This week we feature Renee Zellweger (right) as our “Woman of the week.” The actress, best known for her role in the iconic “Bridget Jones’ diary,” has been under media scrutiny since she appeared publicly nearly a week ago, looking older and very different from her previous and more vivacious avatars.

Comments on Zellweger’s looks launched a furious debate in social media on how society looks and judges women and how actresses are particularly prone to criticism from their fans.

Uhhh…Renee Zellweger looks REALLY different? http://t.co/lOtU6f6ad9 #abc15 #ReneeZellweger pic.twitter.com/OQUXh2X13g

— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) October 21, 2014

Some tweets were really nasty. Like this one:

Holy cr*p! #ReneeZellweger before and after surgery pic.twitter.com/a1OxduKkz2

— BatHedge (@Hedge76) October 21, 2014

But the actress has her share of supporters too.

‘Give #ReneeZellweger a break!’ says @thatpakiblog http://t.co/rwtaSObrje #Pakistan

— Tribune Blogs (@tribuneblogs) October 24, 2014

Some even asked why we weren’t thinking of the actress’ great talent and contribution to films.

What about the radical notion that we support the woman whose talent has brought joy to millions of people #ReneeZellweger

— Genevieve Angelson (@GenevieveAngel) October 21, 2014

The debate was finally put to an end by comedian Russel Brand, who took a dig at all news channels, which claimed to “tell the truth.” Brand says, and rightly so, that the main reason why Zellweger looks so different is because of time. The way an apple looks different after 10 days or the arctic circle or even…Baghdad, which was a completely different city ten years ago.

Love @rustyrockets for this http://t.co/MXvGQnLsRh #ReneeZellweger

— Fran Newman-Young (@francesca_ny) October 27, 2014

And what does Renee Zellweger have to say on this debate about her looks? In an interview with People Magazine, she said she was glad people thought she looked different: “I’m living a different, happy, more fulfilling life…My friends say that I look peaceful. I am healthy. For a long time I wasn’t doing such a good job with that. I took on a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and didn’t allow for taking care of myself.”
This is how she looks now, but apparently people still like having fun at another person’s expense!

BREAKNG: Perfectly attractive woman is dating a microphone. Press ignores microphone #ReneeZellweger pic.twitter.com/F04p3O4QIg

— Aidan Goatley (@MrAidanGoatley) October 22, 2014