Reese Witherspoon is reported to have been targeted by movie producers to take over as Bridget Jones on the big screen.

The star of Walk The Line, 38, is apparently being sought to replace Renee Zellweger in the third movie in the rom-com franchise.

Zellweger, 45, has been making headlines recently after showing off a radical new look - leaving her almost unrecognisable and leading to speculation about cosmetic surgery.

And the Daily Star reports that this is one reason for the proposed re-casting.

However she has brushed off the chatter about her looks, telling People: "I'm glad folks think I look different! I'm living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I'm thrilled that perhaps it shows."

And she elaborated further, hinting at previously unhealthy lifestyle choices.

"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.

"Rather than stopping to recalibrate, I kept running until I was depleted and made bad choices about how to conceal the exhaustion. I was aware of the chaos and finally chose different things.

"People don't know me in my 40s... Perhaps I look different. Who doesn't as they get older? But I am different. I'm happy."