AUSTIN, Texas—Renée Zellweger, a native Texan and a 1992 graduate of the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts, was awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for her role as Ruby Thewes in “Cold Mountain.”
Zellweger had previously been nominated for ‘Best Actress in a LeadingRole’ for “Bridget Jones’ Diary” in 2001 and for “Chicago” in2002.
This is the second Oscar awarded to an alumna of The University of Texas at Austin. In 2001, Marcia Gay Harden, a 1980 graduate of the College of Fine Arts, won an Oscar for her performance in “Pollock.” This year, Harden was competing with Zellweger for the Best Supporting Actress Award. Harden had been nominated for her performance opposite Sean Penn in “Mystic River.”
Longhorns who’ve been nominated in the past also include Department of Theatre and Dance alum Joe I. Tompkins (Best Costume Design in 1989 and 1983); Radio-Television-Film graduate Michael Corenblith (Art Direction in 2000 and 1995); and Owen Wilson (English, attended ’91) and Wes Anderson (’90), who were nominated for Best Original Screenplay in 2001 for “The Royal Tenenbaums.”
For more information contact: Bruno Longarini, College of Fine Arts, 512-475-7021; Robin Gerrow, College of Liberal Arts, 512-232-2145.
