Poor Renée Zellweger. The Oscar-winner’s latest nip and tucks on display at Elle’s Women in Hollywood awards last week have caused a great gnashing of bleached teeth and hand-wringing among Hollywood pundits. While successful actresses past 30 already have a team of cosmetic surgeons on their speed dials, Zellweger raised eyebrows (at least among those who haven’t had too much Botox around the eyes) because she went a little scalpel-crazy. At only 45, her face had become almost unrecognizable: Is that really Rene? people asked.
Part of Zellweger’s charm when she catapulted to fame at age 27 as Tom Cruise’s co-star in the hit film Jerry Maguire was her natural and “unconventionally pretty” look. Her eyes were small and she had “chipmunk cheeks,” but she was talented and cute. With typical Hollywood hype, a few raved that her natural look made her the “it girl,” to which other ingénues would be compared. Bad luck: “unconventionally pretty” didn’t hold for Zellweger over the long haul. And in this industry of make-believe, “sag” can only be the acronym for Screen Actors Guild, never a physical sign of aging.
In Hollywood, “sag” can only be the acronym for Screen Actors Guild, never a physical sign of aging.
Who can blame the actress for taking a liking to liposuction? She hasn’t had a commercial success since she co-starred in 2005’s Cinderella Man. In most professions, continuing education or a new certification might bolster your bona fides. In Hollywood, you may need to get a new face. The outcry over Zellweger’s dramatically different face suggests that you do by all means still need to look unnaturally young, but your face still needs to resemble the one you had, the one people had once said they liked.
In Hollywood, gravity is something that only happens to other people. Actresses are supposed to age gracefully, “which in Hollywood is a euphemism for ‘good plastic surgery,’ the kind that successfully skirts an unarticulated line between sagging and frozen,” as Amanda Hess observed in Slate. Either way, the older a woman gets, the more she is forced to fake a youthfulness she no longer has.
(No wonder that in Hebrew, the word for face is panim, and is in the plural. Everyone shows the world more than one face, and our faces change over time, most naturally, and some unnaturally.)
War on Women
When I was a kid I wanted to be an actress when I grew up. I convinced my parents to enroll me in drama school, and my weekends in those classes were the highlight of those years of my life. I got as far as getting a few gigs as an extra on some TV sit-coms. “Extras” are the people in the background with no speaking roles. By the time you advance to a speaking part, you too may be required to get a face lift. In high school, I practiced sucking in my cheeks to see how cool I’d look with a chicly gaunt expression. But it was no use: with my gene pool and appetite, I would be miserable having to stay so thin. Who wants to live on egg white omelets and dry whole wheat toast (one piece only!), a slave to a personal trainer who would force me to spend three hours a day spinning, doing Pilates, and wrenching my body into yoga poses called upward plank and cobra? Feh!
I was happy performing in high school plays and had set my sights on a writing career, where you are allowed to eat donuts without having to do 400 sit-ups in penance. “To blepharoplasty or not to blepharoplasty?” would be the question for other women, not for me.
I definitely made the right career move, and I enjoy good movies and admire the talent of outstanding actors and actresses. But I wish Hollywood power brokers, including the most successful actresses and female producers, would spend less time on their usual political causes and do something about the “war on women” in their own industry, which makes women over 40 perform unnatural acts of cosmetic surgery. This doesn't just hurt the actresses; it hurts all girls and women who are told implicitly: old is ugly. No it isn’t. Trying desperately to look like a mask of your former self is ugly.
Let’s have these powerful Hollywood women band together and protest on Rodeo Drive, “Hell no, we won’t go back to the cosmetic surgeon!” “Free actresses from captivity in their size 0 dresses!” Did they ever think about what message that sends, that your dress size is a number that means nothing?
Obsession with Youth
At the 2014 Academy Awards, host Ellen DeGeneres poked fun at Hollywood’s youth-obsession. “I’m not saying movies are the most important thing in the world,” she told the audience. “I’m not saying that—because the most important thing in the world is youth.” Her barb hit a little too close to home when she welcomed “one of the most amazing Liza Minnelli impersonators I have seen in my entire life,” as the camera zoomed in on the 67-year-old actress’s recently remodeled face. Ouch.
The late comedienne Joan Rivers, whose own cosmetic surgeries made her look almost eerie in her last years, joked about her own obsessions over her looks: “I've had more reconstruction done than Afghanistan. I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware.”
I hope Joan Rivers rests in peace, and I hope that Hollywood elites will wake up from their make-believe world where women over 40 should be seen – but only after they’ve been sculpted into an artificial “ideal.”
(38) Jeffrey William, April 28, 2020 11:45 AM
Most people don't change their faces drastically, and they are not going to all start just because an actress did. An everlasting youthful appearance has been pursued by humans of nearly all cultures for several centuries. Aging is an inescapable part of human life that leaves traces on the face in the form of wrinkles and sagging skin.
(37) john galt, August 14, 2015 1:43 PM
hungry hippos
I always love how all these stick-thin actresses say in interviews, "I eat whatever I want: burgers, fries, pizza. I don't worry about all that diet and exercise stuff...."
Who are they kidding? That day of the interview, they probably two almonds and a lettuce leaf.
(36) Feigele, November 2, 2014 10:12 PM
Unrecognizable!
Personally, I do not criticize her having face lift(s), as so many people do it and it is their concern not anyone else’s. What I regret mostly is that she has completely changed her beautiful genuine personality and will not dissociate herself from the crowd. Whatever the reason she did it it’s her own. Apparently she was not concerned about the public’s opinion, which is a shame since we enjoy watching the actors not just for their acting but also for their faces. No point blaming Hollywood or anyone else, if you are true to yourself you stand your grounds.
(35) Lisa, November 2, 2014 3:20 AM
Why do we care?!
Really??
I could care less if someone has cosmetic surgery....it's a personal choice & has nothing to do with ones character or morals.
(34) Liz, October 30, 2014 5:21 PM
Face facts
I also found her face unrecognizable. Truth be told, I haven't followed her career all that closely.
The article presents an excellent case of the expectations in the performance world, and women much more than men.
Notable exceptions are brilliant actors such as Dame Hellen Mirren and Dame Judi Dench. :)
Even if rigorously avoiding media, the 'standard' of beauty in this culture has been set. Women and girls ARE influenced by it.
(33) Beverly Margolis-Kurtin, October 29, 2014 4:03 PM
It's HER face
I liked her old face, I like her new face. My face has changed because I've lived 73 years, Baruch Hashem. No complaints from this quarter. To put things in perspective, here's an old limerick that has been around for over a century:
As a beauty I am not a star.
There are others far prettier than I.
But my face? I don't mind it.
For I am behind it, it's the people out front gets the jar.
(32) Joan Michel, October 28, 2014 4:07 PM
???
And oh, didn't everyone see in Sunday's NYTimes how Jennifer Grey went from adorable to a static, nothing face??
(31) Em, October 28, 2014 5:40 AM
Ok. Most people dont change their faces drastically, and they are not going to all start just because an actress did. Seriously, why do you care? Has she hurt someone? She tried to look pretty and almost all women try to look pretty in their own way. Do we know what goes on in her private life? Maybe she does put time and effort into growing spiritually. How come you are following what goes on in hollywood? How come you have decided that actresses are spiritual leaders? They are not spiritual role models and dont claim to be. They are actresses and to be successful they have to put a lot into staying pretty. That may not be appropriate for the general population but if this is the life they choose then that is ok. If you are worried for your daughter, stop following, reading about and watching these people and their movies. Having a mother who has nothing to do with this shmutz sends a strong message that u dont care for hollywood garbage. By following this stuff u send the message they they are people to consider in your own life.
Judy Gruen, October 28, 2014 5:21 PM
trickle down effect of culture
Hi Em,
You are right: most people will not change their faces drastically even if they can afford it. I did not say nor did I mean to even imply that Ms. Zellweger has "hurt" anyone and I certainly never implied anything about her spiritual life. I sympathized with her on the basis that she felt somehow obligated to take such drastic cosmetic action because her industry imposes ridiculous and harmful standards of beauty to still get work. Why does this matter? Because like it or not, the shallow emphasis on looks and youth does trickle down, even into the most religious of communities, with very few exceptions. And it makes our daughters feel insecure and makes our sons (often, not always) have unrealistic expectations for what a beautiful woman likes like at 20, 30, 40 and above. Thanks for writing!
(30) Mike, October 27, 2014 7:33 PM
Alternative to plastic surgery
-healthy exercise at the gym -improves your mood as well
-Tfila
-Learning about Judaism will make your face look beautiful
The last part might sound strange, but let me make the case: when you see people on the street and you think someone looks like he has been in jail or is likely to go there, you probably have a good reason to assume that. So looks do follow the kind of life you live, eg if you live with studying Torah and doing mitzvot you will also look even more beautiful.
Also, Jewish women are beautiful! :-)
Anonymous, October 28, 2014 5:22 PM
agree totally
Hi Mike,
You are on target with your comment. I have been struck by the beauty, and youthfulness, of many, many Jewish women I have been fortunate enough to meet. I agree that their spiritual center has also made them beautiful on the outside.
(29) Anonymous, October 27, 2014 6:54 PM
I've done it
my husband asked me to do it and BORUCH HASHEM. I got an artist for a surgeon. I walk around with my grandchildren and people think they're mine! It's a good feeling . If you can't do it, then don't . But it's a shame that Renee changed completely. I loved the way she looked.
Lisa, October 29, 2014 1:38 AM
But she ( Renee) didn't like how she looked!!
Why do we even care?!
Anonymous, October 29, 2014 7:19 AM
Awkward old young look
Everyone with plastic surgery is obvious, it never covers up age no matter how much doers think so. There was a lady with some little ones who looked awkwardly young old. I couldn't tell so to be safe assumed and spoke to het as if they were her kids then asked. Its just awkward and confusing to see women fakely made yet they really believe they look young but they just give an awkward feeling to the viewer. She took it as a compliment too but it wasnt meant to be i was just confused with her old young odd look with little ones. Just sayin.
(28) EstherTalia, October 27, 2014 6:15 PM
The Point
I don't think the point of this article is that one shouldn't do anything to make herself more attractive. I believe the author is saying that Hollywood's version of perfection is ridiculous. No woman should be obsessing over how old she looks in her 40's, generally speaking. Our society has a very one sided view of what beauty is, and when a person alters herself so much she no longer looks like herself I find that a sad statement about how she felt about herself to begin with.
Judy Gruen, October 28, 2014 4:33 PM
You got it
Esther Talia,
Thanks so much for your note. My point is exactly as you said, that it's Hollywood's obsession with youth that has a cascading effect on all women -- and men, too, who can develop unrealistic expectations about how women really look.
(27) Miriamwcohen, October 27, 2014 5:50 PM
Do not judge
Actors make their living on their talent and appearance, so they need to focus on their bodies and their looks. Women are judged harshly, and older women especially. Young women are critical, but wait until they get to middle age, let alone old age.
(26) Anonymous, October 27, 2014 5:09 PM
Take care of you
Don't be silly to think that a woman who 'takes care of herself', i.e. pampers herself and Botoxes, will do a better job taking care of a husband that a pleasant, natural-looking 40-year old. It's quite the reverse in most cases. The ones obsessed with looking young are generally more self-centered, and a mature man realizes that. It's true of course, that there's a shortage of mature men, but that's a different subject :)
(25) Andrew Stiller, October 27, 2014 3:29 PM
Not that I judge people, but...
I don't begrudge people for cosmetic surgery. But to me, real beauty comes from within. It's a shame that the world has such a weird sense of what the standards of beauty should be. I hope Ms. Zellweger is happy with her new face; I preferred the "old" one just as much.
(24) Marilyn, October 27, 2014 3:03 PM
Hit a nerve
Looks as though you hit a nerve. I didn't hear you decrying beauty or taking care of oneself. The Hollywood scene you depict here is simply fake and sadly, it influences many women. Look around us when we even visit a shopping centre for instance; it sometimes feels as though the whole world is a stage.
(23) Mike, October 27, 2014 2:22 PM
never understood
This may be a superficial view and I'm male, but I never understood the Bridget Jones movie and quite honestly, It's not an issue to me whether she gained weight or not or lost weight. I think if she gained weight for that movie it was not a good idea and that in Hollywood there are surely makeup-artists who create many very realisticly looking effects and that would have been an alternative.
I might also be that there is some media-strategist who thinks that creating talk about how this woman looks or doesn't look would promote movies with her.
Quite frankly, I'm not aware of those movies. I think that there is so much talk ABOUT this women and almost no mentioning of any creative product/movie.
I think that it's tedious to hear more and more about basically unimportant stuff about her. Quite frankly, I'm not that interested in her looks.
I don't know if her movies are kosher or not (and I barely remember Bridget Jones), but I would hope they have at least some kind of substance.
(22) Anonymous, October 27, 2014 5:21 AM
Vanity
It doesn't really make sense to lose your original self... Vanity thy name is woman! We need to see a good image to feel good....What did u say the name of the plastic surgeon was?
SusanE, October 27, 2014 10:00 AM
Vanity thy name is woman.
when you get the surgeons name let me know. :))
(21) Anonymous, October 27, 2014 2:35 AM
response
The writer, may she continue to write thoughtful articles, writes as if she knows the security of a loving home and husband. For those of us who, later in life, find ourselves having to “market” ourselves on the job/shidduch market at this stage, its all about the looks...
Anonymous, October 27, 2014 12:06 PM
Who is looking to marry an old looking woman?
Of course! If an older woman wishes to marry, but she looks as though she doesn't take care of herself, why would the man think she will take care of him? Why wouldn't he look for an attractive woman who is more physically desirable?
Instead of publishing all these articles decrying vanity, etc, why doesn't Aish define what measure ARE ok for women to do to look as attractive as possible. Is it OK to get your eyebrows waxed or should you have a uni-brow? How about dark lip hairs? If your hair is gray, is it Ok to dye it or wear a shaitel that isn't? Are manicures and pedicures OK or is it a sign of self absorption to get nails done - and what about gel nails? How much is OK to spend on clothing and jewelry? Is a fur coat ok or does it represent cruelty, greed, and excessive vanity? Should women exercise and diet or no? After all, why should we care about our bodies, aren't we really concerned about the soul? Our mothers Sara, Rebecca, and Rachel were beautiful, and so were Rahab and Esther. So what's wrong with beauty?
Anonymous, October 28, 2014 6:38 AM
totally right-just the world's extreme
Hi,
You were really on the ball-we SHOULD take care of ourselves and look pretty...health, appearance, etc...just maybe not to the extent of plastic surgery. Society has become a place where men are nice looking with grey hair and women..well...
Rachel, October 29, 2014 1:43 AM
horrible stereotyping
2 days ago we bought a service from a man who was extremely nice and helpful. But if I had not interacted with him and just passed him on the street, I would have been nervous. He was overweight, tattooed, had a stud in his chin and another in his ear.
Clearly he comes from a different subculture than I do. I always thought tattoos and piercings indicated a contemptuous, antisocial outlook.
When I see investment banker types on the street, I wonder why they are not in jail...
Anonymous, October 29, 2014 1:46 AM
grey haired men have problems, too
I have male friends who are job hunting. Many are considering coloring their hair because there is bias by some employers who think employees past 40 or so will not be cutting edge....
Anonymous, October 28, 2014 4:39 PM
on having to "market" yourself as a single
Hi Anonymous,
You are right: I am blessed with a loving husband in a long-term marriage. I never meant to convey that it is wrong in any way for a woman -- or man! -- to take care of their looks. I have my vanity, too! No doubt that older single women also face similar pressure to look as good as they can; Hollywood's "ideal" of beauty really twists what beauty can and should be. .
(20) Rachel, October 27, 2014 12:47 AM
Why do you keep recycling this tiring theme?
You sound as though it's a virtue to be heavy and have wrinkles. You know, it IS possible to believe in God and keep mitzvot and get a peel or a facelift or to use anti-wrinkle serums and try to keep one's weight down. And if appearances don't matter, when are you going to publish an article against spending a lot of money for a pretty shaitel? If your natural hair looks like yuck and your shaitel is pretty, aren't you sullying your soul by putting so much emphasis on beauty? I have really gotten tired of this issue.
(19) SusanE, October 26, 2014 11:47 PM
Zellweger is a Beautiful Woman.
Rene Z. gained weight for both of the Bridgett Jones Diary movies. Not sure why that was expected of her. Her natural body is slim and beautiful both before those movies and since. Her face looks now just like it should at 40. Not like she looked at 20 something when she gained weight had fat cheeks heavy lids and was chubby for her role in the movies. She might have had some subtle eye work done. But this is what she really looks like. The pictures the press picked to make women squawk about her are just that, bad photos. Rene is a beautiful, slim, sucessful 45 year old woman.
(18) Anonymous, October 26, 2014 10:18 PM
Really...
We are not supposed to judge, or at least try not to pass judgment. What is wrong with wanting to be different, but satisfactorily beautiful to yourself? Just because she has the money, and it's all hype in Hollywood, doesn't mean not being wealthy is more proper. She looks fine, and we are the fools to agree to this type of judgment.
(17) Feigele, October 26, 2014 9:51 PM
I am not a fanatic of actors/actresses, but..
I do enjoy watching movies with certain actors/actresses. So odd that you’re mentioning her here, I had to keep checking photos several times to find any resemblance with the real one or ex one! Still can’t find any resemblance with that great girl with a unique and great personality and what I thought integrity too, so I believed, I still can’t accept that it is the same beautiful face that G-d gave her. I don’t think I will enjoy as much seeing movies with this new ordinary version of her or whoever she has become. She now is no longer special but just anyone in the crowd.
(16) Batya, October 26, 2014 7:52 PM
Aging and beauty
This year at Yom Kippur I was so profoundly moved at seeing my peers devoid of their makeup. They seemed so radiant and real to me. Has anyone else felt that way?
I've just turned sixty and am beginning to think that maybe I should be working a little harder at exuding the beauty which derives from the places a surgeon's knife can't reach.
(15) traci hamer, October 26, 2014 7:46 PM
beautifully said Judy. Important message for the daughters too!!!
Beautifully said Judy! This is an important message for the daughters to hear too!
(14) Shulamit Rosner, October 26, 2014 7:04 PM
Excellent and humorous!
I loved your writing, Judy Gruen! Funny, insightful, well-written and thought-provoking, you certainly did choose the right (write) profession!
Anonymous, October 28, 2014 4:41 PM
thank you
Shulamit,
Thank you so much for the kind words. And really, I don't eat so many donuts while writing. . . and I even take breaks to go to the gym!
(13) Tracey S., October 26, 2014 6:36 PM
You've got it wrong
I think what disturbed people the most upon seeing Renee's new look was that she is so strikingly different, I know I'd have asked her for ID. She doesn't, at least in my opinion, look botoxed or younger. She no longer has her famous squinchy eyes, her skin is no longer pale, and her cheeks are no longer this side of chipmunk. That's what shocked everyone - the fact that she ditched what made her different and settled for ordinary.
(12) Anonymous, October 26, 2014 6:34 PM
leave the girl alone, there are other and more important problems in the world!
Really nothing better to do than worry about Renée Zellweger's
(11) David, October 26, 2014 6:34 PM
So true. There is nothing more beautiful than a natural woman
I love the strength and natural beauty in a woman who looks her age. Just as an eight year old trying to look older wearing her mother's make-up looks ridiculous, so does a beautiful 50 year old woman who tries to erase the wisdom and experience from her face. Each age has its own appeal. Youth has only surface beauty but age brings a rich beauty that has depth and texture. Let's learn to celebrate that multi-faceted beauty.
(10) Anonymous, October 26, 2014 6:28 PM
Hollywood doesn't set the standard: their audience does,,,
People, especially women, who look older, oldish, even sort of middle aged, certainly the outright old looking, Heaven forfend, and those who are not particularly attractive are very often dismissed, overlooked, devalued, even in the most virtuous of our communities. Not a subject for one paragraph, not easily covered from every pov, but this article addresses just one -narrow-facet of a very complex truth. Pity, because our values seem to ask us to eschew absorption with appearances or superficial virtues, and to require us to value others based on their spiritual and moral essence more than their 'housing' . But it's not as simple tp fulfill that expectation as it is to acknowledge the standard. And looks are, after all a gift, from our Creator, who apparently values good looks for some reason, to some degree, whether we understand that or not.
(9) Anonymous, October 26, 2014 6:18 PM
Renee Who?
I thought she was so cute. I didn't recognize her without your telling me who she is. Sad.
(8) Anonymous, October 26, 2014 6:17 PM
Where does this article connect with spirituality?
Very informative on actresses & their behavior ......I would of gave some more on the spiritual part !
Love all your articles- they are full of insight & & help me a lot!
Tks!
(7) judy, October 26, 2014 6:07 PM
I don’t like the push for plastic surgery either- but I think the ugliest aspect of all here is the severe judgment of other people’s decisions.
Zvi, October 26, 2014 7:14 PM
Criticism is worse than the surgery decision
I agree with Judy - the ugliest aspect is the criticism. Perhaps looking young simply makes her feel better about herself, and she didn't do it just for acting parts. Even people who are not movie stars like to look young .. and not just women. She looks very different, but good either way ... and, of course, even that is not the most important thing.
Without any connection, Ellen is very funny.
(6) Loretta, October 26, 2014 5:44 PM
I think Renee looks absolutely lovely. She has a very charming, natural look that is very appealing.
(5) Abigail, October 26, 2014 4:41 PM
a sad commentary
A face is so much more than an aggregate of specialized cells that die out over the course of time; it is the very window to the soul. The divine soul within lies at the core of each person's unique individuality, with the face meant to reflect that special uniqueness. This might explain why no two people will ever have exactly the same facial features!
Most likely, her need for self-renewal was coming from a healthy place. But this need should primarily find expression in positive changes to one's character, personality, actions, etc., as G-d intended, and not in external changes alone.
By transforming her face to such a degree, the connection to that unique soul becomes that much more tenuous, not just for those around her but for herself as well.
(4) shirlee rosenthal, October 26, 2014 3:22 PM
youth
What about growing old gracefully. I do not dye my hair nor have I had plastic surgery. My sister sent me a song done by 4 or 5 women singing a song some of the words say My hair is gray and I like it that way, I am baggy and saggy and if you love you'll like me like this. What I am saying is if you feel good about how you look and feel that is the main thing. Good health to all Shirlee Rosenthal
Lowa, October 27, 2014 12:25 AM
blame it on the men
I was a happy, humble homemaker until my husband called my bff HOT... now there's the reason we regular folk end up trying to outdo the doers, because it's the OTHERS who don't seem to accept us the way G-d intended. Personally, I could eat donuts all day and live on a mountain myself... but that wouldn't be too JEWISH now would it??
(3) Nancy, October 26, 2014 1:40 PM
It isn't just Hollywood
First, let me say how great it is to hear from Judy Gruen again. Unfortunately the Hollywood prejudices have trickled down to women who are not famous. Do we all want to look attractive and yes, youthful? Of course we do! However, we women come in all shapes and sizes. I wish society would remember that!
(2) Anonymous, October 26, 2014 1:32 PM
Don't blame the actresses!
While it's true that many young girls look up to actresses as role models, we should remember that their lives are very managed and the body standards they must maintain are sometimes out of their control. Actresses can only take the roles that (mostly male) screenwriters write for them, and screenwriters always demand that female characters be conventionally attractive (i.e., skinny and pretty). If an actress doesn't meet these requirements, she's much less likely to get work, and there is tough competition for roles. Male actors are rarely subject to the same body requirements. Maybe instead of blaming Ms. Zellweger for giving into the pressure of a sexist industry we should demand more positive representation and opportunities from the screenwriters so that the actresses don't have to do this to themselves.
Anonymous, October 29, 2014 1:53 AM
yes!
I will only add that the greatest actors, most of whom started on stage, not screen, are less likely to have cosmetic surgery. Look at Meryl Streep, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Gemma Jones, Judi Dench.... They have talent and training. Much more important than a pretty face....
(1) Lisa, October 26, 2014 11:26 AM
Pass the nips & tucks my way!!
If I could , when the time is right, I'd sign up for some exterior improvements!!
We wear our face everyday!
We all want to wear flattering clothes, a nice head covering....so why not earse what we can!!
Obviously as long as we know our priorities! That it doesn't make us better....just a tad younger looking!
Renee lives in "that" world.....she feels she needs to look younger....kol hakavod to her!