Renee Zellweger attended boyfriend Ant Anstead's soccer match in Orange County on Sunday instead of appearing at the Emmy Awards, where her film Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy was nominated for Outstanding Television Movie and lost to Rebel Ridge.
The 56-year-old actress was photographed on the sidelines cheering as Anstead, 46, played in a semi-professional fixture. Reports said the couple, who have not been living together amid the host's reported financial issues, spent the afternoon together and were affectionate during and after the match.
Zellweger arrived in casual attire, wearing a long-sleeve white T-shirt over khaki-green hiking pants and a denim cap bearing the word "London." She was seen watching play from the sideline, sitting on a bench during halftime, and tending to scrapes on Anstead's arm and knees after he fell on the pitch. The pair shared a brief kiss on the field following the match, and Anstead later removed his wet shirt.
Anstead was joined by his son, Hudson, a kindergartner who played in his own youth game and was photographed kicking a ball with Zellweger. Hudson, whom Anstead shares with ex-wife Christina Haack, was wearing a purple T-shirt and denim shorts. The match was described as energetic, with Anstead running back and forth on the field in a red, white and black jersey, black shorts and knee-high socks.
Anstead, a former semi-professional footballer in the U.K., moved to the United States and joined a semi-professional team affiliated with Southampton FC. He currently hosts season two of Born Mechanic in the U.K., a series in which he restores and sells classic cars to fund renovations on a 500-year-old farmhouse he purchased for his parents.
Zellweger and Anstead met when she appeared as a guest on his previous show, Celebrity IOU Joyride, where she took part in car restoration work. In an interview with Hello!, Anstead described Zellweger as a "hands-on car girl" and praised her design instincts, saying she had been a "big influence" on the farmhouse project. "I am constantly being advised, because she's the greatest human I've ever met," he told the magazine.
Zellweger has continued to work in television and film. She appears as Camilla White in the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building, which stars Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, part of the Bridget Jones franchise, received consideration at the Emmys but did not win in its nominated category.
Representatives for Zellweger and Anstead did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The outing follows a period in which the couple have been publicly visible at events and on social media, and their appearances together have included automotive projects as well as family-focused activities.
The match underscored a private moment amid the public attention surrounding Zellweger's awards-season recognition and Anstead's ongoing television projects. Observers noted the informal, family-oriented nature of the afternoon, with the actress engaging with Hudson and offering support after on-field tumbles, rather than attending the Los Angeles awards ceremony.
Details about the couple's living arrangements and Anstead's finances have been reported in recent weeks; the pair have not publicly detailed those matters beyond interviews about their work and shared interests. Their relationship retains a public-facing component through joint appearances and comments to the press about their creative collaborations and personal support for one another.