Renee Zellweger's new look causing a stir

Renee Zellweger stirred up buzz when she hit the red carpet Monday looking dramatically different than usual.

The "Bridget Jones" star, 45, appeared at the ELLE Women in Hollywood Awards in Los Angeles on Monday, and photos from the event raised eyebrows and set tongues wagging.

For comparative purposes, here she is at a different event on Sept. 3:

And another photo from October 2013:

Zellweger, who attended the Women in Hollywood event with boyfriend Doyle Bramhall II, has kept a low profile in recent years but is due to appear opposite Keanu Reeves in the upcoming film "The Whole Truth" and, according to Deadline, is attached to star in "Same Kind of Different As Me." She also said recently that the prospect of returning for a third "Bridget Jones" film would be "really fun."