LOS ANGELES, Aug 18: Renée Zellweger has officially added “director” to her résumé with her first film, a nine-minute hand-drawn animated short titled 'They', which premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on August 16. The short tackles the pervasive negativity and divisiveness that have come to define modern discourse. “We all have these opinions about one another — conversation seems to have left the building,” Zellweger tells The Hollywood Reporter, reflecting on the inspiration behind the project.

In her first interview as a filmmaker, Zellweger remained as thoughtful and measured as ever. “I don’t think that directing was a personal ambition in and of itself,” she explained. “I always thought that if there was some organic calling to tell a story and I felt that it was the right fit, then I’d probably love to do it and give it a shot.” She added, “Not just for the sake of having the experience, you know?”

The Texas-born actress has long been a beloved figure in film, captivating audiences in Jerry Maguire (1996), Chicago (2002), and, most recently, earning her second Academy Award for her portrayal of Judy Garland in Judy (2021). Yet she is perhaps most widely recognized for her iconic role as the charmingly imperfect Bridget Jones, a character she reprised this year in the global box office hit Mad About the Boy.

What has not been widely known until now is the project Zellweger pursued in between these films. Working through her production company, Big Picture Co., she collaborated with a group of animators to create They, a directorial debut born of a deep affection for hand-drawn animation and a desire to explore pressing social issues through art.

'They' presents a town overrun by citizens trapped in literal clouds of complaint. Amid the gloom, a hopeful hero and his dog hatch a plan to bring back optimism, only for it to seemingly backfire. A twist at the end unites the townspeople, conveying a message of solidarity and hope. The short critiques online conspiracy theories, social media toxicity, and the widespread decline in human empathy. “It’s just so sad,” Zellweger said. “The decline of social discourse, how it seems that we all have these opinions about one another. Conversation seems to have left the building.”

The film is also personal, featuring nods to Zellweger’s life and her team’s experiences. A dedication at the end honors Dylan, Ellie, Chester, Betty, and Grady — the late pets of Zellweger and producer Tora Young. Animation director Paul Smith illustrated the animals next to their names for the end credits, which were designed by art directors Nick Loose and Ste Dalton, with Adam Minkoff composing the score and Michael Bayliss serving as animation consultant.

Zellweger describes the film as “a passion project — that’s genuinely what this has reached. It’s a love of the art form and the way animation can engage in meaningful conversation without being offensive.”

The idea for 'They' originated in 2018 or 2019 during a conversation with an unwell friend. While watching the news together, Zellweger and her friend’s carer, Jerome, discussed societal toxicity and polarization. “We were thinking, it’s just so sad, the decline of social discourse. Conversation seems to have left the building,” she recalled. Jerome suggested, “Yeah, it’d be great if we felt like we were being attacked from space or something, then we’d need each other, wouldn’t we?” Zellweger laughed and immediately began imagining a story along the lines of Armageddon or Independence Day, visualizing negativity as a tangible, physical pollution.

Zellweger started sketching ideas and collaborating with an animator friend from her kitchen. After Judy, she reconnected with producer Tora Young, who had early experience in animation, and they brought the project to life. Initially envisioned as a short, black-and-white film of one or two minutes, the story expanded as the team explored its narrative possibilities. “It just started to grow and the story evolved as we worked on it,” Zellweger said.

Reflecting on the creation process, Zellweger noted that the project also served as a small, COVID-era endeavor that could be developed from home. “People say ‘passion project,’ and that’s genuinely what this has reached. It’s just a love of the art form and how you can use it to engage in a conversation without being offensive,” she said.

She emphasized the importance of optimism in the film, without slipping into sentimentality. “Oh, yeah, absolutely. But without being twee. Because you always hope, right? You hope,” she explained.

Zellweger’s admiration for animation extends back to her university days, when she would attend independent animation festivals. “I just love it. I love the messaging. I love the capacity to elicit such an emotional response from something so tiny and quick, and that seems so simple, but it’s profound. It takes so much work and skill,” she said, noting the meticulous labor involved in hand-painted, hand-drawn 2D line animation.

Looking forward, Zellweger hinted at more creative ventures in the future. “There are always ideas brewing. It’s just a matter of timing and things coming together,” she said, signaling that her directorial journey has only just begun.

'They' marks a new and exciting chapter in Zellweger’s career, blending her enduring passion for animation with a socially conscious narrative, offering humor, heart, and a subtle call for unity in a polarized world.