Renée Zellweger Speaks Out About Her Dramatic New Look

[Credit: Getty Images]

Zellweger responded to the chatter Tuesday night, telling People in a statement that she's happier and healthier these days and she's glad people took notice.

"I'm glad folks think I look different! I'm living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I'm thrilled that perhaps it shows.”

Renée said she decided speak out because "it seems the folks who come digging around for some nefarious truth which doesn't exist won't get off my porch until I answer the door."

[Credit: Getty Images]

She continued, "My friends say that I look peaceful. I am healthy. For a long time I wasn't doing such a good job with that. I took on a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and didn't allow for taking care of myself. Rather than stopping to recalibrate, I kept running until I was depleted and made bad choices about how to conceal the exhaustion. I was aware of the chaos and finally chose different things."

Zellweger credited a slower-paced lifestyle and boyfriend Doyle Bramhall for helping her transform her life. "I did work that allows for being still, making a home, loving someone, learning new things, growing as a creative person and finally growing into myself.”