( CNN ) -- Renee Zellweger looks different than she did 10 years ago . Big deal—who does n't ? Maybe she had plastic surgery . Maybe a little lipo , too . Or maybe her new look , at 45 , is truly courtesy of her living a healthier , happier life away from the constant media glare , as she reportedly told People Magazine . Considering how mean-spirited some of the response has been since Zellweger showed up at the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards much slimmer than we remembered , who could question the effect time away from the vitriol can have on a person ? Kelly Wallace : Why so quick to pick apart Zellweger 's looks ? Zellweger only spoke with People after the huge fuss the media made about that Elle event , she said , because `` the folks who come digging around for some nefarious truth which does n't exist wo n't get off my porch until I answer the door . '' I would think the real headline is `` Public dissatisfied about Renee Zellweger 's happiness . '' Because that 's all she talked about : being happy . At peace . The face and body we associated with her for all these years was , in her words , a byproduct of having `` a schedule that is not realistically sustainable and did n't allow for taking care of myself . '' Makes sense to me . I ca n't tell you how many former NFL players I have come across who look nothing like the men I saw on the field—significant weight loss , clean-shaven , hell , just being clean for a change . And dare I say healthier . It is possible for people to change without going under the knife . And it is possible to be happy in your own skin , even if you do opt for plastic surgery . More than 15 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2013 . I think it 's safe to assume not all—if any—were done on Zellweger . In fact , it 's downright hypocritical for anyone in a country that has been known to spend $ 1.4 billion a year on over-the-counter teeth-whitening products to get bent out of shape if someone does change his or her appearance . Face it , we 're all nipping and tucking in our way . Our sense of what is beautiful has been redefined by a diet of Photoshopped images -- and 45-year-old actresses who feel they must nip and tuck and not look their age in order to be cast . Those who dare to not join in may be called `` less classically beautiful '' in the eyes of The New York Times , who tried to pin such a slight on Viola Davis , the star of `` How To Get Away With Murder . '' I was reminded of the slight in the show 's most recent episode as Davis ' character removed her wig , fake eyelashes , and makeup on camera . There she was completely untouched for the world to see . And the fact that doing so is considered `` brave '' says more about our culture 's warped sensibilities than Davis ' beauty . Of course , the backlash over Zellweger 's new look has little if anything to do with her . For some reason , we want her to answer for something that at the end of the day is none of our business . We want to know why her face appears different , why her signature puffy cheeks are gone . Unfortunately , that she says she is now happy and taking care of herself does not resonate . We apparently want her to say she had plastic surgery . Tell me : Who 's the superficial one here ?
J : Many thought that Renee Zellweger looked different when she appeared at Elle event . LZ : Who does n't change in 10 years ? She says she 's happier . Why is n't that enough for us ? He says a country that spends billions on cosmetic surgery is not in a position to judge . LZ : To try to meet society 's beauty standards , we all work on appearance .