Celebrity News March 24, 2022
Renée Zellweger on How Brad Pitt & Nanci Ryder Played a Role in Her Meeting Ant Anstead
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Renée Zellweger is opening up to Harper’s Bazaar about the events that brought her and boyfriend Ant Anstead together, calling their romance “serendipity.”
The couple met on the set of Ant’s show “Celebrity IOU: Joyride,” and Renée revealed Brad Pitt had a little something to do with her agreeing to participate in the show as a guest.
"It was around ‘Judy,’" Zellweger said, explaining, "Late night, and I remember I watched the ‘Property Brothers’ with Brad Pitt," referring to an episode Pitt shot for "Celebrity IOU" with Drew and Jonathan Scott where the actor nominated his makeup artist for a garage renovation.
The star of “The Thing About Pam” wanted to give back, too, by helping twin nurses Jerome and Jerald Cowan, who cared for her good friend, publicist Nanci Ryder, during her battle with ALS. Ryder passed away in 2020 at age 67.
Zellweger agreed to be part of the “Celebrity IOU” spin-off “Joyride,” which helps celebs gift “automotive masterpieces” to someone they care about. The Oscar winner confessed she and Ant still talk about whether Nanci brought them together.
"Yeah, we do joke about that,” she said. “She's always doing her best. It made me smile. It made me smile to think on this, yeah, the serendipity of it all."
The couple hasn't been shy about their relationship and packing on the PDA, including this recent Instagram post of the pair kissing. Ant wrote in the caption, "This lady ❤️ x Ren."
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Earlier this month, he also shared a clip from "The Thing About Pam" calling Renée a "smoke show" in the caption.
In October, he shared a kissing pic from their time in New Orleans, writing, "WOW there is something very special about New Orleans! The late night wandering, the mind blowing history this nerd loves, the architecture, the blend of cultures, the food, the people, the smells and noises! All made made better by magical company to share it with…. ❤️"
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Also in October, “Extra’s” Jenn Lahmers caught up with Ant, who reacted to reports the two were moving in together after he started remodeling his house and she put hers on the market.
Anstead insisted, “I would say it would be too early for that.” He went on, “We’re taking things nice and slow, and we’re really happy.”
In August, he dished on the PDA pics with "Extra" and joked, “The show is called ‘IOU.’ It’s actually ‘Discovery+, IOU’! Thank you. Thank you for your dating service. You can now take me off your database. I can recommend you to my single fans.” Watch!
Renée and Ant were first linked in June 2021, nearly a year after his split with ex-wife Christina Haack.
Christina and Ant started dating in October 2017, and tied the knot in a surprise winter wedding in December 2018. They welcomed son Hudson in September 2019. Before that, he was married Louise Anstead, but they separated in July 2017, and announced the split in October. They have two children.
Renée was previously married to Kenny Chesney, but they split in 2005. She was most recently linked to Doyle Bramhall II.