Tuesday, January 7, 1997
FILM:
Renee Zellweger has waited her entire career for a role like
thisBy Lori Swingle
Daily Bruin Contributor
In every star’s career, there comes the moment that elevates
their status from card-carrying Guild member to Hollywood actor.
The one high profile role that somehow goes to the no-name can
change the life of an aspiring actor.
Renee Zellweger worked steadily in film and television for
several years, yet only landed small roles in films such as "Dazed
and Confused," "Reality Bites" and "Love and a .45."
This all changed with the release of her latest film, "Jerry
Maguire." Zellweger suddenly found herself in the company of the
epitome of stardom, the most successful actor of his generation, in
her first starring role.
"’Jerry Maguire’ is a Cinderella story, it’s absolutely magical.
But I believe in dreams, I believe that this stuff happens,"
Zellweger says.
A native of Texas, Zellweger began acting while earning a degree
from the University of Texas. She nervously wrings her hands and
freely admits that she has never had a role big enough to warrant
her presence for press interviews, and it is clear that Zellweger
has too big of a heart to ever be pretentious.
The past year, a virtual whirlwind of events that included a
trip to the Sundance Film Festival for a highly acclaimed indie
film and the filming of "Maguire," has caused Zellweger to reflect
on her career.
"This film runs an interesting parallel in real life, on a more
personal level," Zellweger says. "This project was like something
that wasn’t gonna happen for me. I mean, I had no fear going into
it because it wasn’t possible for me to get this role, so I
thought, ‘I’m just gonna have fun and then go home and walk my
dog.’"
For Renee, the opportunity to read for the part of Dorothy Boyd,
the single mother who wins the heart of the big-time sports agent
Maguire, was an experience in and of itself.
"Even the audition process was fairy-tailish," she recalls. "I
was raised in a town where we didn’t have a movie theater, and
couldn’t even get cable, so I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to
names of people and what they’ve done in Hollywood. I was ignorant
of Cameron Crowe’s (director, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High,"
"Singles") work, but when we met we got along great."
She was able to open up to the director and develop the scenes
with him even though she had never read the script before the
meeting. Zellweger credits her naivete for allowing her to feel
comfortable in situations that would typically make one cringe.
"The audition was how they all should be," she says. "None of
this creepy stuff where the director sits back and says, ‘Show me.
Show me what you can do.’"
She auditioned again for Crowe and James Brooks (producer,
"Terms of Endearment") and, though she felt good about her
performance, expected nothing more of the project.
"I washed my hands of it at that point," Zellweger admits.
"’Cause there’s this rule. If a particular girl is interested in a
major role, she gets it, and I believe in that. I believe in
building a career and gaining respect for yourself and your work. I
feel it’s one of the legitimate parts of Hollywood. So with that in
mind, it was over."
Not until she was at home in Texas celebrating Christmas and the
critical call came did she begin to get nervous  she was to
come back to L.A. the following day to read with Tom Cruise. This
next stage was an entirely new ballpark, because she hadn’t even
known prior to this that Cruise’s name was attached to the
project.
"I just prayed on the way to that reading," she recalls. "I
prayed to God that I would remember my lines. I even said I’d never
ask for anything more, but once I reached the Colombia lot I just
started laughing. ‘Cause that was just funny! I mean, I’m parking
my car, and Tom Cruise is upstairs waiting for ME! So then I just
pulled myself together and managed not to throw up, and let me tell
you, my life changed that day."
Zellweger met Cruise and became intrigued by his presence. The
distinction between his fame and hers didn’t exist once they began
working together and developed a relationship beyond the
script.
"He put his Tom Cruise wing around me," Zellweger states, but
also credits Cruise with respecting her as a complete equal.
"We quickly became dear friends," she says. "He has this light
around him. This magical soul that he shares with everyone around
him, even little girls that run up to him. The superstar image that
I had in my mind changed because suddenly there was this person,
this wonderful person behind it."
Throughout the filming, Zellweger remained unaffected by
Cruise’s personae, much like her character who saw through the
hot-shot Maguire in her quest for something meaningful.
"I could only focus on the day-to-day throughout the course of
shooting the film," Zellweger recalls. "I kept praying, ‘Please
don’t let me suck tomorrow. Let me hold my own and give something
to this part each day.’ Tom seemed to be more aware of the pressure
of creating an overall picture."
Now that the picture has wrapped, and the audiences are raving,
Zellweger has breathed a sigh of relief and focuses on the projects
ahead, which include two feature films and the widespread release
of "Whole Wide World," the independent film for which she received
acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival. This is quite an
accomplishment for someone whose first theatrical training was a
required college course that she picked based on time and
location.
Zellweger continues to focus her attention narrowly on the day
by day events that shape her career rather than her overall
Hollywood status. Like a true lover of her art, Zellweger resists
the temptation of claiming star-status prematurely.
"I’m wary of that movie star label," she says. "It’s not on my
list of things to do. I’d rather be an actor than a movie
star."
But now that she has shared in the light of one of Hollywood’s
biggest names, she might have to settle for being both.
FILM: "Jerry Maguire" is playing all over Los Angeles.
Tri-Star Pictures
Renee Zellweger stars as Dorothy Boyd who falls in love with Tom
Cruise in "Jerry Maguire."