Currently in Australia to promote her latest film - Bridget Jones's Baby - the 47-year-old actress has been forced to speak out following media scrutiny about everything from plastic surgery rumours to her weight.
Earlier this month, she penned a heartfelt piece in the Huffington Post addressing some of the criticism and comments she has faced from entertainment media.
Based on her personal experience, the American star says she would like to make some big changes to the nature of news.
"There are a couple things: I'm sad that the news has become commoditised because I feel like we miss out on a lot that's important, a lot that shapes the conversation that's important," Zellweger notes.
"I would love to see clever come back. Snark has replaced clever and I don't think they're the same thing.
"I think snark is a cheap, easy way to think that you're being clever but true wit requires a different kind of intelligence and it doesn't necessarily require that you be cruel."
Her Bridget Jones co-star Patrick Dempsey agrees, adding that there's a lack of accountability among the media.
Source: The Feed
"I think what it is, is that it's very easy to write something down that can be very negative to someone and you're not held accountable," he says.
"You can hide behind it. You have to look at who is saying that and why they're saying that and what is their issue.
"And that's a cultural thing that has to shift and I don't think that's going to happen over night."
Some 15 years since she last played the role of British romantic Bridget Jones, Zellweger is returning to the part that has defined her career with the third instalment - Bridget Jones's Baby.
Picking up where the second film left off, franchise regular Colin Firth is joined by a new addition to the cast - and love rival - Dempsey.
"Snark has replaced clever and I don't think they're the same thing."
Coming off 10 years as part of the hit series Grey's Anatomy, the 50-year old says there was something satisfying about the "beginning, middle and end" of the movie-making process.
"I've been fortunate to come off a very long running show that has continued to do well and will continue to do well and it's a very different experience: it's like running a marathon as opposed to running a sprint race.
"It was really nice to see both Renee and Colin take the time to ask the questions and to have the time to work something out on set.
"When you're on a network television show and you're cranking out 24 to 25 episodes you can't ask those questions, there's no time or else everything falls apart.
"It allowed me to go back and ask questions again. There was something about the process that was very healing."
Source: The Feed
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