met at a tsunami relief fund. Despite marrying just months into their relationship, it sadly wasn't to be, and Renee filed for an annulment of their union just four months after tying the knot.
Kenny opened up about their split in an interview with Oprah Winfrey back in 2010, where he said: "It was out of the box. Oh my God, but it's tough. It really is tough, and she's a sweet soul, no doubt about it, but I just wasn't ready... This is the first time I've actually talked about it, but that's what happened."
Although the annulment alleged "fraud" as the reasoning behind the split, both have said that to them, the word was only legal jargon. "The only fraud that was committed was me thinking that I knew what it was going to be like, that I really understood what it was like to be married, and I really didn't," Kenny explained.
© Getty ImagesBradley Cooper
One of Renee's most high-profile relationships was with A-Team star Bradley Cooper. The pair began dating in 2009, but actually met back in 2006 when they filmed horror movie Case 39. Like many of Renee's relationships, they decided to keep out of the public eye as much as possible, before parting ways in 2011.
The pair didn't comment on their relationship during their time together, with both only speaking of their professional bond when asked. Bradley once told Entertainment Tonight: "I can't say enough about her. I just love her. I [loved] coming to work. I love acting with her. I can learn so much from her."
They proved there's no bad blood between them when they sweetly reunited at the 2020 Oscars.
© Todd WilliamsonDoyle Bramhall II
Renee's final relationship before Ant was with musician Doyle Bramhall II, with the pair dating between 2012 and 2019. The duo developed a strong bond, with the actress gushing over him during a 2017 interview where she called him "very special," but ultimately, it wasn't to last.
Renee hasn't spoken much about their break-up, but told People in 2019: "[It] kind of stays. And that over time, even when you think it's gone, reflecting on it, it's still very much there. It's kind of great, actually."
© InstagramAnt Middleton
Renee and Ant started dating in 2021 when the pair met on an episode of Celebrity IOU: Joyride. While Renee has previously shied away from being open about her partners, the couple confirmed their romance with an adorable black-and-white photo shared on Ant's social media pages.
Speaking of their meeting in an interview with People, Ant explained: "I'm really grateful to the show because these amazing things happen in your world and sometimes when things collide, they collide at the most obscure times when you least expect them. And that's what happened in this case."
Ant regularly calls his beloved his "missus," and the pair were seen together at the premiere of Renee's latest entry in the Bridget Jones franchise. The actress has even revealed that she lives in South Carolina in order to be closer to Ant and his son, whom he shares with his ex, Christina Haack.
