Hollywood star Renee Zellweger has revealed that she barely survived her first-ever acting audition—after blatantly lying about her rollerblading skills.
The Bridget Jones’s Diary actress, who first developed an interest in acting while studying English literature at university, admitted that she oversold her skating abilities to land a try-out for a beer commercial—only to immediately regret it.
Bikini, rollerblades, and a death wish
Speaking to The Sun, Renee hilariously recounted the terrifying audition experience:
“I rented some rollerblades, gave it a shot, and thought, ‘I’m definitely going to die.’”
But things only got worse when she arrived at the audition.
(They said) ‘Here, put on this bikini. Put these skates on. Carry this 12-pack on your shoulder and start at the top of that hill.’
And that’s when it hit her—she might actually exit this world in the most ridiculous way possible.
“Thank God they blocked the street below because if there was oncoming traffic, we would not be having this conversation today. But it’s a really good way to leave the world if you’re going to exit. You know what I mean? Buried under a pile of beer.”
Despite the rollerblading fiasco, Zellweger clearly lived to tell the tale—and went on to build an Oscar-winning career. She had her big break opposite Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire (1996), and the rest, as they say, is history.
But her rise to stardom came at a cost. The actress confessed that for years, she was constantly on the move, living out of a suitcase and never settling down.
“I never unpacked until I was probably 41,” she told The Guardian.
In 2010, after years of non-stop work, Zellweger stepped away from Hollywood for six years—something she says she doesn’t regret one bit.
“There was a lot to treasure… I scrutinised myself. And because I wasn’t taking care of myself in my 30s, I didn’t make great choices all the time… It’s really easy to forget yourself in the mix.”
Now back in the spotlight, Zellweger has proved that you don’t need rollerblading skills to conquer Hollywood—just a little bit of luck and a whole lot of talent.
