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Country music star Kenny Chesney told the News Sentinel a month before he married Renee Zellweger that he wasn't going Hollywood, and apparently that's good news for his fans.

Fifty-four percent of those participating in an online survey at KnoxNews.com said Chesney marrying Zellweger would do nothing for his career. However, more than 40 percent said the marriage would boost him to new levels of stardom.

"Outside (the) country music scene, ( Kenny ) isn't that popular. This will bring fans from outside country music to ... his music," one reader commented on the Web site.

The survey began on the News Sentinel Web site on Tuesday, the day after Chesney married Zellweger in a surprise ceremony in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

By Friday afternoon, more than 125 readers had participated in the poll, which asked how the marriage would affect Chesney's career. Fewer than 6 percent thought Chesney would drop off the map because of it.

Zellweger's film credits include "Bridget Jones's Diary," "Chicago," "Cold Mountain" and "Jerry Maguire." "Cinderella Man," her new movie, opens June 3 and co-stars Russell Crowe.

Many in the poll agreed that Chesney's profile would take a turn upward because of whom he married.

"They are going to be hounded more and more by paparazzi," said Mike Hammond, an executive for Citadel Broadcasting, the company that runs popular country music radio station WIVK-FM.

"You're going to start seeing them more in magazines. I don't think it will do anything but help his career."

When asked in April at the CMT Awards in Nashville if he wanted to get into movies, Chesney was adamant in his reply.

"No, never," he said. "I just don't know how good I would be at it. I'm just getting the singing thing going the way I like it. You've got to take a lot of time to do (movies). I have friends who are doing it."

Despite having multiplatinum albums to his credit, Chesney said he has not been offered scripts. However, he said, he has also not shown interest in wanting to act.

Many of Chesney's contemporaries are making the transition to acting. Faith Hill made her debut in "The Stepford Wives" last June, and her husband, Tim McGraw, received critical accolades for his role in last October's "Friday Night Lights." Meanwhile, Toby Keith has done episodic television and commercials.

"Just because you have a record deal doesn't give you a license to act," Chesney said of why he is not acting, too. "Some people can do it. Some people can't. I don't want to take that much time off to (act).

"I love doing what I am doing already." Three days after his wedding, Chesney was back on tour with a stop in Little Rock, Ark.

Reaction to Chesney's marriage was a hot topic in Knoxville during the week. Chesney is a native of Luttrell and attended East Tennessee State University. His parents are Dave Chesney of Townsend and Karen Chandler of Halls.

Knoxville radio stations -- even non-country-music ones -- devoted time to listeners' reactions to the wedding that took place Monday on the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Chesney owns a home.

"The No. 1 reaction was surprise," Hammond said of WIVK's audience. Internet users posted opinions on message boards.

National media dashed about all week looking for details of the wedding and new information for scoops.

Those voicing their opinions at KnoxNews.com were split in their opinions on the nuptials. "Of course it will mean more publicity," one reader posted. Hammond said the station heard from female fans who were disappointed that Chesney is no longer a bachelor.

Could his new status damage his image as a sex symbol?

"It certainly hasn't hurt Tim McGraw," Hammond said.

© 2005, Knoxville News Sentinel
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