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Why Renee Zellweger could be about to join the club of 'v.v. smug marrieds' after her British ex-mechanic boyfriend AND his parents joined her on the Bridget Jones red carpet.
.. By KATIE HIND Published: 06:39 EST, 1 February 2025 | Updated: 06:39 EST, 1 February 2025 e-mail View comments The morning after the night of the Bridget Jones premiere, Renee Zellweger was spotted looking v.
v. smug as she enjoyed a family breakfast at the opulent Claridge's hotel. In scenes far removed from her alter ego's chaotic life, the actress chatted with British boyfriend, Ant Anstead , and his two children, Amelie and Archie, over tea and toast – no pyjamas or hangovers in sight.
Renee and her brood could have been any middle-class family. On the red carpet the night before, the Texas-born star had prompted much speculation that she and Ant, a handsome mechanic turned TV presenter, were actually about to become even more conventional, by placing a plaster on the finger where an engagement ring would sit. A publicity stunt it might have been – and Renee didn't utter a word about it all night – but they must have known it would prompt global chatter about her marital status.
As did the presence on the red carpet of 45-year-old Ant's children along with his parents. They later went en famille to the after-party at Brasserie Zedel. Renee Zellweger with her British boyfriend Ant Anstead, 45, and his children Archie, 18 and Amelie, 21 But while it is not yet known if she is indeed about to become Mrs Anstead, at the age of 55 Renee has certainly found domestic bliss with what one of her Bridget Jones colleagues tells me is 'her perfect blended family'.
Indeed Amelie, 21, a student at Loughborough University and Archie, 18, are said to 'adore' their dad's girlfriend. Both were born during Ant's first marriage to fellow Brit Louise Storey, whom he met in his home city of Plymouth. They affectionately call her Ren, and she can often be seen on the touchline, cheering on both Amelie and Archie as both play rugby to a high standard.
When in America, the actress – said to be worth around £70million – also acts as stepmother to Ant's six-year-old son Hudson from his relationship with American television personality Christina Haack, who makes frequent visits to the couple's home at Laguna Beach in California. 'Renee spends loads of time with Ant's family,' said one insider. 'His eldest children are in the UK so during filming Renee had the chance to see them more.
They all got closer and she seems to love being part of the family. Both kids took to Instagram to tell how proud they were of Renee for her movie – it's really lovely. It's perhaps not something women think they will have as they get older.
' So far, all very suburban housewife. And to that profile you can add a role Renee has reluctantly taken on: that of 'vintage car widow'. Ant is a self-confessed 'car nut' whose talent for building vintage vehicles brought him to the attention of Channel 4, who approached him in 2013 to front the series For The Love Of Cars with Philip Glenister.
Renee and Ant pictured leaving the Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy after party held at Brasserie Zedel in London this week Mad About The Boy is the fourth and final film in the franchise, based on Helen Fielding's 2013 book, and sees Bridget Jones navigate life as a widow and single mum In 2017, Anstead was offered a five-year contract to move with his family to the United States for Wheeler Dealers USA. His passion for cars remains undimmed, despite his high-profile relationship. ' Ant loves to work with old cars,' said one source who worked with Renee.
'He would be off to Goodwood or frankly any car show he can get to. But no matter how hard she tries, she can't really get interested.' Mad About The Boy is the fourth and final film in the franchise, based on Helen Fielding's 2013 book, and sees Bridget Jones navigate life as a widow and single mum.
She's back to work following the death of her husband Mark Darcy, father of her children Billy, seven, and Mabel, five. He met his end working abroad as a human rights lawyer and, despite his character's death, Colin Firth, who plays Darcy, makes a brief appearance. In the latest movie, fans will see the famous singleton flit between men after experimenting with dating apps where she finds a toyboy called Roxster – played by White Lotus star Leo Woodall.
Complicating matters further is the reappearance of dastardly rogue Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant, and her children's PE teacher Mr Wallaker, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. As far as parallels between Renee and Bridget go, where once life seemed to imitate art, now they are scant indeed. Renee moved to Britain last spring to start filming.
And while she was joined by Ant on occasion, in order to get fully into character Renee insisted he didn't live with her at her rented West London property. Renee moved to Britain last spring to start filming and was joined by Ant on occasion Instead, he was kept at arm's length to ensure she could 'really get into' the singleton mindset once again. In fact, only one report of him being on set was shared with me.
'It's what Renee has done in the past,' said a movie source. 'For the last film she holed herself up in a tiny flat in Kensington so she could live the life of a London singleton in a small apartment. 'This time around she had a bigger house to live in – because Bridget has a bigger house too – but she is single so Renee had to live the single life too.
That meant that Ant had to do his own thing a lot. Now that's over and things are back to normal.' It is quite the love story and one which stunned Renee's fans.
After all, before Ant, her love life was as chaotic as that of her on-screen character. In 2005 she was famously married to singer Kenny Chesney for just four months. The wedding, in May 2005, was an intimate ceremony at Chesney's private estate on St.
John in the US Virgin Islands. Zellweger wore a Carolina Herrera gown and was walked down the aisle by her father, with 35 close friends and family members in attendance. Read More EXCLUSIVE Why Brooklyn Beckham was brutally cut from Nicola Peltz's new 'poverty porn' movie It all seemed perfect but shortly afterwards, she filed for an annulment, citing 'fraud' as the reason for the split.
Renee later released a statement saying she wanted to 'clarify that the term 'fraud' as listed in the documentation is simply legal language and not a reflection of Kenny's character'. Before that she was engaged to Jim Carrey for a year between 1999 and 2000 and in 2003 had a fling with musician Jack White. There was also a two-year relationship with actor Bradley Cooper, whom she'd met on the set of Case 39 in 2009.
Most recently before meeting Ant was a relationship with musician Doyle Bramhall II. But since meeting Ant on the set of his show Celebrity IOU Joyride in 2021, where they hit it off immediately, Renee has been firmly off the dating market. Four months later, they went official with a sweet black and white photo on Ant's Instagram account.
He later said of his new girlfriend: 'Renee and my relationship is something that's really private. It's something I'm not really willing to talk too much about. It's really early in our relationship and I don't want to put any pressure on that.
' Today though, things look very different. And as Renee's chapter playing singleton Bridget finally comes to an end – a happy ending looks finally within her reach. Renee Zellweger Share or comment on this article: Why Renee Zellweger could be about to join the club of 'v.
v. smug marrieds' after her British ex-mechanic boyfriend AND his parents joined her on the Bridget Jones red carpet..
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