This is a cute story that kind of warms my heart. However, it also smacks of positive PR and I wouldn’t put it past Renee Zellweger and her people to stage something like this. That may sound too cynical and normally I wouldn’t assume something like that about Renee, but she seems to be playing the game lately and this is Hollywood. The official version is that a guy paid Renee’s expired meter while she was getting coffee and she gifted him with a sweet note and a $100 Starbucks gift card. It all seems too convenient that the paparazzi just happened to be there to capture the moment and even get a photo of Renee’s note. (And several agencies have these photos so it’s not like one guy just happened upon the scene. Still, she’s wearing the same workout gear she wears everywhere so she didn’t dress up for the occasion.)
She’s usually the one drinking (and carrying) the coffee. But on Wednesday, Renée Zellweger was the person serving it.
The actress was preparing to leave a Santa Monica, Calif., Starbucks when a fellow coffee-drinker noticed that her parking meter was about to expire. In the nick of time, the man slipped some coins into the meter, saving the actress from a possible ticket. Her reply? Zellweger gave him a $100 Starbucks gift card – with a sweet message.
“Wow,” the note read. “Thank you so much for the kindness. Warmly, with gratitude, Renée!
[From People]
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard a nice story about Renee extolling kindness on strangers. In late 2007, she gifted a pair of Manolo Blahniks to a girl who worked at a makeup counter at Neiman Marcus who was admiring them. That story could have been PR too, but it sounded genuine to me. Maybe Renee is just the type of person who likes to share her success in small meaningful ways with the people who brighten her day. If this is PR, it’s genius and more celebrities should follow suit. I would love to hear about a campaign to spread joy to the nice people we encounter during the day. Even if it was a marketing campaign for a product or service it could go a long way to spreading kindness. I loved that free hugs campaign, but this would be a little less touchy-feely. I would love to give some small token to the guy who holds the door open for me (I’m visiting the South now, and they all do it, but it still makes me smile every time!) or the cashier who is especially friendly. Maybe Renee started a trend!
Update: the guy was a photographer: I wrote this whole story and was then downloading the photos from WENN, when I saw the photo agency’s version. This guy wasn’t a random citizen as People reports – he was a paparazzo! They write: “The unnamed photographer spotted a parking attendant doing his rounds as he was waiting for the movie star to leave her coffee shop retreat after a shopping trip in Santa Monica, California. The quick-thinking snapper dropped coins into her meter to make sure Zellweger didn’t get a ticket.” So Renee may have given the gift card to thank the guy with the benefit of getting into the paparazzi’s good graces and receiving some positive press out of it. She seems to have succeeded on both counts! Aw, now I like her more.
Photo credit: WENN.com
Yeah, I think it would’ve been too obvious if she sashayed out to the photog in her Oscar’s gown.
Good call on keeping it low-key.
No matter what the reason for the Starbucks card, it made the photographer’s day! Nice gesture, need we analyze it?
PS Renee, I like Newman’s Caramel Organic coffee (extra-extra!) Thank you!
What is with the pants? She’s got money. Can’t she change her clothes?
Nice PR, sure, but I just can’t stand her. She just comes across as desperate.
And no, I wouldn’t be surprised for a second if this was staged.
I live in the South, & while there are MANY things that I hate about it, I LOVE it when guys (or anyone, really) open the door for me. I do it for other people just as often as its done for me. (Actually, I get kind of offended when people don’t hold the door!) Its funny, I’ll travel outside of the South & grab the door for someone & get the wierdest looks! 🙂
If she wore her workout gear on the red carpet, it would at least go with all that weird flexing/posing she does!
wow that was really cool of her.
I think she’s a genuinely nice woman. I don’t know many people who wouldn’t be grateful for someone saving them from a ticket.
So if the last time she was generous was in 2007 then I doubt this is staged some ppl are generous and she is rich so why not?
This guy could actually be arrested for doing that. It’s illegal to feed other people’s meters. Hopefully the parking people in CA don’t pursue it!
@ Fi
Are you sure? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, nor does it make any sense… Why would the city care who pays for the parking? Also, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t get arrested for that. There are a lot of things that are illegal that would not get you thrown in jail.
Also, am I the only one who thinks it’s strange to get $100 worth of coffee?
I don’t drink coffee or patronize Starbucks, so it’s probably just me.
Nice of both of them.
Is it me or do her calves look a little weird in these shots?
I love the idea of a “Spread the Joy” (or, “hey, be nice for a change will you!?”) campaign but I doubt it would last long.
I have always heard that she’s an absolute sweetheart to film crews & the like. If it’s true, this is pretty much in character.
Katyusha, I know it’s illegal in my state, anyway. It’s just about the stupidest law…but still a law.
On Fb an italian guy decided to organize an event occurring the 26th of March all over Italy. What shall people do during this event?
People should just give a book as a present to strangers in the streets, offices, subways, hospitals, everywhere.
I just love it.
I think on both ends it was a nice gesture. I’m sure the photog knew Renee was at least going to say thank you. And Renee was obviously happy she didn’t get a ticket. It’s just a sweet thing to do.
I’ve heard so many stories of Renee doing this kind of thing that I believe it was genuine. I remember hearing one time she was in AE just buying a few things and decided to purchase $100 giftcards for everyone behind her in line, and there weren’t any paps around. Just something nice. She didn’t stick around for thank yous, either – the clerk just let people know as they came to pay.
@katyusha, i don’t even want to know how fast i could go through $100 at starbucks…*shameface*. or if you get get their actual coffee to make at home a pound is pretty pricey, but then you have the decliciousness at home…mouth watering…
WOW thats a lot of frapp and oatmeal cookies. So Renee spells her name Rinee.
i am the photographer who took the pics of the gentleman who was given the gift card by Renee Zellweger.
those are my images of him holding the card.
i am the only one with those shots…HE IS NOT A PAPARAZZO!.
i know this for sure… 100%!
he is a musician. his name is Milton.
Actually, Renee is famous for random acts of kindness. My friend worked on a set with her in New Orleans. She overheard that my friend had been sleeping on a worn out futon. Renee had her agent arrange for brand new mattress to delivered to my friend’s house with a note that said “Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep”-Renee
He is NOT a photographer! His name is Milton and is a Starbucks regular. He sits with a group of guys who often protect other visitors’ cars from tickets. The real photographer (not paparazzo) who had this story first is Matt Hynes. I should know. I was there and know these guys!
It is quite useful.Thanks very much for sharing.