There are plenty of factors involved with actors who go on to become colossal mainstream successes. For some, this level of fame hits right away and for others it can take decades and some careers don’t truly take off until later in life. Renee Zellweger is someone who’s been able to make a strong impression right from the start, but she’s remained relevant for every decade since she hit the scene.

Zellweger’s star power is particularly high at the moment after her success at the Oscars with her turn as Judy Garland in Judy, but Zellweger has been wowing audiences and impressing critics for ages. There’s just something special about Zellweger that harkens back to that classical era of Hollywood and she’s someone that exudes the presence of a true star. Not all of her films may be success, but they all usually stand out in one way or another.

15 Best: Bridget Jones's Diary Inspired A Generation

Via MentalFloss.com

Sometimes casting for projects just comes together so perfectly and one of the more sublime examples of this is Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones. The original film, Bridget Jones’s Diary, was a major breakthrough for Zellweger and the quirky rom-com is so beloved that it spawned several sequels.

14 Best: Chicago First Showed Off Zellweger’s Pipes

Via TheStatuesque.net

Judy definitely reminded the world that Renee Zellweger has a real set of pipes on her, but it was back during Chicago that her musical skills were first truly explored. Zellweger is fantastic in the crime-filled musical, which is still one of director Rob Marshall's best films. Chicago really helped show audiences how Zellweger is a true performer.

13 Worst: Texas Chainsaw: The Next Generation Made Renee A Final Girl

via imdb.com

A controversial entry in the Texas Chainsaw series, The Next Generation effectively killed the franchise until it was rebooted a decade later. The Next Generation not only throws Renee Zellweger into the path of Leatherface and the Slaughter family, but it also features an early performance from a young Matthew McConaughey.

12 Best: Jerry Maguire And Renee Zellweger Has Us At “Hello”

Via IMDB.com

Jerry Maguire may not be the deepest of Renee Zellweger’s roles, but it marked a big point for the actress and put her on many people’s radars. Her struggles as a parent in the Cameron Crowe film, as well as her earnest relationship opposite Tom Cruise, both still hit hard.

11 Best: Nurse Betty Features A Slice Of Life, But With A Big Change

Via EmpireOnline.com

Nurse Betty is a great film that really gets to highlight Zellweger’s range as a more heightened character. She plays the titular character who’s a happy nurse in a small town who undergoes a major accident that sends her into a hallucinated fugue state. What follows is a very unconventional love story.

10 Worst: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Tarnished The Character’s Legacy

Via IMDB.com

Sequels to big success are inevitable and Bridget Jones’s Diary actually goes on to have two over the years. While Bridget Jones’s Baby actually isn’t that bad, the first sequel, The Edge of Reason, produces diminishing returns. It’s largely a retread of everything the first film does, while damaging characters in the process.

9 Best: Cold Mountain Shows That Zellweger Can Have Grit

Via HollywoodReporter.com

Anthony Minghella’s Cold Mountain may feel like Oscar bait in a lot of ways, but it still features strong performances from Zellweger, Nicole Kidman, and Jude Law, set against the Civil War. It’s a moving love story that shows that the connection between people can rise above something as devastating as warfare.

8 Best: Down With Love Is A Sweet, Musical Extravaganza

Via IMDB.com

Down With Love is a colorful, infectious love letter to romance that pairs Renee Zellweger up with Ewan McGregor, both of who are in prime form here. The film has a lot to say about gender, sexuality, & love and effectively uses its 1960s setting to get the most out of its themes.

Related: 20 Actors Who Transformed Completely For A Role

7 Worst: Case 39 Is A Poor Attempt At Horror

Via MLive.com

With the radical success that smaller horror films have had in recent years, everyone has been trying to cash in on the next big hit. Renee Zellweger’s attempt in the horror genre, Case 39, is a disappointing misfire on every front. The film involves an empathetic social worker who becomes a little too concerned over one of her cases and supernatural events start to plague her as a result.

6 Best: White Oleander Is A Beautiful Story Of Forgiveness And Family

Via IMDB.com

Based on the hit novel, White Oleander tells the story of a young girl in need, Astrid, who moves through the foster system after her birth mother is sent to prison for murder. As Astrid rotates between families, she’s exposed to a number of different maternal figures as she begins to truly discover herself along the way.

Related: 21 Photos Of Renée Zellweger’s Transformation Throughout The Years

5 Best: Cinderella Man Adeptly Showcases Zellweger As A Doting Spouse

Via CheatSheet.com

Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man is a boxing film set against the Great Depression that puts Russell Crowe in the ring with Paul Giamatti as his manager. Crowe’s character begins to find a real passion for boxing, but his wife Mae, played by Zellweger, grows increasingly distant as she worries for what will become of her husband.

4 Worst: Leatherheads Is A Regretful Waste of Zellweger’s Talents

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On paper Leatherheads seems like it should work. It’s a sports comedy that’s directed by and stars George Clooney that’s set in the 1920s and explores the absurdity of football during that time. The film contains a great cast, which includes Zellweger, but it doesn’t quite properly gel together.

3 Best: Appaloosa Throws Zellweger Into The Western Genre

Via AceShowbiz.com

Appaloosa is a gripping film that mixes the elements of a western with the crime genre as a high stakes operation is put into motion that features many unlikely players. Ed Harris leads the pack, but Zellweger’s character, a vengeful widow, is one of the film’s biggest highlights and surprises.

Related: 20 Hollywood It Girls Who Fell Off The Radar (And Where They Are Now)

2 Best: Reality Bites Is One Of Zellweger’s First And Best Roles

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Few films are such nostalgic shots back to the ‘90s as Ben Stiller’s Reality Bites. The film looks at a bunch of recent college graduates who don’t know what to make of their lives, both in a professional and romantic sense. It contains many wonderful early performances from actors who have now become huge. Zellweger’s character may not be huge in the film, but she’s still an important part of the down to Earth story.

1 Worst: Me, Myself, And Irene Is Cringe-Worthy Comedy That Reduces Renee

Via MoviesAnywhere.com

Me, Myself, and Irene is one of the most outrageous and risky comedies by the Farrelly Brothers. The film centers around Jim Carrey’s character, who suffers from multiple personality disorder, but the Farrellys instead turn his plight into a physical gag-filled punchline. Zellweger gets caught in the chaos as Carrey’s reluctant romantic interest and while she’s not bad here, the film as a whole is very regrettable.

Next: 20 Things Fans Don’t Know About Jim Carrey’s Private Life