Renée Zellweger Surprises Golden Globes Viewers Who Forgot She's Southern: 'Where Have I Been?'
It can be easy to forget what stars sound like when they’re not playing a role!
As Renée Zellweger accepted the award for best actress in a motion picture drama at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, many online were surprised to find out — or in some cases, be reminded — that she’s actually from the South.
The Judy star’s Texas accent came out throughout her acceptance speech, especially when she addressed the crowd as “y’all.”
“Has Renée Zellweger always had a southern accent? Where have I been? Well her dress is gorgeous,” wrote one social media user on Twitter, as another joked, “I was today years old when I found out Renee Zellweger had a thick country accent.”
Referencing chameleon actor Christian Bale, a third wrote, “Is Renee Zellweger like Christian Bale in that we always forget what she sounds like or is she doing an accent??”
Referencing her iconic turn as Bridget Jones, many also said that until the awards show, they had no idea that the actress, 50, wasn’t actually British.
“I am straight up so confused,” wrote one puzzled fan, as another replied, “having only seen renee zellweger in bridget jones her real accent is absolutely sending me.”
Yet another social media user pointed out that one of the reasons why so many people were taken by surprise could be because the star recently came back from a six-year break from acting.
“We haven’t heard much from her for several years, until this triumphant comeback. Thus, she might seem brand new,” they wrote.
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During her acceptance speech, Zellweger playfully spoke about her return to the Hollywood scene.
“Wow, I really am up here. Well, hi everybody, it’s nice to see you. Y’all look pretty good 17 years later,” Zellweger joked. “Thank you to the [Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Globes’ organizing body] for inviting me back to the family reunion, especially with all these extraordinary ladies this year.”
“I mean it, your work moves me. It moves me,” she added, speaking of her fellow nominees. “And I’ve been cheering for y’all from theater seats for a long time.”
Zellweger won her first Golden Globe back in 2001 for her role in Nurse Betty and won a second in 2003 for Chicago and a third in 2004 for Cold Mountain.
The actress also earned nominations in 2002 and 2005, for Bridget Jones’s Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, as well as in 2007, for her turn in Miss Potter.
