Renee Zellweger Will Be A Worthy Oscar Winner
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at 10:59PM 
When a performance becomes an undeniable front runner for awards, sometimes the chatter becomes all about that and we lose a sense of why it became a juggernaut in the first place. January promises to be full of trips to podiums at awards shows for Renee Zellweger as Judy. However before we start analyzing the speeches, let’s take a look back at the the performance itself. A merging of three aspects, Zellweger’s performance is deserving of accolades...
First it’s a star turn. She’s giving us her Zellwegerian magnetism. You can not miss the Zellweger tics. The fluttering of the eyes, the cock of the head. We look at her as Judy and know that it is the same actress who played Bridget Jones, Roxie Hart and Barbra Novak. It’s what a star would do, she’s the character and she is openly herself. She is not trying to hide completely under the skin of someone else. And for that we love her and revel in her screen presence. Welcome back to movie stardom, Renee, you were missed!
Secondly Zellweger pays recognizable homage to Garland. Her take on Garland is very smart. Zellweger knows that she can’t replace Garland or erase her from the memories of those who love her. So she pays respectful homage. She builds the performance bit by bit, always giving a nod but never going full transformation. She got Garland’s body language if not an exact imitation of the way she moves. She finds a way to channel Garland’s singing voice and the way Garland spit words while singing. That’s made easier by the fact that the film takes place during the last months of Garland, when her voice wasn’t as strong. She has Garland’s hair and costumes but doesn’t alter her appearance much beyond that. She finds the right balance so we can see both Renee and Judy in the performance.
And finally like all smart actors she came prepared with an idea about the character. Zellweger hones in on playing up a core of sadnesses that the script relies on. In every scene while being Renee and nodding to Garland, she’s playing a woman full of heartache. We can’t help but feel for both Renee and Judy. The two stars’ recognizable traits merge within this melancholy woman we are watching while she tries to rise up time and time again. She wrings cleansing tears and poignant feelings from us. And for that she’ll be a worthy Oscar winner.
Reader Comments (57)
I could hear people crying at the end of the movie in the theater. Her performance isn't bad by any means, however, I think Erivo and Johannson gave better performances.
Oh, wow. First going to bat for Miles Teller, now Renée Zellweger—are you OK, Murtada? ;-)
But seriously, Zellweger is doing a good job in Judy, so I wouldn’t begrudge her an Oscar. (Although it is crazy to think of the company she’ll find herself in: Blanchett, De Niro, Lange, Lemmon, Streep, Washington, Zellweger?)
Murtada you in danger girl.
I know she did a good job, but the idea of Renee winning a second for playing Judy, who never won a competitive Oscar... Sorry, but I hope it doesn't happen. And frankly, I think a comeback nod is better for her career than another win.
I saw the film just yesterday and could not agree more. I still think Nyongo would win my vote by the tiniest of margins, but Zellweger does incredible, multi layered, full bodied, deeply felt work in every frame of her scenes. It's certainly a performance worth awarding.
@Mareko
(Although it is crazy to think of the company she’ll find herself in: Blanchett, De Niro, Lange, Lemmon, Streep, Washington, Zellweger?)
More like Hilary Swank, Helen Hayes, Kevin Spacey, Luise Rainer, Anthony Quinn, Fredric March, Renee Zellweger.
I second Mareko's first sentence. Murtada I like you but geez we really diverge when it comes to our taste in acting performances.
Good for her on the accolades and being embraced on a "comeback", but it seems like such a strange narrative to build a second win on. She had a great run in the 90s through the early Aughts, became a bonafide Academy Award winner in the process, but of all the greats who have had great runs to lesser esteem, does Renee Zellweger feel like someone they'd be dying to give a second Oscar to? After Glenn Close last year I get the feeling that a performance has to be a nearly next-level event to garner enough support to take a previous winner over the finish line. If it weren't Blue Jasmine for Cate Blanchett that year, we may be talking about two time winner Sandra Bullock. Will there be a performance this year that has everything that Olivia Coleman had going for her (great performance in a Best Picture nominee with across the board support) that takes away from the comeback narrative?
Even with the moderation protocol in place my imposter still says stupid things under my name. I can't even get comfortable with this place coming back to some semblance of normality.
I initially thought the hype surrounding Renee Z was an overreaction till I saw the actual movie.
What Murtada said!
I think we all need to log off the internet and talk to the general cinema going public. As Murtada reminds us Renee is Bridget Jones, Roxie Hart, Barbra Novak, Nurse Betty, not to mention Ruby in Cold Mountain (some people must of liked the performance, it got her an Oscar) and ‘You had me at hello’. Most people will be able to name more Renee films than Cate Blanchett films. Renee is beloved and people will be glad to see her back.
Actually aren't Lupita and Scarlett the frontrunners for the Oscar??... Aw, sorry I forgot that we are talking about a biopic. So obviously is going to win and yes Zellweger is going to become a 2 times Oscar Winner. But tell me the true: you could ever imagine???
I think she is good but I won't call her undeniable. It's just because she played Judy Garland and the whole biopic thing.
In a world where Hilary Swank is a two time winner, I don't really care if she wins or not but I personally hope she doesn't. There are better performances that can be rewarded but this is the Academy and this is pure bait for them.
I'd rather see this nomination to jumpstart the second wind in her career than just being kind of rewarded and being done with.
I loved reading this persuasive piece. I've resisted seeing the movie until now (I'm a big fan of Tracey Bennett's interpretation on stage, and I was concerned this wouldn't measure up), but this more than anything else has convinced me that Renee has something new to offer. Can't say that I've missed her as an actress, since I've never truly been wowed by any of her performances aside from perhaps Bridget Jones and Nurse Betty, but the conversation around her this season has been fascinating to watch.
3/rtful - you win best comment
eurocheese - i agree, a win would hurt her career, a nom would boost it.
Damn only 4 comments? I know you trifling hoes have a lot more vitriol to spill on Zellweger (Did I spell that right Peggy Sue?) Expose your biases and get to it!
I'd rather Green Book tied Cats for best picture.
I found Zellweger simultaneously fascinating and unconvincing. I could...kinda-sorta support her for the win.
Winning two Oscars doesn't inherently mean "we consider you one of the all-time greats, and more talented/important than the actors who only have one Oscar." If it did, more people would have two Oscars and many actors *with* two Oscars would not.
It means, rather simply, "Your career captured lightning in a bottle twice." By Hollywood standards, Judy and Cold Mountain rise to meet that bar, whatever you think of those performances as a matter of personal preference. Don't overthink it.
Why does Frances McDormand have two Oscars and Susan Sarandon has one? It's not because McDormand's career is stratospherically more impressive than Sarandon's stratospherically impressive career. It's luck, timing, box office, distribution, competition, media, etc. Susan hasn't had a Three Billboards moment...not because she doesn't deserve one but because the stars haven't aligned to create one for her.
I hope Anne Hathaway gets a home run Best Actress vehicle for one of these years, and I won't hold the last 7 years of duds, flops, disappointments and bizarre choices against her. I love Darling Annie Hathaway and like Zellweger, she deserves a big moment of career rehabilitation where people stop being mean and appreciate what she can do.
The early buzz did not hold up that strongly. I think she'll get in but not sure about a win. Really don't know who is taking Oscar home, a hard year to tell.
If there is a surprise winner in one of the acting categories, I suspect it might be Best Actress. I know it is a longshot but I'm holding out hope for Woodard and Hodges from Clemency to pull a Phantom Thread and grab unsuspected noms from a late release. With a better campaign, I think Woodard could have been the favorite to join Halle Berry as the only AA actresses to win Best Actress.
The thing is, who else is gonna win if not her? Lupita and Charlize would make for better second Oscar winners, but their movies have their own disadvantages. Ronan apparently doesn’t have the role this year and Erivo and Woodard don’t have a high enough profile. I can only think of Johansson, but the narrative hasn’t formed around her, even though her movie is one of the frontrunners and she’s good in it.
Who’s gonna save us from Zellwegger, two time Academy award winner?
Bye! See you all next year! All the best.
Those are valid points but to me Zellweger's performance is nowhere near the intensity and utter brilliance of what someone like Johansson or Nyong'o achieved in Marriage Story and Us (and I truly disliked the latter), which to me is the best reason why she shouldn't win that second Oscar (she will, though).
She is good in Judy but I feel people give her waaay too much credit for the "Renee playing Judy" angle. Was it *really* such a deliberate choice by Zellweger or just a misstep in performance? Not saying I'd prefer complete mimicry but I'm still baffled how much praise she's getting for that.
If she hadn't won already then this win could be justified but pleaseeee not a second Oscar for a lame biopic performance when there are SO many rich performances in the race
Yeah. I appreciate the write-up and I understand the points but like several of you to me its' just not remotely at the level of at least a handful of her competitors so the slam dunk status.
eurocheese - i agree. i dont think a will help her career whereas a nomination is very 'welcome back'
It's felt like a fait accompli for so long, with my preferred winner (Elisabeth Moss) so forgotten that she's even left out of critics' awards, that I just have no opinion whatsoever of it.
If Zee follows Malek to an Oscar win, we will see a flood of Oscar-bait musical biopics (though we might have anyway). How fun for us.
thanks for reading and for the many comments.
Renee's perf is not my fave this year. That would be Alfre, Adele Hanael or Julia Stockler from Invisible Life.
That said I think Renee is pretty phenomenal and I like the perf and was moved by it. Of the likely Oscar nominees she will def get my vote, unless by some miracle one of the actresses I mention here gets nominated.
A lot can still happen. Natalie Portman looked like a potential (likely?) Best Actress winner for Jackie during this stage of the 2016 race, culminating in a BFCA win. That one wasn't even a tie, as they love to do. At this stage of last year's race, Lady Gaga looked like a potential Best Actress winner.
Televised awards matter a lot. They turned Glenn into a frontrunner, pulled Colman out of the "Is she the standout? Is she supporting?" indecision. They deflated Gaga's chances. They turned Emma Stone into an absolute lock, despite a colorful year. They brought Huppert an Oscar nomination. And more!
If things shift I think Scarlett has the most to gain. This year could resemble Winslet's 2008 campaign(s) if the Globes go overboard. "Just give her an Oscar—we don't care which one or for which role!"
Was this article written just to piss Nathaniel off? For fuck's sake...
James - How dare you? Put some respect on Fredric March’s name. :-P
As for Zellweger winning a second Oscar, I don’t mind it in theory. But it really hurts when someone as consistently brilliant and under-appreciated in the film world as Alfre Woodard loses to someone who’s won already. On another note, I was (and remain) Team Colman for 2018’s roster, but it’s heartbreaking to think that Glenn Close could’ve had 2019’s Best Actress Oscar sewn up if her studio simply pushed her film’s release date back one more year. I could bear Woodard losing to another perennial bridesmaid.
I now measure every biopic performances to Theron 2003 Monster standard.
I'm on the fence to the extent that the mannerisms are SO mannered. But then again that's part of her "Oh, Dharlin" (spelled just like that) character. She's immensely watchable, even if self-conscious, which the character should in this story. I feel a second viewing will raise my feelings.
The thing with a lot lf biopic performances, besides the prestige attached to them, is that people focus on mimicry or appearance of it, and in response there's a aversion created by people who watch films and prognosticate the awards season...and what's ultimately missed is whether or not the performance can stand on its own, free of the image of person being played. And often the bad in performances is not appropriately evaluated, and more commonly, the good.
And Zellweger's performance is one primed for all that.
Btw Thompson, Johansson and Geirharðsdóttir are the best I've seen so far. Also think Lopez is lead and not sure who I think is better between them.
@JF Natalie Portman should have won for Jackie. That was a hell of a performance. And everybody respects Portman. Zellweger is not that respected.
Y'all should stop dissing Swank. She is a million times better than Zellweger.
Take this nomination, not win, and turn it into another run like you had in the early 00's. You don't want to win this in front of Amy Adams or Jessica Chastain or some of the others still waiting.
After the Close defeat last season, I want Renee to win and need Kathy to be nominated. Outside of that the Academy can do whatever.
It's a good performance in an okay movie (I hated all of the flashbacks). Fine with me if she wins.
The thing is, I can't imagine anyone other than Zellweger winning at this point. As someone said, Scarlett has the ingredients for a win (never nominated A-List actress giving two critically-acclaimed performances in the same year - and I really do think she will be double nominated this year), but it's just not really adding up. Maybe ScarJo will win the Globe and things will start to shift, but I just don't see it.
Charlize will not win for playing Megyn Kelly, Lupita could easily still be snubbed on Oscar morning (she is still not a sure-thing IMO. If she's nominated, the nomination will be the reward), Cynthia Erivo has no buzz and no one likes her movie, and Saoirse is on the bubble at the moment. Renee is easily the frontrunner and I'm predicting she will just sail to that second Oscar.
Who gives a fu*k about this b***h playing an old white booser winking to Hollywood Nostalgia.
I want Lupita for the mother tuckin win!
I agree with those saying it’s hard to say who can beat her. I have a hunch Alfre is the one who has a shot.
Renee gives a great performance, but her narrative feels weak. Why should voters give her the win? Her performance is great, but it's not Blanchett-level undeniable. And, giving her the nomination could be seen by Oscar voters as enough of a comeback reward.
If things break for her, then I think Erivo could have a pretty strong narrative. She'd be the second black Best Actress winner, but this time it would be for playing a Black icon. Even Scarlett and Ronan have much stronger narratives and reasons to vote for them.
Renee gives a good turn in Judy. It is worthy of a BA nomination but not a 2nd win. Her career post Cold Mountain was poor performance and choice wise. I thought think a Johansson is
more deserving.
Zellweger gives a star performance- the movie never rises to her level- but she is wonderful and heartbreaking and deserves an Oscar.
I don’t hate her winning but I don’t know about worthy. Hollywood loves actors playing beloved entertainers, like Judy, Kate and Freddie. She is also winning because it’s kind of a weird year for actresses. I hated her in Cold Mountain so I only can muster polite applause.
Mixed feelings, I respect the performance a lot because she didn't go headlong into mimicry (like say Blanchett in The Aviator or Jamie Foxx in Ray), but these biopic roles in general are just past my last nerve. Especially after the travesty of Malek's win last year.
Wow, so many divided feelings!! 😂 I second Aaron's comment.
Renee might not give the most favorable performance for most o us here, but tt doesn't mean she dun deserve to win. Most o us r bitter tt she'll win her 2nd Oscar over so many non winners, but technically it will be her 1st Lead Actress win! after she came so close for Chicago.
I oso disagreed on the comment tt her narrative is weak. On the contrary, I tink among the actresses, her narrative is the strongest! Her own comeback + nailing a beloved icon, n being a survivor after Hollywood discarded her post Cold Mountain...all these r strong factors tt build into her strength to win.
So all o us argue Does she deserve to win? Well, does McDormand deserve to win her 2nd? Did all the backlashing/bitching on the internet stop her momentum?? It din n i see no reason y it will be any difference for Renee, who at least deserves a best actress win more than McDormand in that movie!
Btw, running behind Queen Cate's Blue Jasmine hot streak in 2013 is not Bullock, but Amy Adams in American Hustle! 😁
@James - I meant in the company of actors who first won an Oscar in supporting, then as a lead. ;-)
@Jules - I was just thinking that at least Zellweger wouldn't be as abysmal a winner as Malek. (Et tu, AMPAS?)
My question is, Does Zellweger really want it? I know she is campaigning, but is it on behalf of the film or just for herself? Will the many, many actors in the Academy whom she's worked with over the years (Streep, Kidman, etc.) rally behind her? Because that alone may put her over the top.
Are y’all really advocating for this performance, which is ONLY good, to help Renee become a two-time winner? When Glenn, Amy, Sigourney, Annette and Judy herself cannot even get ONE. No ma’am.
#lupita
hooray for this article! renee is wonderful in the film, and i like many folks here can't quite see who beats her.
It would be great if awards were decided upon acting skills and not image-conscious, optic-approved, race-baiting narratives...