Ant Anstead and Renée Zellweger first met on the set of his show, celebrity Iou Joyride. She herself was rewarded with a new romance that seemed to quickly become serious. Three years later, the couple reportedly live together and integrate their lives and their families. They even celebrated Bridget Jones’ London premiere: together they got mad about the boy.
The couple met in April 2021. Unstead left his ex-wife Christina Hark in September 2020 and the divorce was completed in June 2021. Anstead has two children, his first wife, a boy and a girl named Louise Storey, Archie and Amelie.
This is the complete timeline of his relationship with Zellweger so far.
April 2021
Zellweger appeared in Anstead’s Discovery+ Show, Celebrity Iou Joyride in April 2021. The program is dedicated to renovating cars that are suitable for people. Zelweger was particularly connected to his twin brothers who got a new car, Jerome and Gerard. The pair worked as caretakers of Nanci Ryder, a friend and former public relations officer at Zellweger. Rider was diagnosed with ALS in 2014 and passed away in 2020.
Anstead and Zellweger hit it right away.
June 2021
By June, rumors had been circulating that they were a couple. Sources have told people that, surprisingly, they have a lot in common.
“Sometimes, the two meet and click, and the timing is correct,” the insider explained. “Rene is creative… and often goes for those who take it out of the box. She is smart, thoughtful, always broadens her horizons and tries to nurture those around her.”
They say, “Both are private and don’t like public scrutiny, so they have a common sense. He is a creative guy with a lot of interest and she likes to write and produce, so we can talk together.”
July 2021
On the weekend of July 4th, the couple was seen at Anstead’s beach house in Laguna Beach, California, where they drank coffee on their balcony.
August 2021
By August they were seen on public dates and attended the Radford Motors Gala at the Lyon Aviation Museum in Santa Ana, California. Anstead is praised for supporting what the new Lotus Type 62-2 coaches revealed that night.
Lydia McLaughlin of the Real Housewives, an Orange County cast member, shared a photo with her husband Doug and her new couple.
E! During that month’s appearance on Daily Pop, Unstead said:
He also spoke to Entertainment Tonight about his show and his girlfriend. “One of the things I really think I came across on the show is that this is an opportunity to look a little behind the curtains,” he began. “Rene, especially she doesn’t give herself freely outside of the film. She’s a very private person, and that’s what I really like about her. … I love that she can weld. You can see her side.
September 2021
On September 16, 2021, the couple went to the official Instagram account with sweet black and white photos.
He also said, “Rene and my relationship is really private. It’s something I really don’t really want to talk about. It’s really early in our relationship and I don’t want to put any pressure on it.”
He added that the Academy Award winner hit it with his daughter Amelie.
“She and Len really hit it, just like two girls,” he said. “Amelie is so talented and funny, so amazing, she’s running through this chain of kindness. She’s just this really kind and solid person.”
That month, sources told people: “When they’re not working on other projects, they spend as much time together as possible. They really like each other and their romantic charm. The relationship is serious.”
They said, “Rene has found love again. She is a love that feels confident and safe about herself. And while Ali has many ups and downs, it seems there is stability in this romance.”
October 2021
Anstead shared a photo of the couple enjoying their kiss.
Ansted was visiting Zelweger in New Orleans that month. He told Entertainment Tonight, “We wandered into this little jazz room. It was really amazing. She is a good traveler and has been to that town before so I look forward to coming back.”
December 2021
Anstead spoke to Entertainment Tonight in December about his holiday plans, saying, “I have a new home. This will be my first Christmas at my new home.”
When asked about Zellweger and Christmas, he admitted that they had plans to meet each other, but they were “very busy.”
The insider told Weekly they are planning on spending a big year day together. “(They can’t wait to see what the New Year has for both of them,” they said.
April 2022
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Zelweger mentioned his friend, Rider, and spoke publicly about Unstead. When asked if the deceased spokesperson had brought the couple together, she replied, “Yeah, we joke about it. She’s always trying her best. It made me smile.
That month, Anstead shared a photo of the throwback from his first meeting on Instagram.
May 2022
In May 2022, Insider told Weekly that Zellweger was doing really well with Anstead’s youngest son Hudson.
“Rene is really connected to him and Ali loves that she dots and caring with his kids when they are together,” Zelweger added, “loves traveling to the park and long walks on the beach.”
“They are not intentionally complicated like that. There’s no air or grace. “Whenever they’re with Hudson, it’s all very positive and calm.”
August 2022
Zellweger told the Sunday Times in August 2022 that she wasn’t particularly interested in gossip about her relationship. She said, “Yeah, well, I’m not paying much attention to it.”
She made it clear that she has not paid attention to social media. “I don’t think that’s good for me. I have a list of things I want to do every day.”
October 2022
The source told Weekly the couple “is very happy and very excited to map a long-term future together,” but “desily talk about weddings that are deliberately neglected, despite being leaning for a while.”
The insider added, “They take the time to do this correctly, live in separate houses and run around nothing. They keep them from moving ahead of them, and although both are very private when it comes to precise arrangements, friends think that engagement could soon be possible.”
January 2023
In the Instagram post, the couple can be seen dancing in the dark courtyard.
April 2023
Sources told people the couple “found a house they loved and moved with.”
“They are very happy and in love. They tried to keep their relationship private and modest for Hudson,” the source added.
For the second anniversary of that month, Unstead shared a reel of a special moment together.
October 2023
They were photographed together at the launch of Libby June Weintraub’s book She Has Born: Words on Loss and Liberation.
February 2024
On Monday, February 26th, Unstead commented on an Instagram post from a friend who had just visited the house. He later shared his Instagram story post with reference to his “Len.”
“Please come back now!!!!
April 2024
Zellweger had planned to move to the UK to film Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Sources informed people that Anstead will be relocating to London during her filming.
“Ali is heading to the UK with Rene while she films later this year,” the insider claimed. Anstead is British and “we were excited to spend time with older kids,” Amelie and Archie are in the country.
On April 30, Unstead was photographed kissing London’s Zelweger in a rugby game with his son Archie.
May 2024
Unstead shared his photo on Sunday, May 26th, sitting in front of the car enjoying the country.
“A happy place” ❤×x,” Unstead wrote in the caption.
December 2024
The couple ran together in Los Angeles on December 28th. Both were black and casually dressed.
January 2025
Anstead and Zellweger were photographed on January 29th leaving a mad after party about her film Bridget Jones: Boy’s London premiere.
The exterior Zellweger she wore for after-party
September 2025
Anstead praised Zellweger while promoting the second season of the show Born Mechanic. Hello! In an interview with Anstead, he said: “One of the many, many things that draw me to Len is that she’s a hands-on car girl. It’s really cool to meet me at a car show. I’ve welded it.
He added that Zellweger has helped with the farmer’s design plan he is restoring, telling the outlet: “She has had a big impact on it. She has a very good design, so I obviously get advice from people who are better at home than I do.
