See Renée Zellweger’s Surprising Beauty Evolution Since 1997

Renée Zellweger went from cute to confident on the red carpet — see her hair and makeup evolution from 'Jerry Maguire' to 'Judy’!

The 2021 Academy Awards are coming! But before there were the Oscars, there were many, many events in the lives of nominees, including Renée Zellweger.

Zellweger has been a sunny blonde most of her career, though there was a moment when she went over to the dark side and dyed her hair a deep chocolate hue. She’s had short hair and long locks and was one of the first in Hollywood to make bobs and lobs cool. The 50-year-old actress leans towards super neutral makeup, staying true to rosy nude lips and cheeks except for a couple of notable classic movie star moments when she wore red carpet-red lips! She’s made many hair and makeup choices through the years, but one thing’s for sure: Zellweger has morphed from cute to confident.

The Texas-born actress made her film debut in Dazed and Confused and appeared in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but she became a Hollywood darling after a starring role in Jerry Maguire opposite Tom Cruise. As an ingenue, she wowed crowds with her sweet and spunky personality and looks.

Then came the Bridget Jones’s Diary years, when it was reported that Zellweger had to gain about 30 pounds to play the title character. She shed the weight, then put it on again just four years later for a sequel. She left the public eye for a bit, and we missed her on the red carpet.

More recently, she recaptured the spotlight, thanks to her turn playing the titular role in Judy, a Judy Garland biopic. Zellweger impressed Us through the 2020 awards season, taking home a statuette at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Critic’s Choice Awards, BAFTAs and Oscars. She stunned on the red carpet, in well-fitting, glamorous gowns and decidedly elegant hair and makeup. We can’t wait to see what she wears on the 2021 Oscars red carpet!

Keep scrolling to take a walk down memory lane and see how Renée Zellweger‘s look has evolved.