Whenever we went through bad breakups, watching Renée Zellweger's Bridget Jones trilogy was always comforting and reassured us that dating is not hopeless. If a wacky Bridget can score a fancy barrister like Colin Firth's Mark Darcy, anyone can come out of the dating scene unscathed.
In the past, Zellweger herself has been like her character when it comes to dating. She's dated a lot since becoming one of the best actresses in Hollywood and raked up just as many exes as she has award-winning roles. But she might be like Bridget in another way, meaning she may have found her Mark Darcy... a little late in life, but still.
Here's what we know about Zellweger's dating history and how she snatched her newest and most unlikely suitor, Ant Anstead.
Jim Carey's Still Not Technically Over Her
Before hitting the scene in 1992, Zellwegger dated Sims E. Ellison. They dated for five years and split in 1993. Sadly, he died two years later, and Zellweger gave the eulogy, just as she reportedly started dating her Empire Records co-star, Rory Cochrane.
Then came Jim Carrey. Zellweger met the comedian on the set of 1999's Me, Myself and Irene, and they soon developed a whirlwind romance. Zellweger told CNN at the time that she didn't initially like the rumors of them dating.
"I liked him a lot, but you're not going (to the set) for the love connection," she said. "When the picture wrapped, we'd spoken a couple of times on the phone, and then all those rumors came out that I was dating him. I was so mad. I said, 'No, it's not true.' And then I went home … and I went, 'God, I do miss him.'"
They got engaged that same year, but their romance dried up by late 2000. Carrey still speaks about their time together and calls Zellweger the "great love" of his life. She meant a lot to him because she kept him grounded.
"She was special to me, very special. I think she’s lovely," Carrey said on The Howard Stern Show in July 2020. "I don’t regret — I don’t have those things. But I do appreciate the people that have come through my life for the good that they gave me … but I don’t pine for anybody; it’s not that kind of situation. It’s just my way of saying, 'There was a very important thing there,' and to recognize that."
Zellweger later told Entertainment Weekly that their relationship "was a very unexpected, wonderful thing."
She then dated The White Stripes frontman, Jack White, of all people. That's what's interesting about Zellweger's dating history. She's dated men you probably would have never expected.
They began dating in 2002 after they met on the set of Cold Mountain. Zellweger played Ruby Thewes, while White played a troubadour. He also sang on the soundtrack. They didn't last long either and split in September 2004.
But she wasn't single for long.
She Finally Tied The Knot...But Not For Long
After meeting at NBC’s Concert of Hope telethon in 2005, Zellweger and country singer Kenny Chesney tied the knot four months later in a private beach wedding in May 2005.
Zellweger told People that she's "never been the kind of girl who sits there and dreamily says, 'Oh, when I get married ...'"
Their marriage didn't last long. Four months after saying "I do," both listing "fraud" as a reason for annulling their marriage. Chesney told Playboy in 2009 that they had to give a reason for annulment.
"In order for us to get an annulment, the legal papers could claim either physical abuse, which wasn’t true or three or four other things that also weren’t true," he said. "The best thing we could put in there was fraud. So I said, 'All right, do it. Whatever.'"
In 2007, it was rumored that Zellweger was dating a pre-Emily Blunt John Krasinski after they were seen together, but they never confirmed. She sparked dating rumors again in 2009 when she was spotted with former MSNBC correspondent Dan Abrams. That also had a similar fate because Zellweger started dating her Case 39 co-star Bradley Cooper in 2009. They sadly split two years later, in 2011, but reunited at the 2019 Oscars.
Once again, the Oscar-winning actress didn't stay single for long. Well into her six-year hiatus from acting, Zellweger started dating musician Doyle Bramhall II in 2012. Bramhall II was Zellweger's longest relationship, and they originally met as students at the University of Texas.
After dating for five years, Zellweger told Us Weekly in June 2017, "He’s a very special person. Isn’t he cute? He’s a very sweet man…I’m very, very happy right now." He may have been special, but their relationship, like all the rest, didn't survive. They split in May 2019.
Along with all these rumored flings and mostly (coincidentally) two-year relationships, except for Bramhall II, Zellweger has joked about being married to long-time friend George Clooney in the past.
She was also rumored to have dated ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney, which is even weirder than Jack White. Sadly, there was never any fling between Zellweger and Colin Firth, which we totally ship.
She Connected With Ant Anstead Immediately...But Are We Surprised?
Zellweger has now started a relationship with Wheeler Dealers Ant Anstead. They met on the set of Anstead's upcoming Discovery+ show, Celebrity IOU Joyride, earlier in the month.
The news came of their relationship just as it was confirmed Anstead's divorce from HGTV'S Christina Haack was finalized. The couple has shocked a lot of people because who knew they'd ever cross paths? Apparently, they "just clicked."
A source told People, "Sometimes two people just meet and click, and the timing is right. Renée is creative...and often goes for guys who think out of the box. She’s smart, thoughtful, and always looking to expand horizons and nurture those around her."
The fact that they clicked fast comes as no surprise because Zellweger seems to click with many people quickly. Only time will tell if they're really meant for each other, but it's too early to be hopeful that Zellweger's found "the one."