Renée Zellweger Really Doesn't Understand The Frenzy Over Her 'Bridget Jones' Weight

In 2001, Renée Zellweger blessed the world with her hilarious portrayal of the title character in "Bridget Jones's Diary." But rather than her acting, the focus of headline after headline seemed to be her changing weight. 

This year, Zellweger will return to what's arguably her most famous role for the third film in the franchise, "Bridget Jones's Baby," and still, people continue to occupy themselves by talking about her waistline. 

In a new interview with Vogue UK for their July 2016 issue, the actress explained her feelings on all the chatter. "I put on a few pounds. I also put on some breasts and a baby bump. Bridget is a perfectly normal weight and I've never understood why it matters so much," she told the mag. "No male actor would get such scrutiny if he did the same thing for a role."

The Oscar winner also faced critics when she returned to the red carpet in 2014, causing a frenzy online over what many viewed as a "new look." But the actress wasn't fazed, telling People, "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." 

Inside the pages of Vogue, Zellweger also opens up about her six-year hiatus from acting, which followed her role in the 2010 film "My Own Love Song." Taking a break wasn't easy, but Zellweger says it was very beneficial to her growth as a person. 

"As a creative person, saying no to that wonderful once-in-a-lifetime project is hard," she said. "But I was fatigued and wasn't taking the time I needed to recover between projects, and it caught up with me."

She continued, "I found anonymity, so I could have exchanges with people on a human level and be seen and heard, not be defined by this image that precedes me when I walk into a room. You cannot be a good storyteller if you don't have life experiences, and you can't relate to people."

To read more from Zellweger's interview, head over to Vogue UK's website or pick up the issue when it hits newsstands on June 9. 

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.