that I have to lean in to hear her. After all, people in her work are often really loud. She, though, is courteous, her Texan drawl still intact, often smil- ing, but with sentences that drift into a whisper. She seems timid, cowering in a big armchair. Maybe this is because the role means a lot and she doesn't want to offend superfans. More likely, though, she knows how the press gossips about changes to her looks and why she had a lengthy career break, and she is wary of being impolite. That break, between 2010 and 2016, would have helped Garland. (The singer needed mon- ey, though, and died just months after the events depicted in the film.) "Oh, absolutely," Zellweger says. "I can't imagine..." She pauses. "You have days when you would not choose to greet an audience, given what may be happening with your private life or health. But you don't have a choice, because you made a professional prom- ise. Those are rare for me, but real, and you've got to get on with it, as with any job. You've got to get on with it." Or pause, as she did. Why did she do that? "I was bored with myself and it was time to stop," she says bluntly. Were roles getting worse? "No, I was just drawing from a dry well, regurgitating emotion and experiences I didn't need to live again. I didn't have anything to give to the char-again. I didn't have anything to give to the char-again. I didn't have anything to give to the char acters I was playing and felt, 'What's the point?' "It felt like a lie!" she continues, as loud as she gets, after a beat. "I could hear my voice when do- ing dialogue, but just thought, 'No.'" So why return for Bridget Jones's Baby, the third in the Helen Fielding series? "I love Bridget and wanted to explore her next chapter. It is so rare you get to revisit a character in different stages of her life." Could there be a fourth film? "Maybe. I guess they'll decide and let me know." One of the obvious reasons Zellweger works well as Garland is that she can sing. This has been known for a while, since she starred in Chicago in 2002; all Judy's vocals are hers. It adds weight to the emoting. Zellweger is also brilliant at both serious and funny. Garland is hurt, yes, but also full of sass, so the range that Zellweger has dem- onstrated, from Jerry Maguire to Jerry Maguire to Jerry Maguire Nurse Betty, is fully deployed. Drama and comedy -- she can do both. She says nothing, and I explain that that was a compliment. There is a humility to her that is largely alien to the rest of her profession. She claps. "Thank you! Thank you!" Judy is an unconventional biopic in that it Judy is an unconventional biopic in that it Judy doesn't simply trawl through a Garland Wiki- pedia page, but concentrates on one era. Think of the parts of The Iron Lady when Margaret The Iron Lady when Margaret The Iron Lady Thatcher was old. You leave with an impression of the subject, not their history. I ask Zellweger what impression she thinks the film leaves. Cover story Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in "Judy". Photo by David Hindley/LD Entertainment/Roadside Attractions in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, N ov em be r 7, 20 19 | 18 FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE TO JOIN ANY TOUR FROM LOCAL PICK-UP POINTS ToursareoperatedbyHanoverHolidayTours 73 -14th Avenue, Hanover, ON N4N3W9 Request your Free Brochure Call 1-800-265-5530 www.hanoverholidays.com info@hanoverholidays.com #1158989TICO CALL YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION TODAY Discover! New Years in the Ozark Mountains 7 Days - Dec 28 - Celebrate New Year's Branson style! Spend four nights in exciting Branson filled with musical performances that keep your toes tapping. Five amazing shows including the Acrobats of Shanghai, Branson Belle Showboat & a special New Year's Show keep us delightfully entertained. Visit Old Town Branson and New Years Day a visit to the Toy Museum as we us explore the sights & sounds of Missouri. What a way to ring in 2020! Twin per person $1,649.00 CDN HST does not apply 6 Days - Departs Dec 28 - An extraordinary way to celebrate the New Year! The Great Smoky Mountains are an impressive backdrop as we discover Pigeon Forge, explore Gatlinburg, enjoy Dollywood and the Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival. Kick up your heels and revel in a fabulous performance as we ring in the New Year at the Smoky Mountain Opry. Join us as we start 2020 with a little old world charm and magnificent memories! Twin per person $1,539.00 HST does not apply New Years in the Smoky Mountains Explore with Hanover Holidays! Arizona, Hawaii, Iceland, New, Ireland, & more! e e rg, al. g rt ! N Ir l d & ! Start planning your dream vacation with hand-picked travel deals and inspiration just for Canadians Visit