EXCLUSIVE: Renée Zellweger Hit By Brutal Ultimatum From Friends Over Ongoing Relationship With Ant Anstead — Despite Trouble-Hit Businessman Shacking Up With Divorcee
Renée Zellweger is being told by pals to leave Ant Anstead, right.
June 10 2025, Published 9:00 a.m. ET
Renée Zellweger has always been one to follow her heart — even when others don’t approve, but her stubborness is now sparking warnings from friends over her topsy-turvy relationship, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Speaking about her boyfriend Ant Anstead, she recently told friends: "I love him and I trust him. I’m not walking away now."
But we can reveal the 56-year-old Oscar-winning actress, best known for her role as the perennially unlucky-in-love Bridget Jones, is facing mounting pressure from close friends to walk away from her three-year relationship with British TV presenter Ant Anstead, 46.
Besotted Star
The actress was said to be head-over-heels in love with businessman Anstead.
The couple, who moved in together in 2023, have been living apart for nearly a year, with Zellweger now based in New York filming Only Murders in the Building and Anstead remaining in California.
Controversy over their romance erupted after Anstead was spotted leaving the Laguna Beach home of long-time friend and divorcee Julia French, where he is said to be staying in her guest house.
Despite no confirmation of a romantic relationship between Anstead and French, concern is growing among Zellweger’s inner circle, who believe she is ignoring red flags.
One source close to the actress said: "Ant is insisting this is all a huge misunderstanding and he's done nothing wrong, but Renée's friends feel the fact he's staying with this beautiful divorcee is a huge red flag, even if he has been living in the guest room.
"They're convinced Renée's burying her head in the sand about it."
Trouble In Paradise
Anstead's business issues have caused huge upset in his relationship with Zellweger.
Another friend added: ‘She trusts that Ant wouldn't cheat on her, even if they have dialled things down a bit and spent way less time together recently. Ultimately her wish is to keep the romance going and stand by her man."
Anstead’s representative has strongly denied any romantic involvement with French, describing reports suggesting they are anything more than pals as "disrespectful and misleading."
They also confirmed he stayed "just a handful of days" with French, in a detached guest house on the property – and added: "They have been long-time friends with similar aged children within a circle of local Laguna Beach friends," also asserting Anstead and Zellweger "remain in a cherished relationship."
The pair first met in 2021 on the set of Anstead’s show Celebrity IOU: Joyride, shortly after his divorce from Flip or Flopstar Christina Haack was finalized.
By early 2022, Zellweger had met Anstead’s three children – daughter Amelie and son Archie from his first marriage to Louise Herbert, and son Hudson from his relationship with Haack – and appeared to have fully integrated into his life.
Zellweger’s romantic history has long fascinated fans.
She previously dated Me, Myself and Irene co-star Jim Carrey in 1999, had a high-profile marriage with country singer Kenny Chesney in 2005 that was annulled after four months, and was in a two-year relationship with actor Bradley Cooper.
Rocky Road To Love
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Zellweger racked up a string of exes before falling for Anstead.
Her longest romance lasted from 2012 to 2019 with musician Doyle Bramhall II.
Sources also suggest financial stress may also be playing a role in recent tensions.
Anstead is reportedly facing bankruptcy related to his car company and battling lawsuits totaling more than $3million.
Despite these pressures, he has said he remains "fully committed" to the company and is attempting to stabilize his finances by selling assets, including his multimillion-dollar Laguna Beach home, sources say.
According to another insider, Zellweger's friends are urging her to take a harder look at the situation.
"She's not ready to jump straight to the worst-case scenario and dump him over this," one said, adding: "She loves him and trusts him. But her friends aren’t nearly so understanding – they are begging her to take her rose-colored glasses off and dump him."
Even though she's based in New York for filming, Zellweger is making quiet trips to Los Angeles to visit Anstead.
Our source said: "They've always had a slightly unconventional set-up.
"But they certainly don't have any sort of open relationship, which is why some see this as such a red flag."
