Renee Zellweger slams media speculation about plastic surgery

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Actress Renee Zellweger criticized media outlets for discussing her appearance, and said she did not have any surgery to alter her face, in an essay published on Friday.

Zellweger, 47, whose appearance has led to widespread speculation in various media outlets in the past year, said she wanted to “make some claim on the truths of my life,” in a blog post entitled “We Can Do Better” on Huffington Post.

She was also critical “that tabloid speculations become the subject of mainstream news reporting.”

“Not that it’s anyone’s business, but I did not make a decision to alter my face and have surgery on my eyes,” the actress said.

“This fact is of no true import to anyone at all, but that the possibility alone was discussed among respected journalists and became a public conversation is a disconcerting illustration of news/entertainment confusion and society’s fixation on physicality.”

Zellweger, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for “Cold Mountain” and will be reprising the titular role in the third “Bridget Jones’ Diary” movie coming out in September, has faced rumors that she had surgery to alter the shape of her eyes.

The actress first addressed reports of her appearance to People magazine last year, saying, “I’m glad folks think I look different! I’m living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I’m thrilled that perhaps it shows.”

Zellweger’s post slamming tabloid news culture comes a month after actress Jennifer Aniston wrote a Huffington Post blog saying she was sick of being harassed by photographers and tabloid reporters.

“I am not pregnant. … I’m fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of ‘journalism,’ the ‘First Amendment’ and ‘celebrity news,'” the 47-year-old former “Friends” actress said.

Like Aniston, Zellweger said the speculation and criticism of her physical appearance left a “problematic” message for younger generations, and “triggers myriad subsequent issues” including image, equality and health.

“It’s no secret a woman’s worth has historically been measured by her appearance,” Zellweger said.

“Too skinny, too fat, showing age, better as a brunette, cellulite thighs, facelift scandal, going bald, fat belly or bump? Ugly shoes, ugly feet, ugly smile, ugly hands, ugly dress, ugly laugh; headline material which emphasizes the implied variables meant to determine a person’s worth,” she added.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)