LOS ANGELES >> Renee Zellweger says she looks different because she’s "living a different, happy, more fulfilling life."

The 45-year-old Oscar winner issued a statement to People magazine late Tuesday after she became a trending topic on Twitter, with many fans claiming the actress had become "unrecognizable." Her appearance at a Hollywood event earlier this week sparked widespread Internet chatter.

Zellweger’s most recent acting credit was in 2010, and she says, "People don’t know me in my 40s."

She said she has concentrated on her health and personal development in recent years and is "thrilled that perhaps it shows."

Zellweger said she might look different, but "who doesn’t as they get older?!"