Born on 25 April 1969 in Katy, Texas, to Kjellfrid Irene Andreassen, a Norwegian-born former nurse and midwife, and Emil Erich Zellweger, a Swiss-born engineer, Renée grew up wanting to be a writer. In fact, she went to study English at the University of Texas, which is where, instead, she ‘fell’ into acting. Bit parts in ’90s hits Dazed and Confused (1993) and Reality Bites (1994) paved the way for bigger roles in Love and a .45, The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (co-starring fellow Texan and then unknown Matthew McConaughey) and Empire Records (1995).
‘Rather than continuing with my journalism degree, I finished up quickly with my lit degree so that I could just see where [acting] would go,’ she says. ‘I figured I could always go back and get a master’s, and finally submit something to !’
