The two singers hosted the ultimate concert Saturday when Chesney's The Big Revival tour and Aldean's Burn It Down tour intersected at the Rose Bowl Stadium, making it the first major country music show in the legendary venue's history.
"You know when you wake up and you see that sign, you're on hallowed ground," Chesney said in a press release. "I've seen so many games played there, so much history – and I understand the heart it took from every athlete who's ever come out of those tunnels. To stand on that stage, I knew I wanted to try to honor all those folks who've come before us."
Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were also spotted in the crowd at the momentous event. Witherspoon even posted a photo on Instagram alongside Chesney with the caption: "What Southern girls do on Saturday night! Gettin' country with Kenny Chesney."
Chesney, 47, performed a stacked set list and played four more songs with Aldean, 38, during his time onstage, including John Mellencamp's "Hurt So Good."
"Those folks had had a long day in all that heat, but man, they were so ready for us … ready to hear the music, to sing along, to make every single song matter," Chesney said. "They made a memory that will last a lifetime. To play a place where football means so much, especially to an audience that live, I'll never forget it."
Earlier this month, PEOPLE exclusively debuted Chesney's latest video "Save It for a Rainy Day." The No Shoes Nation leader says the song is a "wake-up call," adding "you can decide you're not going to surrender to feeling bad."
The award is given to filmmakers “who [are] fully engaged in his or her work,” and “committed to making a significant contribution to the art of the motion picture.” Witherspoon’s selection for this year’s award was unanimous, with the selection committee citing her career as an actress and as a producer in the announcement.
Now in its 29th year, previous recipients include Eddie Murphy (1986); Bette Midler (1987); Robin Williams (1988); Steven Spielberg (1989); Ron Howard (1990); Martin Scorsese (1991); Sean Connery (1992); Michael Douglas (1993); Rob Reiner (1994); Mel Gibson (1995); Tom Cruise (1996); John Travolta (1997); Arnold Schwarzenegger (1998); Jodie Foster (1999); Bruce Willis (2000); Nicolas Cage (2001); Denzel Washington (2002); Nicole Kidman (2003); Steve Martin (2004); Al Pacino (2005) George Clooney (2006), Julia Roberts (2007);Samuel L. Jackson (2008); Matt Damon (2010); Robert Downey Jr. (2011), Ben Stiller (2013), Jerry Bruckheimer (2013) and Matthew McConaughey (2014).
Paul Flattery and Barbara Smith will executive produce this year’s show, Irene Crinita will produce, with Corrine Mann as the event producer.
Reese Witherspoon and her quickly growing 2½-year-old son, Tennessee James, posed for a sweet photo together that the actress shared on Instagram.
“Sweet lil walks with this sweet lil guy,” Witherspoon captioned the pic, complete with a heart and #VacationMode hash tag.
The blonde tot and his mom, 39, are modeling blue and white outfits — Witherspoon opted for a plaid midi-shirt dress from her Draper James clothing line while the little guy wore all stripes.
The fabulous duo are all smiles as they hold hands and pose next to a conch shell.
During a seemingly endless summer, Witherspoon recently returned from a trip to Italy with daughter Ava, 15. And although the actress and Tennessee came close to matching above, Witherspoon and her eldest child took outfit coordination to another level on their international jaunt.
Warner Bros will be getting more aggressive on the book front, and it seems to make a good deal of sense given the outsized success American Sniper meant to the studio. The studio also wants more with Witherspoon and Papandrea, who’ve proven themselves book savvy producers who last year produced both Gone Girl and Wild. They’ve been a catalyst for other movie deals including Fox 2000’s acquisition of Ashley’s War, the Tzemach Lemmon book about an elite group of women who fought alongside Green Berets and Army Rangers in Afghanistan.
Right now, Witherspoon is producing, but Warner Bros will court her to play a key role. Book is an adult thriller about a teenage girl in picturesque suburban Connecticut who is brutally attacked and raped, and the secrets that emerge during the course of the investigation. Witherspoon will be courted to play the girl’s mother, who decides with her husband to give their daughter a pill to erase her short term memory so she won’t relive the trauma of the rape. Slowly, the girl uncovers the identity of her assailant and remembers what happened to her, with the help of her psychiatrist, who is connected to the crime in an unpredictable and shocking way.
This is Warner Bros’ third project with Witherspoon. They are developing the Maureen Sherry novel Opening Belle and the recently published Second Life by SJ Watson. CAA reps Witherspoon and put all the pieces together here.
Choice Movie Liplock (#ChoiceMovieLiplock)
Jennifer Lawrence & Liam Hemsworth, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1"
Blake Lively & Michiel Huisman, “The Age of Adaline”
Mae Whitman & Robbie Amell, “The Duff”
Rebel Wilson & Adam DeVine, “Pitch Perfect 2"
Reese Witherspoon & Sofia Vergara, “Hot Pursuit”
Shailene Woodley & Theo James, “Insurgent”
Choice Movie Hissy Fit (#ChoiceMovieHissyFit)
Lewis Black as “Anger,” “Inside Out”
Bryce Dallas Howard, “Jurassic World”
Anna Kendrick, “Pitch Perfect 2"
Melissa McCarthy, “Spy”
Reese Witherspoon, “Hot Pursuit”
Morgan is best known for scripting the Steve McQueen-directed Shame, and the Meryl Streep-as-Maggie Thatcher drama The Iron Lady. She followed with the Sarah Gavron-directed Suffragette, which stars Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Carey Mulligan and Brendan Gleeson, with Focus releasing the film on October 23. She co-wrote the Suzanne Bier-directed Rules Of Inheritance, is adapting Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shrew and is working on the feature version of Little House On The Prairie for producer Scott Rudin and Sony.
Morgan is repped by CAA and Independent Talent Group.
In a new interview in the July/August issue of Elle Decor magazine, the actress (and lifestyle guru) opens up about her favorite things, from her preferred beverages to museums to cities.
Here are the six things Witherspoon just can’t get enough of:
1. Nashville
“The city has a sense of ease,” Witherspoon says. “It’s where I grew up, so I am blessed.” This fall, Witherspoon plants to open the first Draper James boutique in her home town. “We are aiming for that mix of traditional and contemporary that says, ‘I love where I am from, but I have also traveled the world,'” she tells Elle Decor. (Her online store, launched in May, is already up and running.)
2. Café du Monde Coffee
“I like to prepare it in a French press,” Witherspoon says — though we’re sure she must have also tasted some of the chicory-flavored coffee at the original, iconic Café du Monde while in New Orleans filming Hot Pursuit.
3. Magnolia Trees in Bloom
“Only in the South,” she clarifies. “Everywhere else they look too skinny.”
4. Draper James Mint Julep Cup
In May, Witherspoon launched her lifestyle site, Draper James, which is a shopping website focused on “Southern style.” One of her favorite items? The adorable mint julep cups. “I use them for little bouquets or cocktails served with fresh mint,” she says.
5. Fruit Tea Punch
On a hot summer day, Witherspoon cools down with some ice cold fruit tea from Nashville’s Loveless Café, “made with tea, juice and cinnamon.” (We need that now. Good thing it sounds easy to recreate.)
6. The Whitney Museum of Art
Witherspoon calls the newly renovated museum of modern American art “an incredible jewel at the end of New York City’s Highline.”
Read more about Reese Witherspoon’s must-have picks by clicking here.
Reese Witherspoon and daughter Ava Phillippe are vacationing in Italy, taking in the country’s historic sites and traveling — quite literally — in style.
The Oscar-winning actress, 39, and her look-alike daughter, 15, are currently touring Rome, and have been sharing their sightseeing photos and family snaps on Instagram.
The duo visited with Italian designer Valentino Garavani, who’s fashioned many of the A-list actress’s red carpet gowns.
“What an honor to see Mr. Valentino at dinner last night in Rome,” Witherspoon shared on Instagram along with a photo of her and Ava posing with the 83-year-old icon.
Garavani wore one of his usual crisp suits, while Witherspoon and Ava opted for coordinating white outfits. The teen even emulated her mother’s signature smirk for the picture.
The mother-daughter duo have been stepping out looking fashionable despite the city’s high summer temps. They even coordinated outfits one day, both wearing Witherspoon’s new Draper James line. Ava stepped out in the the floral Nashville shirt, while her mom wore the fitted Knoxville trouser in the same navy magnolia print!
Witherspoon also wore the shorts version of her Draper James pants with a white sleeveless button-down and a chic straw hat, adorned with a bright pink ribbon. The actress accessorized with a black chain cross body bag for a trip to the famous St. Ignatius church.
Ava, who’s previously showcased her trendy style by rocking bright blue hair, paid homage to the fallen Roman empire with lace-up gladiator sandals. The tan shoes tied high around the teen’s knees.
“When in #Rome,” Witherspoon wrote of a pic of her daughter’s themed footwear, using the hashtag “#MomHumor.”
And the Wild star and her mini-me made sure to dine on margherita pizza in between sightseeing stops.
Ava, Witherspoon’s daughter with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, has also been actively documenting the trip on social media, sharing “tons of pictures” of the city’s historic architecture.
Appropriately titled, "The Definitive Oral History of How Clueless Became an Iconic 90s Classic," the article features interviews with a number of the key players in the making of the film, including director and writer Amy Heckerling, Carrie Frazier, Marcia Cross (the casting directors at Fox and Paramount, respectively) as well as stars Alicia Silverstone (Cher), Stacey Dash (Dionne) and Paul Rudd (Josh).
If you're a Clueless fan, the entire piece is worth a read, but the part about the casting process is particularly fascinating as it reveals that nearly every major Hollywood actress auditioned for the role of Cher!
"I had my heart set on Alicia [Silverstone]" Heckerling recalls. "[But] Fox … wanted me to explore all the [options]…. I saw Alicia Witt, the redheaded [actress]. And who else?Tiffani Thiessen. The one that—she was in that show and she cut her hair and everybody was mad? Keri Russell, yes. Then they go, 'You've got to see the girl in [Flesh and Bone].' I never got to see her. I guess she was off on other things. That turned out to be Gwyneth Paltrow."
Gwyneth Paltrow as Cher Horowitz?! Now that's something we'd love to see.
"It was the first time I'd seen Angelina Jolie…. But she was too knowing for what was needed for Clueless," Frazier continues. "Angelina never came in [to audition] for the project. I was just looking at her tape. I remember an agent pitching her, and I'm going, 'No, no, no, this is exactly the opposite of what I need for this.' Later on, when I started heading up the casting department for HBO, and I got the script for Gia, I said, 'I've got the girl.' That was Angelina."
(Safe to say the role was a better fit).
As for the other now-A-list actresses who were up for the part?
"I met with Reese [Witherspoon] because everyone said, 'This girl's amazing. She's going to be huge,'" Heckerling says of Witherspoon, who just a few years later, would land her breakout role in Cruel Intentions.
"I had [Amy] meet Reese over at the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles, on Doheny, in the bar," Frazier adds before Heckerline recalls, "I saw some movie where she [Witherspoon] had a southern accent. Maybe it was on TV, a movie of the week. But I did see some scenes of hers and went: Wow. She's amazing. But Alicia is Cher."
When it came to the role of Josh, who was brilliantly played by actor Paul Rudd, the list of thesps who auditioned for the part is, again, quite shocking.
"I brought in Ben Affleck, for the role of Josh," Frazier reveals. "I thought he would be fabulous for it. I was really trying to get Ben Affleck the part."
Additionally, Frazier says she "brought in [Brittany] Murphy. She was just so similar, again, to the character. She was really sweet."
However, Marcia Cross became the new casting director when the project moved to Paramount, and she was ultimately responsible for casting Rudd.
"Because I was always reading actors, I knew a lot of young actors, and I was able to come up with a bunch of thoughts for parts and sort of come in with ideas and show her [Amy Heckerling]," Cross says. "Paul Rudd was one of those people."
As Heckerling recalls, casting Josh "was the hardest" and he was actually turned down for the role until eventually, he was brought back into the casting mix.
"I'm fairly sure Zach Braff read for Josh," Cross reveals. "I had hired a casting director in Chicago to put people on tape for the role while I was still searching for an actor to play the role. He was going to [Northwestern] at the time. My note was that he was good.
"We screen-tested several guys with [Alicia] on film, and she and Paul—he really was good with her," she continues. "From the minute he came in to the minute he got the part—and it was such a long journey, really, that one in particular—there was always this sort of harking back to: remember Paul? I can't explain it to you. He never went out of consciousness."
As for Rudd's reaction?
"I don't remember the actual call saying I got the part…. I wasn't sure about [Halloween]," he recalls of his first film. "But Clueless: no, I wanted to do that one."
For more on Clueless—including how Terrence Howard almost got the role of Murray (played by Donald Faison)—be sure to head to Vanity Fair!
Choice Movie Actress: Drama (#ChoiceDramaMovieActress)
Felicity Jones - "True Story" / "The Theory of Everything"
Blake Lively - "The Age of Adaline"
Chloe Grace Moretz - "If I Stay"
Britt Robertson - "The Longest Ride"
Kristen Stewart - "Still Alice"
Reese Witherspoon - "Wild"
Choice Movie Actress: Comedy (#ChoiceComedyMovieActress)
Anna Kendrick - "Pitch Perfect 2"
Raini Rodriguez - "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2"
Emma Stone - "Aloha"
Mae Whitman - "The Duff"
Rebel Wilson - "Pitch Perfect 2"
Reese Witherspoon - "Hot Pursuit"
Witherspoon is coming off a Best Actress Oscar nomination for 2014’s Wild — and a critical and commercial stumble with last month’s Hot Pursuit, in which she starred with Sofia Vergara. Pacific Standard also produced that film, along with Wild and last year’s David Fincher-Ben Affleck thriller Gone Girl. The company also is producing Big Little Lies, an HBO limited series in which Witherspoon stars with fellow Oscar winner Nicole Kidman. The actress-producer is repped by CAA, LBI Entertainment, and Hansen Jacobson.
The Opening Belle story was reported first by the Tracking Board.
Since the May 5 kickoff of her lifestyle site (named for her maternal grandparents), Witherspoon has been her own best model, sporting the line’s Southern-inspired pieces (lots of florals, checks and brights) nearly every day. From left, she’s wearing the brand’s “Shelby” jacket and “Vanderbilt” tote; toughening up the “Charlotte” top with a leather jacket (both those handbags are hers, too); and wearing the “Memphis” skirt on the red carpet. And if that weren’t enough, Witherspoon is also training herself to make the brand’s upcoming denim — just check out the snap she posted to Instagram, below:
Witherspoon isn’t alone in standing behind (or in, as it were) her own designs — Blake Lively wore a number of Preserve designs on her Age of Adaline press tour, and she’s just jumped feet first into the design world as well, creating a collection with Sam & Lavi. (And to prove she too was involved, Preserve posted a similar making-of snap to their Instagram.)
And of course, Melissa McCarthy has been wearing her own designs throughout her whole Spy press tour, saying of her design philosophy, ““I just don’t believe in a uniform. I think if people have it and they love it, great, but I think people get into a rut and I’ve always been someone who gets a kick out of dressing.”
It was the Olympian's initial interview with Diane Sawyer (which first aired Apr. 25) that piqued the Oscar winner's interest. She wasn't the only one, either. As Caitlyn, 65, told Vanity Fair contributing editor Buzz Bissinger, the public reaction to the ABC News special "was absolutely amazing."
(With the release of her Vanity Fair cover on June 1, Caitlyn has chosen to publicly identify as a woman and E! News will refer to her using female pronouns. In stories published prior to this date, Caitlyn was referred to as Bruce and male pronouns were used.)
"Even Mark, who is the producer on Diane's piece, says, 'Well, I had breakfast with Reese Witherspoon this morning and she couldn't stop talking about you. All she wants to do is meet you,'" said Caitlyn. "She never wanted to meet Bruce, you know, but Caitlyn it is. It's just that's the way people are, and I understand that."
"Honestly, since the Diane Sawyer piece, every day it's like, it's exciting to go to the mailbox...Because I get letters every day from all of these people from all over the world," she went on. "I've gotten a lot from trans women, and telling their story and telling how excited they were to see the Diane piece. And so for non-trans people, just regular people who watched the games and now they see this, they're just so proud of you."
"But I so appreciate those things," Caitlyn told Vanity Fair. "I mean, I read every one of them, a lot of them I answer; in fact, the other night I got a letter from a trans woman in New York and she had so many interesting things to say, but at the end she left her telephone number, so I called her..I think she was very surprised I called. So I called her because for me, I am, I don't, I'm new to this community..."
Caitlyn wanted "to learn about the people," she said, "and here's this lady living in New York state, she actually works in an operating room, transitioned 15 years ago, doing very well in her life, but obviously went through hell to get there, and I want to know these stories so I can—I have a platform that's so large, how can I use that to make this better? And the only way I could do that is to talk to people."
The ladies were on the phone "probably close to 45 minutes," said Caitlyn. "Actually I think I woke her up, because it was East Coast, it was three hours later. I think she was sleeping, and then I woke her up and she kind of was a little groggy, and I told her it was me and I got your letter, and I'd love to talk to you; and boy, she woke right up, and we talked for 45 minutes and she was so interesting."
Caitlyn's changing the course of conversation!
Learn more about what it means to be transgender from GLAAD. If someone you love is transgender, contact PFLAG.
During the discussion moderated by producer Will Packer, Witherspoon and Papandrea made it very clear that they’re in the business of making films with strong female leads. Witherspoon attributes their successful partnership to the fact that they share the goal of “creating movies with the woman at the center.” So it’s probably not a good idea to send them material where the female lead is just a wife or a girlfriend.
Witherspoon’s decision to start her own production came three years ago when her husband suggested that she option some books and turn them into movies. After acquiring the manuscript to Wild, her agent put her in contact with Padandreas and Witherspoon sent her Wild and Gone Girl. After a “dating period” as Witherspoon describes it, the duo were able to hone in on their goal of producing “interesting roles for women.”
However, even with Witherspoon’s name attached, the duo hasn’t always had it so easy getting the studios on board. Papandrea revealed that when they sent Gone Girl to the studios “no one read it.” It was when the novel hit No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list that grabbed studios’ attention. A studio development deal isn’t in the cards yet, Papandrea said, because “I’m an independent producer at heart,” explaining that each project has unique characteristics that appeal to different studios.
Despite its early hurdles, Pacific Standard has made its mark. Since its inception, the company has produced films with financial and critical success such as Gone Girl, and Wild. Will Packer, who moderated the session, posed the question “what is it about, literally, adaptations?” To which Witherspoon responded, “We love books, we are book dorks” adding “They’ve done half the work for you, if it’s a great book you already know it’s a great story.”
The company is producing another adaptiation, Little Big Lies, in partnership with Nicole Kidman’s production company Blossom Films, based on the book of the same name by Australian author Liane Moriarty. Also in the company’s pipeline is Ashley’s War: The Untold Story Of A Team of Women Soldiers On The Special Ops Battlefield by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon and Luckiest Girl Alive from first time author Jessica Knoll.
Pacific Standard, whose name came about as a variation on the cocktail Eastern Standard, are certainly doing their part to bring about change in the industry. When it comes to gender disparity, Panpandrea concedes there is a long way to go. Witherspoon adds “it starts very very young” with females getting those critical internships and experience being on a set. She comments that it is the responsibility of companies like her own, to find these women and “help develop the talent.”
The Oscar winner reunited with her costars from the 1999 teen hit – Selma Blair and Sarah Michelle Gellar – for an evening of fun in Los Angeles.
The trio took in Cruel Intentions the Musical, which features a ton of '90s hits.
While their costar (and Witherspoon's ex Ryan Phillippe) was noticeably absent, Witherspoon's partners in crime also shared their excitement about the reunion on social media on Thursday, with Gellar posting a photo on Instagram and joining Blair in wishing the film's writer/director, Roger Kumble, a happy birthday.
This isn't the only '90s reunion Gellar has taken part in recently. She got together with former Buffy the Vampire Slayer costar Alyson Hannigan on Saturday.
The Wild actress is attached to star and produce in Tink, an upcoming live-action film based on the beloved Peter Pan character, PEOPLE has confirmed.
The movie is still in development and has no timetable for production, but with the success of live-action reboots like Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent and Cinderella, Tink has some major box-office potential.
And if the film does get made, Witherspoon will be the second Oscar-winner to play the famous fairy. Julia Roberts starred as a real-life version of Tinker Bell in Hook in 1991, alongside Robin Williams as Peter Pan.
Victoria Strouse, the screenwriter of the upcoming Finding Nemo sequel – Finding Dory – is already attached to write the script for Tink, which does not have a director involved as of yet.
The details of the plot are still under wraps, but insiders say the movie will delve into the fairy's unknown backstory, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Also in the works for a live-action reimagining are Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, and Winnie the Pooh.
The actors have talked about the 1999 film with daughter Ava, 15, and son Deacon, 11, and even showed them places in Central Park where some scenes were shot. But the kids have no intention of watching it, Witherspoon, 39, said Thursday on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live.
"They have this Cruel Intentions play in L.A. that's like a musical. So I was going to take them to that. But they haven't seen it," she said.
"They don't have any interest in seeing me in movies. It's weird for them. They're like, 'This is so weird!' And especially seeing me and their dad having sex. It's so weird. Not interested."
On the topic of on-screen romance, Witherspoon and fellow guest Sofia Vergara did talk about their kissing scene in Hot Pursuit – with Reese saying it was totally Sofia's idea.
"I thought it needed it because it's not just for girls. Guys want to go see the movie," said Vergara, 42. "The movie's not the normal theme of girls wanting to get guys or go after guys or manipulating guys. It's about girls surviving shoot-outs or car chases. So I wanted to give something to the guys."
Vergara also revealed that her first on-screen girl kiss was with Sharon Stone in 2013's Fading Gigolo. Witherspoon's was in Freeway way back in 1996. "I only kissed one girl once, and it was the '90s," she said.
Finally, also on the topic of on-screen sex, Witherspoon was asked about seeing Ben Affleck's penis in Gone Girl, a movie that she produced – prompting fits of embarrassed laugher from the actress.
"That scene went so fast! I didn't see it!" she protested, before adding: "I thought, 'It's great, it's amazing, congratulations Jen Garner!' "
Big Little Lies is based on the book of the same name by Australian author Liane Moriarty. It is described as a subversive comedy which tells the tale of three mothers of kindergartners whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.
Witherspoon and her Pacific Standard, along with Kidman and her Blossom Films production banner, optioned film and TV rights to Big Little Lies last year for Witherspoon and Kidman to star and produce with Pacific Standard partner Bruna Papandrea and Blossom partner Per Saari.
The HBO series is being executive produced by Witherspoon and Papandrea through Pacific Standard, Kidman and Saari through Blossom and Kelley through David E. Kelley Productions. Moriarty will have a producing role.
Witherspoon, Kidman and Kelley are repped by CAA. Moriarty is repped by Jerry Kalajian at The Intellectual Property Group, Curtis Brown Australia, and Faye Bender in the U.S.
In fact, the action comedy sees the talented duo and real-life pals lock lips.
“That was important for me,” Vergara, 42, told People about the on-screen make-out session. “I always wanted to be on the screen with an Oscar winner making out.”
Witherspoon, 39, shared that it wasn’t just a quick kiss on set, but rather a long and extended period of shooting for days on end.
“We did it for, like, two or three days,” Witherspoon quipped. “It’s Sofía! The second day we went back, I called my husband [Jim Toth] and was like, ‘I have to go back to work today and kiss Sofía all day.’ He’s like, ‘Um, you need to stop complaining.’”
Although the ladies didn’t rate each other’s kissing skills, they learned quite a bit about one another while shooting in New Orleans.
Witherspoon was shocked to learn that the Colombian beauty can wolf down a serious amount of sweets. “I’ve never seen somebody eat so much cake in my entire life,” she dished.
And Vergara learned about Witherspoon’s coffee addiction, about which the blond actress said, “I try to only have two cups in the morning and that’s it, but it gets to be 4 o’clock and I’m so tired.”
Witherspoon says she tends to drink more joe while at home with her two kids. “It’s 4 o’clock and I want to lie down and take a nap,” she said. “It’s like, ‘I have to drink coffee!'”
Now, Lambert already had plenty of the Southern. But this combination in “Two of a Crime” is a new one for her.
“Reese texted me and told me about the movie and wanted me to write something or sing or both,” Lambert said in a press release. “I got inspired. I love Reese and Sofia (Vergara). It was a bit of a Thelma & Louise theme, and that’s totally up my alley.”
Lyrics include textbook Lambert sass (“If looks could kill, we’d be doing time”), some sexy imagery (“Red rosé on painted lips/Puttin’ on Chanel/Packing Parliaments”) and even a standard-issue shout-out to tequila.
The song, which Lambert wrote with Natalie Hemby and Nicolle Galyon, will be in the Witherspoon/Vergara movie, Hot Pursuit, coming to theaters on May 8.
“It is really so fun to be part of it,” Lambert said. “It was the first time I wrote a song specifically for a movie, so it was a different experience for me.”
While the movie may not have been a critical success, it grossed almost $125 million worldwide.
Not too shabby, right?
So is there any chance of Reese Witherspoon ever reprising her iconic role for a third time?
Sadly, there are no plans, but the Oscar winner did reveal that at one time, "they had an idea."
I caught up with Witherspoon while she was promoting her new comedy Hot Pursuit with co-star Sofía Vergara.
"The can do Illegally Blonde," the Modern Family star cracked. "We just super dye our hair blonde because we're running from justice."
Witherspoon laughed, "We're going to do a sequel to this called Cold Pursuit."
"Cold Pursuit In the Snow," Vergara said.
Not so fast.
"She said she won't do it because the outfits aren't cute enough," Witherspoon said.
If you couldn't tell by now, the two leading ladies have quite the chemistry.
In Hot Pursuit, Witherspoon places a by-the-book cop who is assigned to protect a drug lord's wife (Vergara).
"I liked her from the moment I saw her," Vergara said, adding, "If I hated you I wasn't going to do anything unless you were going to pay me millions of dollars."
Witherspoon recalled their first meeting at a hotel.
"She literally walked into the hotel and every single person in the hotel was, like, looking at her," she said. "She looked gorgeous and everything went into slow motion and her hair was like blowing like a hair commercial. And men were, like, dying and passing out. I was like, 'Oh, my God. This woman is such a movie star.'"
Hot Pursuit is in theaters on May 8.
Reese Witherspoon will narrate the audiobook version of the novel, the publisher said Thursday. And the Tennessee-bred actress couldn't be more excited to be part of the Southern author's sophomore effort.
"As a Southerner, it is an honor and privilege to give voice to the Southern characters who inspired my childhood love of reading, Scout and Atticus Finch," Witherspoon, 39, said in a statement. "I am eager for readers to be transported to a pivotal time in American history in the manner that only Harper Lee's gorgeous prose can deliver."
"The publication of Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman is the literary event of the year, and Reese Witherspoon's extraordinary talent and Southern roots make her the perfect narrator," said Sean McManus, senior director at HarperAudio, whose Caedmon Audio imprint is producing the audiobook.
"This is an audiobook destined to become a classic, joining the ranks of our award-winning audio edition of To Kill a Mockingbird," McManus added.
HarperCollins will print two million copies for the book's July 14 publication date. PEOPLE had the first look at the book jacket in March.
Go Set a Watchman is essentially a follow-up to To Kill a Mockingbird, though it was actually penned years before – back in the 1950s. The two novels share the same setting and characters, but the stories do not overlap.
So far, Draper James — that’s the name of her new venture, which is a combination of her grandparents’ names — only has a sign-up page where you can submit your email (done and done) along with the tagline “Grace & Charm” and a brief introduction: “Welcome to Draper James, a new shopping experience inspired by Southern style, grace and charm.”
No word yet on the site’s official launch date, but back in February, the Louisiana-born actress told the blog Cricket’s Circle that her new “online business” would launch in May — perhaps conveniently timed with the opening of Hot Pursuit, her new film with Sofia Vergara? — and gave a little insider info on what to expect.
“I love all the Southern traditions that I grew up with,” Witherspoon, 39, said. “My grandmother instilled in me a love for dressing up and hosting family. She surrounded herself with colorful flowers and beautiful things. I wanted to bring all these ideas to a retail experience — it’s my way of giving back to the place I love the most. We will sell products made in the South by local artisans who are sharing their own traditions (think looming blankets, casting silver and denim). I can’t wait for people to see it because I have had so much fun working on it!”
Sounds like it will be mostly lust-worthy consumer products, but we’re still holding out hope that she’ll divulge a few recipes, including for her adorable #ToddlerArt, gigantic doughnuts and sunny-side-up breakfasts.
Witherspoon is the latest leading lady to launch a new lifestyle brand, following in the footsteps of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop, Blake Lively’s Preserve and, most recently, Julianne Hough’s namesake site.
Featuring figures from the worlds of sports, politics, media and entertainment, divided into the categories Titans, Pioneers, Artists, Leaders and Icons, the annual issue features essays about each person penned by another public figure. This year's writings include a profile of Elizabeth Warren by Hillary Clinton (who also made the list), an essay on Kim Kardashian by Martha Stewart, and Ethan Hawke's thoughts on his Boyhood director, Richard Linklater.
Other pop culture honorees include Reese Witherspoon, Bradley Cooper, Amy Schumer, Laverne Cox, Chris Pratt, Transparent creator Jill Soloway and Serial host Sarah Koenig.
The magazine will be sold with five different collectible covers, featuring West, Cooper, Ginsberg, ballet dancer Misty Copeland, and journalist Jorge Ramos.
The Time 100 issue hits newsstands Friday. See the complete list here. What do you think of the honorees?
Indeed, the Southern superstar stopped by Tiffany's flagship location on Fifth Avenue Wednesday, and while she was in the store, they recreated the 2002 movie scene where Patrick Dempsey's character proposed!
It's been a good 13 years since Sweet Home Alabama hit theaters, but this rom-com hasn't lost any of its charm. Reese, 39, Instagrammed a photo of a suit-wearing gentleman down on one knee (not Patrick, but still a dude proposing) with diamonds all around.
"Um. This just happened," wrote the mother of three. "@Tiffanyandco just surprised me with a #SweetHomeAlabama moment in NYC??!! Where magical moments happen. #Pinchme #NotYourAverageWednesday !!"
Too cute, right? Patrick's onscreen proposal was the most romantic one money could buy, and Reese (aka Melanie Carmichael aka Melanie Smooter) hesitantly said yes, but there was a divorce down South she had to finalize first! (No complaining about spoilers, y'all—it's been a decade and this happens in like the first 20 minutes.)
In the movie, though, Reese made her way back to the Heart of Dixie, where her estranged hubby (played by Josh Lucas) was ready to give her some grief. Here, hometown drama and Southern shenanigans make for some rom-com gold (not to mention the line, "You have a baby...in a bar!"), and Reese gets back to her roots. (If somehow you haven't seen Sweet Home Alabama yet, don't worry: Reruns air like every other weekend.)
Reese has another movie role taking her back down South again soon: Hot Pursuit! In this upcoming flick, due out May 8, she finds herself in Texas (it's a different South, but it's still the South) as Sofía Vergara's parole officer.
Hey, you can take a girl out of the South...
For a scene in the upcoming comedy, Vergara and Witherspoon's characters had to push each other around. Unfortunately for Witherspoon, things got so rough that the actress ended up in the emergency room.
"Are you gonna tell them what I did to you?" asks Vergara during Monday's (April 13) "Ellen" interview. "She went to the Emergency Room. I sent her to the Emergency Room."
Witherspoon goes on to explain that, while they were fighting, she asked Vergara to push her harder. Unfortunately her suggestion backfired and she had to go the hospital after feeling like Vergara had burst her appendix.
"I popped her ovary," Vergara chimes in.
When Ellen DeGeneres asks Witherspoon if her ovary literally popped, the actress jokes, "It's clearly something that happens in Colombia ... I don't know what happened."
Either way, enemies of Vergara's should be warned that, if they challenge her, she's a dangerous force to be reckoned with.
"Hot Pursuit" hits theaters May 8.
Lovebirds Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello were pumped to arrive to the MTV Music Awards together in style. But during the star-studded awards ceremony, the desirable duo found close friend Reese Witherspoonand took full advantage of the photo opportunities available to them.
The curvaceous actress captioned the photo,"Back stage @joemanganiello @reesewitherspoon," sitting aside her boyfriend and Hot Pursuit co-star who was wearing a black and white dress paired with red stilletos.
Vergara opted for a royal blue custom Noam Hanoch gown with black lace and some open-toe pumps for the event. Her sultry counterpart, Joe, wore an all-black suit complimented by his grown out facial hair, looking dapper as can be.
In preparation of announcing the 2015 Best Kiss nominees, the actresses made cute, anticipatory faces in the candid pic she Instagrammed, "We r readyyy @reesewitherspoon @rwitherspoon."
During their time on-stage, Vergara joked about winning this year's award for their steamy kiss in Hot Pursuit, which hits theatres May 8. Witherspoon played back by addressing that the movie hasn't even come out yet. Maybe next year ladies! No, seriously though.
Joe also presented at the MTV awards for his flick Magic Mike XXL with his hunky co-stars during the program. Channing Tatum even gave us a little pop, lock and drop to our heart's great content.
Now, that's some entertainment for ya!
In InStyle's May 2015 issue, the Hot Pursuit actress opens up about the value of female friendships. "I learned a few years ago that there are people who don't want good things for you. You've got to get away from them. Now I surround myself with supportive friends. I have a close group of girlfriends I call my Southern Mafia. One's from Oklahoma, one's from Arkansas, another's from Tennessee," the New Orleans-born, Nashville-raised Oscar winner, 39, reveals. "I get a lot out of my relationships with them."
Members of Witherspoon's "Southern Mafia" relate to each other on many levels. "Parenting, getting through your marriage, getting through your day, these are hard things, and I find solace in the fact that other people struggle with the same stuff I do," she tells the magazine. "We all have concerns about our kids, our marriage, our dreams."
Admittedly, Witherspoon has a "pretty great" life.
"I've finally gotten to an age when I'm not afraid to have an opinion. I feel that my perspective matters. It took me a while to figure that out, but I'm there now," the Water for Elephants actress confesses. "I was always pretty outspoken, actually, but now I've learned to say sorry when I make mistakes, too."
"I've always been a little spitfire. Sometimes it's gotten me into trouble."
Witherspoon is using that fire to create more female-driven films. She produced Gone Girl, starring Rosamund Pike, as well as Wild, which scored two Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress.
"I grew up seeing incredibly strong women like Holly Hunter, Sigourney Weaver and Debra Winger. I want to ensure that my 15-year-old daughter, [Ava Phillipe], grows up seeing those types of strong women playing complicated parts," she says.
When did the actress-producer realize she was a feminist?
"I went to Harpeth Hall, a wonderful all-girls school in Nashville that encouraged us to see ourselves as working women in the world, to speak up for ourselves to ask for equal pay and advocate for gender equality," Witherspoon tells InStyle. "Outside that school, I experienced the full force of a patriarchal society, but I had a core value system that said, 'No, you really deserve to be treated equal to men."
That's the nickname Reese Witherspoon has for her circle of close friends, with whom she can candidly share all her struggles with kids, marriage and work.
But it wasn't always that way. The Oscar-winning actress, 39, admits she didn't always have the greatest friends in the world.
"I learned a few years ago that there are people who don't want good things for you. You've got to get away from them," she says in InStyle's May issue, on newsstands April 17.
"Now I surround myself with supportive friends. I have a close group of girlfriends I call my Southern Mafia. One's from Oklahoma, one's from Arkansas, another's from Tennessee. I get a lot out of my relationships with them. Parenting, getting through your marriage, getting through your day, these are hard things, and I find solace in the fact that other people struggle with the same stuff I do. We all have concerns about our kids, our marriage, our dreams."
Having great women around to inspire her – and her daughter Ava – is a theme in Witherspoon's life these days.
"I grew up seeing incredibly strong women like Holly Hunter, Sigourney Weaver and Debra Winger," Witherspoon says. "I want to ensure that my 15-year-old daughter, Ava, grows up seeing those types of strong women playing complicated parts."
Witherspoon has played plenty of those parts herself, of course – including her Oscar-winning turn as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line and her memorable portrayal of Cheryl Strayed in Wild.
And lately, she's struck up a remarkable friendship with another powerful woman in Hollywood – Sofia Vergara, with whom she stars in the upcoming comedy Hot Pursuit.
"As soon as I met Sofia, I said, 'I want to make a movie with you.' I think she's the next Lucille Ball," Witherspoon says.
"We represent two completely different cultures and kinds of women, but we just love each other. We laughed so much. I couldn't understand what she was saying half the time. She couldn't understand what I was saying half the time. But we both love cake, clothes, kids and our families."
Luckiest Girl Alive centers on Ani FaNelli, a 28-year-old New Yorker who appears to have it all: a sought-after position at a women’s magazine, a killer wardrobe, and a dream wedding with her handsome fiancé on the horizon. But behind Ani’s veneer of perfection lies a dark trauma from her past, which resurfaces to unravel her meticulously crafted life.
Knoll has been a senior editor at Cosmopolitan, and the articles editor at SELF. Simon & Schuster’s Sarah Knight, who acquired and edited Luckiest Girl Alive, also acquired Gillian Flynn’s global best-seller Gone Girl and edited her best-seller Dark Places while at Random House. Papandrea served as EP while Witherspoon produced on Gone Girl which was a huge fall hit at the B.O. for 20th Century Fox making it director David Fincher’s highest grossing film of all time with $167.8M at the domestic box office and $368M worldwide. Pacific Standard Films was also behind the feature adaptation of best selling novel Wild which earned $52.4M at the global B.O. to date and earned Witherspoon a best actress Oscar nomination for the role of fearless hiker Cheryl Strayed and a best supporting actress Oscar nom for Laura Dern who portrayed Cheryl’s mother.
“This is one of those rare books that come along every so often that you simply cannot put down,” said Lionsgate motion picture group president Erik Feig in a statement about Luckiest Girl Alive.
“Luckiest Girl Alive is the kind of book that grabs you and doesn’t let go. The hero of the book is a wily, intelligent, complex narrator,” added Witherspoon. “This character and the thrilling narrative that she drives are exactly the kind of story our company, Pacific Standard Films, wants to produce.”
Jeyun Choi Munford, VP of Production, and Creative Exec Nirokhi Raychaudhuri is overseeing the project on behalf of Lionsgate. The deal was negotiated by CAA on behalf of Knoll, the novel and the producers.
Last month, Fox 2000 and Pacific Standard won the book rights auction to Ashley’s War: The Untold Story Of A Team of Women Soldiers On The Special Ops Battlefield, a Gayle Tzemach Lemmon book. Book follows the creation of a pilot program by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command that allowed elite female soldiers on the battlefield with Green Berets and Army Rangers in 2010 Afghanistan. The unit, CST-2, included 1st Lieutenant Ashley White, who would become the first CST member killed in action.
The Oscar-winning actress posted a shot from her spring break getaway, and we have to say, we're pretty jealous.
The adorable blonde is shown floating in a doughnut-shaped pool float (Homer, is that your favorite tasty treat?!) and basking in the sun.
Witherspoon rocks a black one-piece bathing suit and a pair of neon pink sunglasses that just so happen to perfectly match her pool toy.
Summer style tip: When in doubt, always color coordinate with your floatation device.
The Wild actress showed off her punny sense of humor with the cutest caption to accompany the shot, saying, "#DonutWorryBeHappy?! #HappyFriday (I couldn't resist)."
And just a few hours prior, Witherspoon shared an adorable shot of her 2-year-old son Tennessee playing hide-and-seek with her in a lush front yard.
"#Hideandseek (#vacationstyle). I see you!" wrote the mom of three.
Looks like a most relaxing a family-filled vacation if we've ever seen one!
It has been less than four weeks since Witherspoon shared an updated pic of her little man on Instagram. But in Thursday's Insta-post by the Wild actress, it seems her youngest one might out grow those 2-year-old clothes really soon.
Witherspoon's pic of Tennessee shows him looking surprised as he's surrounded by the lush plants in their front yard. "#Hideandseek (#vacationstyle). I see you!" wrote the mom of three.
It was probably the toddler's adorable looks that gave him away (or his cute aqua blue shorts).
Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth announced they were expecting baby Tennessee, their first child together, one year after the couple officially tied the knot back 2011. Their son was born on Sept. 27, 2012.
The toddler may have his mother's golden locks, but he's looking more and more like his dad.
Back in March, Witherspoon posted a pic of Tennessee and his dad hand-in-hand wearing matching ensembles. Tennessee wore a bright yellow raincoat, while his CAA agent dad opted for the blue one.
Reese is one lucky mom. All together now: "Aww!"
"Four years ago, I married this amazing man from Pittsburgh, PA. He makes me laugh every day. I'm a very lucky lady. Here's to many more happy celebrations, JT!" the actress wrote on Instagram Thursday.
Witherspoon, 39, ended the caption with a simple but sweet message: "#HappyAnniversaryHubby."
On March 26, 2011, four days after the actress celebrated her 35th birthday, Witherspoon married Toth in a private ceremony at her seven-acre ranch estate in Ojai, Calif. The Wild star looked lovely wearing a Monique Lhuillier gown, and the couple exchanged vows with her groom in front of Hollywood's royalty, including Sacha Baron Cohen, Robert Downey Jr., Isla Fisher, Kate Hudson, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Martin, Matthew McConaughey, Alyssa Milano, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sean Penn and Renée Zellweger.
Ava Phillippe, then 11, was the maid of honor, while Deacon Phillippe, then 7, was the ring bearer.
One year after the wedding, the couple announced they were expecting their first child together; son Tennessee was born on Sept. 27, 2012. "The entire family is thrilled," the actress' rep said at the time.
In the years that followed, Witherspoon constantly praised her CAA agent husband, 44.
"This really drunk guy was hitting on me, making such an idiot of himself, yelling at me," she told Elle magazine in its January 2012 issue. "Jim came over and said, 'Please excuse my friend. He's just broken up with someone.'" Witherspoon and Toth began dating in 2010, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Toth has helped Witherspoon in more ways than she can count.
"I have to say a very healing part of my life is my wonderful husband, Jim," the actress, who was married to Ryan Phillippe from 1999 to 2007, told Glamour in January 2015. "It's really wonderful being with somebody who supports me, who loves me, who is my No. 1 fan. That is such an incredible experience. You have to be ready for those things. I had to be in a place where I felt all those things about myself."
Congratulations to the happy couple!
The actress celebrated her 39th with an actual mariachi band, according to an Instagram she posted on Sunday. "Thank you everyone for all the kind & lovely birthday wishes," she wrote, "(and yes, there is a mariachi band behind me …)."
The photo was taken right before Witherspoon blew out the candles on an enormous cake decorated with even bigger candles. Seriously, those things appear to be two feet high – hope you watched those bangs, birthday girl.
Witherspoon and her family flew to the Bahamas to celebrate the big day and the actress was inundated with birthday wishes from fans and friends alike, if her Twitter is any indication. She thanked them all for her "happiest Sunday!!!!!!"
@RWitherspoon : Thank you for all the sweet birthday wishes xo and happiest Sunday!!!!!!
One of said well-wishers was Ellen DeGeneres, who wrote that she hoped Witherspoon would "celebrate with people you love, not alone in the desert with no water and a fox," referring to Witherspoon's Oscar-nominated role in Wild.
@RWitherspoon : Thanks RT@TheEllenShow: Happy bday, @RWitherspoon! hope you celebrate with people you love, not alone in the desert w/ no water & a fox.
The 38-year-old nailed the effortless chic look while out in Brentwood this week, carrying a fresh spring bouquet to compliment her cheery ensemble. She paired a $425 white Milly blazer over a $60 basic J.Crew t-shirt. Adding a pop of color to her otherwise all-white ensemble, the actress chose a beautiful floral peplum skirt. But this isn't just any floral skirt; it's Dolce & Gabbana, and it'll set you back a whopping $1,025.
Next up? Shoes and accessories. The Oscar-winner's Tabitha Simmons wedges gave the pint-sized blonde some added height… at a $545 price tag. And in keeping with the crisp white color theme, she added a classic tote by The Row that rings in at a hefty $2,850.
And of course, what California look is complete without a pair of sunnies? Reese's Thierry Lasry shades tie the look together, and add an extra $475 to the tab.
And the grand total is…. $5,380!
Breaking it down piece-by-piece:
Milly blazer - $425
J.Crew blouse - $60
Dolce & Gabbana skirt - $1,025
Tabitha Simmons wedges - $545
The Row tote - $2,850
Thierry Lasry sunnies - $475
On Thursday, the 38-year-old actress celebrated two of her favorite fellas, hubby Jim Toth and their 2-year-old son Tennessee James Toth, by posting an adorable picture of the father-son duo to Facebook. She also thanked Jim specifically for being her biggest supporter and helping her to #LeanIn to accomplish her goals at work and at home.
"Every day, I'm so thankful to have this amazing man as my partner," she gushed. "I would not be where I am in this life if I didn't have his constant encouragement and complete support. He changes diapers, makes carpool runs and always has time to give me a much needed pep talk...(He makes a really good latte too!)"
She went on to explain that the Lean In organization "is asking us to celebrate the men in our lives who love, help, and support us daily!" She asked her friends and fans to get involved, too, writing, "Husband, dad, brother, grandpa—do you have an example of a man who you are thankful for? Either share a photo and tag it with the hashtag #LeanInTogether....or respond below. I want to see! ....(And don't they deserve it?!)"
With Jim in her corner, Reese is committed to bringing about positive, empowering changes for women in Hollywood. Per the Huffington Post, she actually revealed at an Oscar nominee luncheon that she started her own production company after seeing six of her favorite actresses "fighting over a really crappy role in a movie."
"We deserve better," she said. "It's great to speak up, but what I really think is you've got to do something."
"I set out with the idea that I wanted to develop material that has strong female leads," she said. "I wanted to make movies about what I want to put out into the world—put some good into the world."
“We’ve already talked about the wedding, we have a lot of plans,” Witherspoon told Extra at Sunday night’s Oscars about pal Vergara’s upcoming nuptials.
“I gotta help, I’ve gotta be there for my girl! So I’m excited,” she quipped.
Despite plans coming together, Vergara and her hunky fiancé Joe Manganiello told Page Six that they’ve decided to push back the big day.
“We wanted to get married this summer, but Joe will be busy working and promoting ‘Magic Mike 2,’” explained Vergara, 42. “We wanted to get married at a time when we can get away and make time for a honeymoon. So the wedding will probably be later this year.”
Manganiello, 38, popped the question while on vacation in Hawaii over Christmas.
While everyone is curious about the gorgeous gowns flowing through the event, Reese Witherspoon and other stars are trying to change the conversation to include more. Through the hashtag #AskHerMore, celebrities and numerous Twitter and Facebook users are encouraging red-carpet reporters to ask women questions about things other than style, like their career, aspirations and challenges.
"It's meant to inspire reporters to ask creative questions on the red carpet. I love the Oscars AND fashion like many of you – and I am excited to share #WhoAmIWearing later tonight. (not yet!!) But I'd also love to answer some of these Qs ... And hear your suggestions?!" Witherspoon posted to Facebook on Sunday.
"This is a movement to say we're more than just our dresses," Witherspoon explained to ABC's Robin Roberts on the Oscars red carpet Sunday. "This is a group of women – 44 nominees this year that are women – and we're so happy to be here and talk about the work that we're done."
"It's hard being a woman in Hollywood or any industry, so it's exciting for me to talk to other nominees about all the hard work they did," she added.
More celebrities are joining Witherspoon in the call to #AskHerMore, posting pleas on their social networks for the ladies of film to get thought-provoking and inspiring questions.
Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Aniston, Liam Neeson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomi Watts, Kevin Hart, Channing Tatum and Zoe Saldana were among the casually-clad stars rehearsing for the Academy Awards Saturday, while Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Marion Cotillard, Jared Leto, Dwayne Johnson and Oprah Winfrey dressed things up.
A day before the Hollywood celebration seen around the world, stars paraded through the theater to test-drive their lines on the teleprompter, try out their show-day shoes and get comfortable with the winners' envelope.
"I'm so glad we're doing this!" said Terrence Howard, who wore an ascot beneath his cardigan sweater, as he fumbled over his lines. He ran through them again and again, explaining, "I've been on vacation for a while."
Hart, wearing a letterman's jacket and ripped jeans, showed a hint of nerves.
"This is my first time," he told a stage manager. "It's pretty intense."
Other stars brought the comfort of experience with them. Aniston, who arrived in flip-flops, cargo pants and a denim jacket, carried high heels in a paper bag and put them on backstage. Kidman went a step further and rehearsed barefoot.
Statuesque in a white, ruffle-front blouse and loose black trousers, Kidman shed her stilettos backstage because her show-day shoes aren't quite as tall.
"So I'll be the right height," she said.
Leto and Chris Pratt had fun with their rehearsals, each pretending to trip on their way to the microphone.
"Yes, I know, my jacket's fabulous," Leto said when he arrived center stage, having come straight from the Spirit Awards in an elaborate beaded blazer and a felt hat to rival Pharrell's.
Murphy, who wore an all-black ensemble of hoodie, pants, sneakers and shades, seemed serious as he rehearsed — until he was about to leave the stage.
"Why are y'all playing James Brown music for me?" he asked. "Play 'Party All the Time'," he said, referring to his 1985 hit single.
Jason Bateman, in a plaid shirt and jeans, had a special guest in tow: his 8-year-old daughter, Francesca.
"From here, we're going to take it up a notch and go for frozen yogurt," he said.
Tatum, wearing a gray sweatshirt, baggy khakis, untied boots and his ballcap askew, took time backstage to chat with the students of Team Oscar: aspiring young filmmakers who won the chance to carry Oscar statuettes onstage during the big show.
Tatum told them about dancing with Charlize Theron during his first Academy Awards appearance. He said he was so nervous that he started drinking as soon as they finished the performance, and was half-drunk when he went on the Jimmy Kimmel show later that night.
Winfrey, who arrived camera-ready in a long, cream-colored skirt and matching sweater, brought best friend Gayle King to her rehearsal. King snapped cell-phone pictures of Winfrey on the Oscar stage before she practiced her lines, and took more photos after.
Meanwhile, host Neil Patrick Harris popped out of his dressing room, saying, "Let's go see what's happening."
He met up with Winfrey on stage. The two hugged as King snapped away.
"What are you most excited about?" Winfrey asked the first-time Oscar host.
"I'm most excited about the first commercial break," Harris admitted.
Winfrey also stopped backstage to chat with the student trophy presenters.
"You guys have fun tomorrow," she said. "There's nothing like it."
The 38-year-old actress Instagrammed this epic #ThrowbackThursday shot of herself as a child model, and as you can see from the floor-length jean jacket, '80s hair and those defiantly crossed arms, this Southern belle was simply destined for superstardom!
The mother of three (whose 15-year-old daughter Ava is totally her mini-me), is up for an Academy Award nomination thanks to her Wild performance. When she posted her #TBT "really this time" pic, she wrote jokingly, "Thinking about rocking this pose on the red carpet" this Sunday at the 2015 Oscars!
Of course Reese, who used hashtags to call out her #SeriousDenimVibes and #Sideponytail, will probably wear something just as stylish as this gloriously dated ensemble, but it will probably be a tad more mature.
When she won the Oscar for Walk the Line back in 2006, she wowed in a stunning vintage Christian Dior gown. This year, stylist Leslie Fremar tells ABC News Reese's look is "going to be pretty show-stopping."
Fremar, who is also styling Best Actress nominee Julianne Moore, said there's "strategy" involved to make sure the Still Alice star and Reese stand apart. "We're working it out so that everything feels original and unique and, you know, they don't feel like anything is the same," she said. "They have very different points of view and styles, so it's been pretty easy to kind of accomplish that."
The Oscar-winning actress told the BBC, per Hello, that while attending a pre-BAFTA party at Kensington Palace (AKA Kate Middleton and Prince William's home), all her mom could think about was whether the Wild star would meet the royal family!
"My mother kept texting me, 'Did you meet the Queen? Was Kate there? No, Mom, I don't think they're coming to the BAFTA pre-party,'" she revealed.
Although she missed out on meeting the Queen and her family—they have reportedly been on an island vacation getaway—Witherspoon did give some insight into the lavish soiree, saying that the pre-awards show party was perfect.
"It was amazing—just beautiful. The art was gorgeous, the architecture, the ceilings, everything," she dished. "I was overwhelmed by beauty."
She also Instagrammed a collage, captioning it, "Best cure by far for jet lag? A party....at Kensington Palace. #PreBAFTAs #London #KeepCalmAndDanceAlong."
Reese's mom can't be too disappointed, however, as her daughter has previously met the Duchess of Cambridge at the home of film producer Steve Tisch in Los Angeles in 2011. Plus, if Witherspoon keeps up her incredible acting, she might just have to return for next year's BAFTA awards, where hopefully William will attend. As the president, he normally attends the annual awards show, but was unable to make it this year.
While the Walk the Line actress' mom wanted to know whom her daughter hung out with at the party, Reese was probably too preoccupied with wondering who would take home the prize the next night. Unfortunately, she lost out to Julianne Moore in the Leading Actress category.
Tatum, Adams and Reese Witherspoon cover Vanity Fair's 21st annual Hollywood issue, and the Big Eyes actress actually is on Tatum, as he is hoisting her up! Shot by Annie Leibovitz exclusively for the magazine, the extended cover features 10 stars who had truly noteworthy performances this year.
The three-panel foldout also features Eddie Redmayne for his work in The Theory of Everything, Felicity Jones for her role of Stephen Hawking's (Redmayne's) wife, David Oyelowo for his portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King in Selma, Benedict Cumberbatch for The Imitation Game, Sienna Miller for her role as the wife of Chris Kyle in American Sniper, Oscar Isaac for A Most Violent Year and Miles Teller for Whiplash.
The men are dressed in custom white-tie tuxedos while the women channel old Hollywood glamour, wearing red and gold slinky gowns.
The famed photographer has shot all but three of the Hollywood issue covers and described this year's experience as "hair-raising" because of how close everybody had to get. Shooting in the same location as the first cover in 1995, Leibovitz reveals to West Coast editor Krista Smith that the shoot is anything but simple.
"We choreographed it over two days. Usually you shoot from fairly far away, but we wanted to get really close to the actors," Leibovitz explains. "We made an effort to create a feeling of intimacy. I pushed into them, shooting to the left and then the right, coming in as tight as I could."
The Hollywood issue hits stands in New York and Los Angeles on Feb. 5 but will be on national newsstands Feb. 10.
"I just left New Orleans where I was shooting with [her]. … I have bruises up and down my legs from fighting with Sofia in this fight sequence," the Wild actress, 38, told reporters Monday at the Oscars Nominees Luncheon about shooting their upcoming film Hot Pursuit together. "So that's basically how I prepare … wrestling with Sofia Vergara. It actually is really good for your skin [and] gets your muscles going."
Jokes aside, the nomination this time around (the star won Best Actress in 2006 for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line) feels "different," she said. "I've never been so challenged before physically [and] emotionally by a story."
Witherspoon, who said she started her production company "two years ago because I saw six of my favorite actresses fighting over a really crappy role," served as both the star and a producer on the film – something that she's very proud of.
"I feel like I really fought for this movie to get made," she said. "The greatest gift of my professional life is that Cheryl Strayed gave me this opportunity to play her in a movie."
Added the actress: "All those days hiking up mountains and crossing freezing rivers carrying equipment feels very hard-won. To see the response my fans have been having to the film and Cheryl's fans has been the most rewarding in my career."
When Reese Witherspoon was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Wild last Thursday, she received thousands of well-wishes from fans on social media.
But none of those congratulations could even begin to approach the coolness of the gift she got from Mindy Kaling, who sent her a wreath adorned with gold Oscar statuettes and a photo of Witherspoon, 38.
Witherspoon clearly loved the gift; she Tweeted a photo of the wreath and wrote: "I mean...c'mon! Best gift ever. Thanks, @mindykaling for my #WreathWitherspoon #Oscar edition."
Wreaths have become a running joke between the two actresses. In December, Kaling's character on The Mindy Project decorated her boyfriend's apartment with a Christmas wreath covered with photos of the Oscar-winning actress. And thus, the "Wreath Witherspoon" was born – and soon went viral.
On Christmas Day, Witherspoon responded, Tweeting a photo of herself with a Christmas wreath, writing, "Wishing y'all a very merry Christmas!!! Sincerely #WreathWitherspoon..(couldn't resist @mindykaling)"
We can't wait to see what Kaling, 35, sends Witherspoon if she brings home the gold during the 87th Academy Awards on Feb. 22.
While some contenders have an equally famous other half – like Best Supporting Actress nominee Emma Stone's boyfriend, Andrew Garfield – others link up with partners who stay out of the limelight.
Here are six 2015 Oscar nominees and the dates who will likely accompany them at the 87th Academy Awards.
Eddie Redmayne and Hannah Bagshawe
After two-plus years of dating, Redmayne, 33, proposed to Bagshawe over Memorial Day last year. Seven months later, the pair got hitched in Somerset, England. Bagshawe, who works as a publicist in London, may even help pick out Redmayne's Oscars outfit since she often dresses the Theory of Everything star, due to his colorblindness.
We just hope she'll make it to the show on time! According to Redmayne on a recent episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, "She has never been on time for anything in her life."
Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter
Nominated for his role in The Imitation Game, Cumberbatch, 38, first met actress and theater director Hunter, 36, on the set of 2009's Burlesque Fairytales. Before that, Hunter appeared in 2004's Vanity Fair, recorded a French-language music album and became part of a well-known London couple while dating sculptor Conrad Shawcross.
Cumberbatch and Hunter announced their November 2014 engagement in the United Kingdom's Times newspaper, and two months later they revealed that they're expecting their first child.
"We're so happy," the Best Actor nominee says, "and we just wanted to let everyone know how happy we are."
Rosamund Pike and Robie Uniacke
The Best Actress nominee, 35, has been dating mathematical researcher Uniacke, 54, since 2009. The two welcomed a baby boy, their second child together, on Dec. 2, 2014.
However, the Gone Girl star doesn't plan to say "I do" any time soon. In the December 2012 issue of Vogue, Pike said, "I'm not married, I have a baby, and it feels infinitely more right.”
Keira Knightley and James Righton
After splitting from Rupert Friend in early 2011, The Imitation Game actress met the Klaxons keyboardist via an introduction from fashion correspondent Alexa Chung. Knightley, 29, and Righton, 31, then wed in May 2013 after about two years of dating.
Following a honeymoon in Corscia, the British musician tried to teach his wife how to play guitar for her role in Can a Song Save Your Life?, but according to Knightley, the couple doesn't share a talent for music.
"I don't think he'll ever do that again," she said. "I'm terrible, and he may have found it too stressful."
Mark Ruffalo and Sunrise Coigney
For the past 14 years, Coigney has often been found showing her support alongside her husband at awards shows, and we expect that trend to continue now that Ruffalo, 47, is up for Best Supporting Actor.
The Foxcatcher star married fellow actress Coigney, 42, in 2000, and the pair now have three children together: Keen, 13, Bella, 9, and Odette, 7. Ruffalo's wife last appeared on the TV show Line of Fire in 2003 and owned influential Los Angeles boutique Kaviar and Kind for four years before its closing in 2008.
Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth
The Wild star, 38, and talent agent actor Toth, 44, walked down the aisle in 2011 after a three-month engagement.
"Jim knows Reese is the one for him," a source told PEOPLE. The Best Actress contender performed a sex scene in the film that earned her the nomination, but she said Toth didn't mind.
"I'm very lucky to have a supportive husband," Witherspoon said at the Wild premiere in September. Toth himself is no stranger to acting, having made a guest appearance on According to Jim in 2004.
Witherspoon's efforts landed the actress a best-actress nomination on Thursday morning, her first since a 2006 win for Walk the Line.
"One of the first people I talked to was (Wild author) Cheryl Strayed this morning and just told her thank you," says Witherspoon, who optioned the memoir before the book hit the stands. "She believed in me and she sent me her book in galleys, and really believed that I was the person to not only be in the movie but to produce the movie. I hadn't produced anything!"
In fact, Witherspoon produced three performances honored by the Academy this year: her own, best-supporting-actress nominee Laura Dern's (who plays her mother in Wild) and Rosamund Pike's, who is nominated against her in the best-actress category for Gone Girl.
"It's interesting to say nominated against," she muses. "I don't think of it that way. To me it's a whole celebration of the artistic community. ... The most exciting part for me is that I started a company two years ago to create different kinds of women's roles and complex women on screen. Not good girls, not bad girls. Women who are just as complicated as the women I know in my everyday life."
A lot has happened in the last decade: Witherspoon has remarried, had another child and veered from movies like Water for Elephants and This Means War to films like Mud, The Good Lie and Devil's Knot.
"It's been an interesting learning experience from 2006 to now," she says, calling the growth period "huge." "I feel like I know so much more about myself than I did then at 29. … The idea that I can actually kind of be a little more the architect of my own fate is actually wonderful."
As for her Oscar gown? It helps to have designer friends to pitch in. "Whoever feels inspired. I don't know," she says. "I'm very lucky that I have people who can help me make those decisions."
The Wild star is vying for the best actress in a drama statuette against Jennifer Aniston (Cake), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl).
"No, no, no, no, no," Witherspoon insisted when I asked if she's prepared an acceptance speech. "You know, all those things, I don't even worry about those things. I'm determined to have a good time. It's important to have fun and enjoy yourself."
She certainly did last night at Sean Penn's gala benefit for Haiti relief organization J/P HRO. During the night's closing surprise performance by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, she was one of the first out of her seats to dance, jump up and down and sing along with the rockers.
Witherspoon's pre-Globes prep will hopefully be stress-free, too.
"I'll just wake up, hang out with the kids and go to the Golden Globes," she said with a laugh. "You know just like every other day."
In Wild, the Oscar winner stars as best-selling author Cheryl Strayed, a real-life heroin addict who hiked the 1,100-mile Pacific Trail after her life spun out of control with drug use and promiscuity.
Will Witherspoon ever try to make the trek herself? "I don't know," she said. "You'll have to ask Cheryl Strayed. She'll be with me tomorrow. She's planning it all."
So does that mean it's really happening?
Witherspoon said, "I'm gonna try."
It was a star-studded evening Jan. 8 at W Magazine's Best Performances Issue celebration. Joshua Jackson, Diane Kruger, Jamie Dornan, Rosamund Pike, Naomi Campbell and others spent the night dancing, sipping Dom Perignon and taking photo-booth selfies at the pre-Globes bash at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.
Reese Witherspoon, who is nominated for best actress for Wild, was the first to A-lister to stop by right as the party kicked off. She spent her evening mingling with partygoers and happily taking photos with fans.
Before leaving, Witherspoon caught up with another best actress nominee, Amy Adams, and supermodel pal Cara Delevingne, an onlooker tells PEOPLE.
But Delevingne was just getting her night started!
The model gave a few goodbye hugs before running over to Eddie Redmayne and his wife Hannah Bagshawe. She gave the The Theory of Everything actor a big hug and exclaimed, "Oh my god! You're married! You guys!" an onlooker tells PEOPLE.
Even in a cocktail dress and leather backpack, the model had no problem busting a move at the party.
"They're strippers!" she joked as a group of fire marshals passed by, the source adds.
The party wound down around some time after 10:30 p.m. as stars said their goodbyes and waved to screaming fans outside.
LEADING ACTRESS
AMY ADAMS Big Eyes
FELICITY JONES The Theory of Everything
JULIANNE MOORE Still Alice
REESE WITHERSPOON Wild
ROSAMUND PIKE Gone Girl
The timing is the tricky thing here for Witherspoon, who’s squarely in the Oscar mix for her performance as star and producer of Wild. Damon first will do another installment of the Bourne franchise for Universal, and then Downsizing will happen. Witherspoon is repped by CAA and LBI.
After The Mindy Project's Dr. Mindy Lahiri (played by Mindy Kaling) created a new holiday must-have – a Christmas wreath covered in pics of Reese Witherspoon – on the show earlier this month, the Wild actress responded on Thursday.
Witherspoon Tweeted a photo of herself with a Christmas wreath, writing, "Wishing y'all a very merry Christmas!!! Sincerely #WreathWitherspoon.. (couldn't resist @mindykaling)"
In response to the awesomeness, Kaling herself Tweeted, "@RWitherspoon you win Christmas, Queen Ree!"
"I spent a few years just trying to feel better ... you can't really be creative when you feel like your brain is scrambled eggs," Witherspoon, 38, says in a 60 Minutes interview airing Sunday on CBS.
In the mid 2000s, Witherspoon was enjoying incredible success both professionally and personally. She was a mother of two (Ava, now 15, and Deacon, now 11) and married to actor Ryan Phillippe when she won an Academy Award in 2006 for her performance in Walk the Line.
But just months later, the actress filed for divorce and her world seemingly fell apart.
While she attempted to put her private life back together, Witherspoon's career began to suffer as well.
"I was just kind of floundering career-wise ... I wasn't making things I was passionate about," the actress admits. "And it was really clear that audiences weren't responding to anything I was putting out there."
Then came a 2012 piece in The New Yorker that included her on a list of actors the article stated were no longer big stars.
"I thought I was reading, like, a profile on another actor," Witherspoon recalls. "Then somewhere down at the end it said ... 'the people who are washed-up' – I mean, it really hurt my feelings."
But Witherspoon was already rebuilding her life.
She married agent Jim Toth in 2011, gave birth to their son Tennessee in 2012, and now there is buzz building that she may score a second Oscar thanks to her performance in Wild.
"It was an amazing transformation," her costar Laura Dern told PEOPLE of Witherspoon's raw performance in the film. "It was very beautiful to watch and she's truly amazing. She's iconic."
Witherspoon's 60 Minutes profile will air Sunday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT on CBS.
BEST ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild
Drama Lead Actress
Jennifer Aniston, Cake
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture
Jennifer Aniston, Cake
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
The issue’s theme, “duets,” informed the photoshoot, which puts unexpected pairings of celebs together to “recreate the most iconic movie scene in the history of cinema: the kiss.” NYT photographer Constantine shot and directed nine individual kissing scenes to show all the ways in which the kiss has been portrayed in films.
Some of our favorite pairs? Dawson and Jenny Slate, who are ringing in the New Year with a makeout sesh in the back of a car. Or Stewart and Chadwick Boseman’s sensual smooch on the floor (she’s a passionate fan and he’s the rock star object of her desire). And then there are the cover stars, Witherspoon and Cumberbatch, who share an intimate kiss in costume. There’s plenty of inspiration for your own mistletoe moment (or NYE party kiss, or … ).
Even more stars — including Julianne Moore, Shailene Woodley and Gugu Mbatha-Raw — pucker up for the spread, so be sure to check out the entire Great Performers issue online (there are some killer videos!), or pick up the mag, which hits newsstands this Sunday.
Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe's 15-year-old daughter, Ava Phillippe, got herself an account on the popular photo-sharing social media app, and has already shared a variety of photos with her followers. From a sweet picture of her chocolate lab Hank to an inspiring quote, Ava is showing that she's already got this IG game down pat.
Oh, and she makes fun of her celeb parents, so there are bonus points there.
The young teen joked about her father's holiday decorations, or lackthereof, by posting a photo of a very simple snow globe that contained nothing but an undecorated green Christmas tree inside and captioned it, "merry minimalist Christmas @ryanphillippe."
The best part? Both Ryan and Reese commented on the photo. "A lil excessive...," Phillippe joked back, while Witherspoon added, "Very minimal @avaphillippe."
Ava is definitely all grown up since the last time we saw her at Reese's Hollywood Walk of Fame event back in 2010. Along with coming up with witty Instagram captions (those are not always easy, folks), Ava has become quite the artist, and her proud papa has made sure to acknowledge her work on social media.
Even though Ava and her brother Deacon are surrounded by the glitz and glam of Hollywood, their parents make sure they're not living in a bubble. "That's been a core element of our parenting both Reese and I with the kids, keeping them aware," Phillippe told E! News last year. "Neither of us grew up particularly privileged. Our kids are now, so it's important to keep them mindful and I've got to say we've done that job."
The Searchlight title opened in New York and L.A. Wednesday, expanding for the weekend to 21 theaters in 7 markets. Director Jean-Marc Vallée‘s previous film, Dallas Buyers Club, opened in November 2013 with a nearly $29K PTA, and went on to cume nearly $27.3M and three Oscars, including Best Actor for Matthew McConaughey. Searchlight said it plans to keep Wild hiking through theaters for a lengthy period to come.
“The reviews have been phenomenal and the response at the box-office this weekend was great as well,” Searchlight said in a release. “The film performed well in both Art/Specialty venues as well as in upscale mainstream complexes indicating to us that the film should be able to reach a very broad audience. We are very encouraged by this weekend’s results,” the company said Sunday reporting its numbers. Wild will open in 13 additional markets and expand in some cities where it’s currently playing, playing up to 100 theaters by Dec. 12, and as many as 900 theaters by Christmas Day.
Most other openers this weekend had single-location bows. Zeitgeist Films opened Zero Motivation, which grossed $9,692 in one theater with a $13,410 cume since its Wednesday start. International Film Circuit bowed doc She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, a decade in the making, in a single location grossing $9,225.
Katie Couric and Marlo Thomas helped host the lunch. Appropriately, the moderator for a Q&A with Witherspoon, Dern and Strayed was Rebecca Byerly, an adventure athlete who has made a doc on women who run mountainous “ultramarathons.” Thomas asked why she wasn’t on the podium, too, and event organizer Peggy Siegal shot back, “You’re not qualified! When was the last time you even walked around the reservoir?”
Witherspoon, who also produced the film, revealed she first read Strayed’s book — about a grueling, solo, 1,100-mile hike — on a flight to New York. When she landed, she called her agent and declared, “I have to call this woman.”
Ben Stiller and Noah Baumbach separately hosted a screening at NeueHouse, for guests including Meg Ryan, Brian De Palma and rocker Chris Cornell.
"The one thing that has changed is that I've learned how to wear high heels," she tells PEOPLE of life after Wild, the bestselling 2012 memoir in which she chronicles her soul-searching journey on the Pacific Crest Trail at age 26. With the film adaptation hitting theaters on Dec. 5, Strayed, 46, has been busy serving as "Wild ambassador" around the world alongside her friend and onscreen alter ego, Reese Witherspoon.
"I had never worn heels before until these last few months, so I have Reese to blame for making my feet hurt," says Strayed. "She compelled me to wear these sorts of things to these Hollywood occasions that demand high heels."
Here are three other confessions from the candid author:
Her Husband Finds Wild's Sex Scenes "Funny"
Married 15 years to documentarian Brian Lindstrom – the pair met through a friend just nine days after her hike ended – Strayed says he took the book's explicit scenes in stride.
"He knows my life, so he wasn't scandalized by any of it," she says of her reckless past, which she boldly details in her memoir. "Though it was funny, because he is my first reader, there's this scene [in the book] where I meet this guy in Ashland and we go to his yurt and have sex and all this stuff, and so my husband, he makes notes on the manuscript, and he was making all of these funny notes during that sex scene. He was like, 'I think that's wildly inappropriate! Cut, cut, cut.' But we just laugh about it."
Her Famous Hike Is Not Her Most Life-Altering Experience
Motherhood is. "Life as I knew it ended the day my first child was born, my [10-year-old] son Carver," says Strayed, who is also mom to daughter Bobbi, 9. "It was a different world because he was in it, and then my daughter was in it. And I was a different person. Suddenly I went from living for myself to living for my children, and the way that I love them is so profound that it altered everything. I think every experience we have, every relationship we have, it teaches us something, not just about the experience itself but about who we are in the world. And I remember being absolutely rocked to my core by how profoundly I could love another human being."
She Cried Watching Her Mom Portrayed Onscreen
Wild readers know that Strayed's late mother, Bobbi, is the soul of the book – "the essential person in my life," as she puts it. Watching Laura Dern portray her in the film, "I felt in some strange way in my mother's presence again," says Strayed, whose daughter shares scenes with Dern as a young Cheryl.
"In those scenes when she's opposite Laura, I know they're just flashes and memories in the movie, but she leaps into Laura's arms and Laura holds her; they dance together in the kitchen; they cuddle in bed," says Strayed. "I wept watching that."
Still, Strayed admits that the family affair could be confusing at times while shooting.
"It was very meta on the set," she says. "[Director] Jean-Marc [Vallée] would say, 'Cheryl! Bobbi!' Both Reese and I would turn our heads and both Bobbi and Laura would turn their heads."
Her Kids Aren't Allowed to See Their Mom's Movie
"It's rated R," she says. "They're very outraged about this.There'sy really a few minutes total of racy material. I just feel like the sex is too graphic in the movie for my kids. I don't care about the curse words – they already know their mom speaks like a sailor!"
But she did have serious qualms about a rather more hirsute plot point.
"She's much more of a Southern lady than I ever was," says Cheryl Strayed, who wrote the non-fiction book upon which the film is based, about a drug-using, emotionally frayed woman who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail to deal, in part, with the devastation from her mother's death.
"Right before we began production, Reese asked me if I shaved on my hike. Of course, I did not. She said to me, 'Will you just do me a favor and tell (director Jean-Marc Vallée) that you shaved? I'm from the South, I shave. I draw the line there.' "
But nothing else was off-limits for the Oscar winner, 38, who became a star by playing spunky go-getters in Election, Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama, and won her Academy Award as June Carter Cash for 2005's Walk the Line. She's now married for the second time, to film agent Jim Toth, and has three kids (Tennessee, 2; Ava, 15; and Deacon, 11). Despite appearances, she says nothing in her seemingly charmed existence is perfect.
"I've certainly been through my own trials in life. I've been divorced. I've been on both sides of the story of the mother and the daughter," says Witherspoon. "I've had to say goodbye to people I loved.
"I've had a lot of moments where I realized no one is going to figure things out for me and I had to figure things out for myself. It's about growing up."
The drama, which Witherspoon produced after optioning the book through her Pacific Standard production company, represents a rawer trajectory in her career.
"I have a really interesting relationship with the audience that has watched me grow up. I have had career highs and career lows. It's hard for me to understand how I'm perceived by the outside world," she says. "My audience has evolved as well. The little girls who watched Legally Blonde are older now. They want to see films about their own evolution. We do change."
And that means embracing the uglier sides of humanity — even those, like hairy legs, that are foreign to her.
"The physical aspects of the shoot were difficult. I have no experience with any of the drugs, so that was a lot of YouTubing and talking to people," she says. "By and far, the sexual aspects of the character were the hardest for me. I'd never done explicit love scenes and they were awkward. It's an uncomfortable place to be."
Her new directive, Witherspoon says, is to make films her daughter will want to see, and to showcase women who aren't always reeling from breakups or shopping disasters. Plus, it's put her back in the awards conversation as one of the favorites.
"The accolades are wonderful. It's so nice to take a risk. This movie was big leap outside my comfort zone. I had to make a choice to do all the parts of the story, not just the parts I was comfortable with," she says.
And it's added a new friend to her roster. Strayed "just clicked" with Witherspoon, she says. "We have a lot in common. People think that because I wrote about my wild days, I am this woman in black and Reese is America's sweetheart.
"We're both mothers. We're both married. We both love books. We talk about our families, our romantic lives. We're both divorced. We have more in common than not."
She came festively dressed and even brought host Jimmy Fallon two little sparkly reindeer to keep on his desk. They chatted about her dad's holiday tradition of sending her dancing Santas and her upcoming movie, Wild.
"I love that you love the holidays," Fallon said.
They then faced off in a game of Random Phrase Carols, changing up the lyrics to classic Christmas carols as The Roots played the song.
Fallon went first with "Jingle Bells," and instead of the original lyrics, it was about sniffing a small old man named Tom. Even he couldn't help but laugh.
Witherspoon was up next with "Silent Night." The actress was embarrassed when she had some trouble remembering the tune. Being the stellar host that he is, Fallon chimed in and helped her out.
They finished off the game with an adorable holiday card reading, "Steven's Green Beans."
Wild hits theaters Dec. 5.
“I certainly didn’t self-identify as anyone’s sweetheart. I’m friendly, but I don’t think I’m sweet. I’m honest,” the 38-year-old said in the January issue of Glamour.
While the answer may surprise those who were drawn to the actress because of her bubbly roles in films like “Legally Blonde” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” Witherspoon has never shied away from rougher roles like those in the upcoming movies “Inherent Vice” and, in particular, “Wild.”
In the film, based on the memoir of the same name, the actress plays writer Cheryl Strayed, who hikes the thousand-mile Pacific Crest Trail alone, trying to heal and find herself.
“I was scared of the really emotional scenes,” Witherspoon said. “I was scared of the sexuality. I was scared of the grittiness and of being bare on-screen. It’s not just about having no makeup on your face, like I did in the film; it’s about not being conscious of how you’re perceived, allowing yourself to be broken, the way [Cheryl Strayed] did so fearlessly in the book.”
That struggle is one that Witherspoon can relate to, since it took the mother of three until her 30s to finally figure out what made her happy.
“I don’t think I realized [in my 20s] that no one else makes you whole. You have to take responsibility for your own happiness,” she said. “That took me until I was about 31 to know. It wasn’t easy to realize, Oh wait, I am purely responsible [for my life] — no relationship, no children, no nothing is going to make you a happy person. Every day you have to choose to find and cultivate your own happiness.”
“Wild” comes to theaters on Dec. 5.
But the actress, currently earning Oscar buzz for her dramatic turn on the big screen in Wild, isn't necessarily gushing about her line of work.
"I think about backing out of everything. I get to the beginning and I’m like, 'I do not want to make this movie,' " she tells Harper's Bazaar U.K. in its January issue. "I've never had an experience where I was like, 'I can't wait to start.' "
Adds Witherspoon of taking on dramas: "I don't know why. It's always going to require something that doesn't feel good, some sort of challenge or emotional gutting. It's not a fun space to live in a lot of the time."
That's why she enjoys making comedies. "It's much easier," she says, "thinking of what rhymes with truck."
One difficulty of Wild was playing author Cheryl Strayed, who struggled with heroin addiction. "I've never done drugs," Witherspoon says, "so I was really confused."
When it comes to the roles she does take on, Witherspoon, 38, wants to speak out against the Hollywood stereotypes that come along with her blond hair and southern smile.
"Don't put me in that box. Or any box, for that matter," she says. "People are complex, on-screen and off. Can't we do justice to that?"
And that's why it's no surprise she's a vocal champion for female actors portraying complex people.
"It wasn't as if there was a lack of roles being offered to me. It was the dynamic aspect of playing a really interesting, complicated person that was not readily available," she recalls. "Honestly, I don't know a woman who isn't complicated. It's strange that you don't see many complicated women on film; complicated meaning complex, I should say."
"I've never done drugs," she shared with Harper's Bazaar U.K. "I was really confused. I didn't know what I was doing."
But despite a lack of knowledge with her character's habit, the actress knew this role was going to be special.
"It just required being in a really raw emotional place that didn't feel good," she added.
That mindset is on full display as she channels a woman's pain in the film based on Cheryl Strayed's best-selling book, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.
If you thought the drug use was intense, we can't neglect to mention the sex scenes. They were just as difficult to shoot for the big screen
"[The sex scenes were], like, three percent of the movie, but it took up a tremendous amount of fear in my mind because it's daunting," she shared with the publication on sale Tuesday. "Sometimes I was just terrified. Like a cat on a raft…‘You can't make me do it.'"
Regardless of the difficult moments, Witherspoon knows that roles like these don't exactly come around every day for women. As a result, she had to follow through and do her absolute best.
‘It wasn't as if there was a lack of roles being offered to me. It was the dynamic aspect of playing a really interesting, complicated person that was not readily available," the 38-year-old explained. "It's strange that you don't see many complicated women on film; complicated meaning complex, I should say."
Based on her recent role, does the proud mom want to stay away from dramas in the future? Not so fast! She will, however, happily enjoy a comedic role.
"[Dramas are] always going to require something that doesn't feel good, some sort of challenge or emotional gutting. It's not a fun space to live in a lot of the time," she admitted. "It's why I enjoy doing comedies. It's much easier, thinking of what rhymes with truck."
See Witherspoon's big project on the big screen when it hits theatres this Friday!
The Oscar winners are developing a limited series based on the New York Times best-selling novel Big Little Lies, TVLine has learned.
The pair, whose respective production companies optioned the rights to Liane Moriarty’s comic tale earlier this year (with an eye toward turning it into a feature film), would star and produce.
Additionally, David E. Kelley — who’s coming off of CBS’ The Crazy Ones — is set to pen the adaptation as well as serve as showrunner.
The project will be shopped around in the coming weeks. (That noise you hear is HBO and Netflix revving their bidding-war engines).
Big Little Liars tells the story of three mothers of kindergartners whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.
It's her production company's second film after box office hit Gone Girl. Not too shabby!
I asked her Wild co-stars at the movie's premiere in Beverly Hills last night what it's like having the Oscar winner as your boss.
In short, she sounds pretty darn awesome.
Here's what they had to say…
Laura Dern, who plays her mom in the big screen adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir of the same name, gushed, "Amazing, like the most generous inclusive, determined, fierce protector of Cheryl Strayed you could ask for."
Thomas Sadoski, who plays Witherspoon's husband, said when Reese calls, you come running. "She's the best kind [of boss]," the Newsroom star shared. "She actually expects of herself what she expects of everybody else. You want people who care that much and who are willing to put in that effort on their own."
Mo McRae only appears in one scene in Wild as a newspaper reporter, but he got a full taste of what Witherspoon is like.
"I remember one of the days on set, it was running long and the morale was beginning to get a little low, and the next thing you know, this giant truck comes in with barbecue from Oregon," McRae said. "She just really took great care of everyone."
He was impressed even before he started working on film. "I arrived early, like days early, just to get a feel for everything," the Sons of Anarchy actor said. "Several days before my scene with her, she comes over and says, 'Mo, thank you for being here. I know your schedule was tight with the show. Thank you.' I'm like this is an Academy Award winner thanking me for being here!"
"And then she says, 'Let me know if you want to run lines or anything,'" McRae continued. "I'm like, wow, it just doesn't get any better than that. After you see that and then you see her performance in the film you totally understand the longevity she's been able to have in her career."
Wild is in theaters on Dec. 5.
In the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter, the A-lister speaks out about the recent controversy over Zellweger's appearance and slams haters for criticizing her face.
"It's horrible. It's cruel and rude and disrespectful," she told the magazine, choosing to dive right into the matter and not mince words. "I can go on and on. It bothers me immensely."
Shortly after Zellweger attended Elle's Women in Hollywood Awards, where all the hullabaloo first began, she explained why her looks may have changed.
"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," Zellweger, told People, "It seems the folks who come digging around for some nefarious truth which doesn't exist won't get off my porch until I answer the door."
The Oscar winner added, "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."
Zellweger also shared, "People don't know me in my 40s. People don't know me [as] healthy for a while. Perhaps I look different. Who doesn't as they get older?! Ha. But I am different. I'm happy."
She really goes there in her portrayal of Cheryl Strayed, a former heroin addict who hiked the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail by herself after several tragic events, including a divorce caused by her drug use and infidelity.
In the film, based on Strayed's New York Times bestseller Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, Witherspoon appears naked, having anonymous sex several times and shooting up drugs.
"It's beautiful to see her let go and get out of her comfort zone and say, 'I am going to produce it, star in it and I am going to do it in a way that's going to be tough and I'm going to be naked and raw, both physically and emotionally,'" Wild director Jean-Marc Vallée told me yesterday while promoting the movie at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills.
Witherspoon didn't wear makeup for most of the movie. "She could have told me, 'I'm 36, don't show me this way, but she said, 'Shoot! Shoot whatever you see,'" Vallée said. "She arrived on set and it was like, 'Ready, Reese?' and she said yes and took the shirt off and put the needle [in her arm] and then in her ankle."
Vallée directed last year's Dallas Buyers Club. Witherspoon offered him the Wild job after seeing a rough cut of Buyers Club about a month before it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. "I read the script and I was really touched and then I read the book and I was devastated," he said. "I was like, 'This is so powerful and beautiful.'"
And it hit close to home because Wild also shows Strayed's mother (played by Laura Dern) dying of lung cancer at just 45 years old. "I lost my mom to cancer three years before," Vallée said. "I was like, I have to make this film, to pay tribute to my mom and these kind of women, these strong women."
What an amazing tribute it is. In Wild, Cheryl refers to her mom as the "love of my life."
"I thought that was so beautiful to dare to say that about a parent because we all have this thing about finding your soul mate and your soul mate is supposed to be the love of your life," Vallée said as his eyes teared up. "I never thought I could say that my mom was the love of my life, but I think she was."
Wild is in theaters on Dec. 5.
The Oscar winner — who infamously shouted “Do you know my name?” during her 2013 disorderly conduct arrest — got out of paying a parking ticket on Monday after showing her famous face to the officer in the middle of writing her up.
(Pic2) An official at the L.A. Department of Transportation told TMZ that Witherspoon approached the traffic cop “prior to [his] completing the citation,” so she that’s why she was let off the hook.
“The individual was allowed to depart as would any other motorists in a similar circumstance,” the official added.
Dressed in workout clothes and carrying a pair of hot-pink boxing gloves, Witherspoon almost received the ticket after leaving a two-hour boxing class in Brentwood, California. According to Splash News, Witherspoon had been parked for more than 40 minutes without money in the meter.
After her 2013 arrest, the “Walk the Line” star said she had “one too many” glasses of wine when she and husband Jim Toth were pulled over by a Georgia state trooper.
“I have no idea what I was saying that night,” the 38-year-old said on “Good Morning America” after the incident. “I saw him arresting my husband and I literally panicked. And I said all kinds of crazy things.”
(Pic 3) The police report says Witherspoon asked the trooper, “Do you know my name?” and added, “You’re about to find out who I am.”
A request for comment from Witherspoon’s rep was not returned.
“She uses the same backpack I did. It’s the exact same blue backpack!” Hirsch was overheard cracking at an LA bash.
“Emile’s pissed about the props,” groaned an insider.
“Wild” stars Witherspoon as Cheryl Strayed, who went on a solo, 1,100-mile hike after her mother’s death.
“Into the Wild” was the true story of a student who ventured to Alaska to live in solitude.
Just ask Reese Witherspoon, his co-star in 2012's Mud.
"He's handsome and he's got talent," Witherspoon told me last night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where McConaughey was honored with the 2014 American Cinematheque Award. "He's got what my friend calls a ‘two-hour face'—you want to watch him for two hours. He might even have a ‘six-hour face.' That hasn't been tested yet. Well, it has, hasn't it with True Detective? You could watch him all day."
McConaughey's Interstellar co-star Jessica Chastain remembered the first time she saw the Dallas Buyers Club Oscar-winner on the big screen.
"It was A Time to Kill," she said. "The closing speech and he's the defense attorney and he stops and he kind of puts his hand on his face and he chokes back his emotions and I remember watching that moment."
"Before that film, I thought, ‘Oh, that man's gorgeous,' and then when I saw that it was, 'Yes, he's gorgeous, but he's an actor,'" Chastain continued. "That was in the beginning and I've been a fan ever since."
Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted last night's festivities, cracked, "I've learned a lot from Matthew from watching his movies over the years. One thing I've learned is that I'm bi-curious."
Interstellar director Christopher Nolan presented McConaughey with his award.
"Years ago, before I had children and I always knew I wanted children, I said, ‘I don't think I want to raise them around this industry,'" McConaughey said. "I don't think I want them engaged in his industry. I want to move off somewhere and have them outside of it...But I can happily and honestly say now having children, I so love having them engaged in what we do and meeting the people that we get to work with."
Other presenters and guests included Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner and producer Lili Fini Zanuck. Sponsors included Dolce & Gabbana fragrances and car company Lincoln.
Their longtime personal publicist, Hollywood powerhouse Nanci Ryder, was diagnosed with the horrific disease about two months ago just as the now famous Ice Bucket Challenge was launched.
"It was devastating," Witherspoon said about hearing the news. "We just cried and cried and then said, 'What are we going to do to get busy to change things?'"
ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Average life expectancy of a person with ALS averages two to five years from diagnosis. About 30,000 Americans are living with ALS at any given time.
"I didn't know there's no cure for it and no medications to temper it for an extended period of time," Zellweger said. "There are no real treatment options. Nothing."
Ryder who is also a breast cancer survivor, was at the walk today. You wouldn't know anything was wrong by just looking at her. However, when she talks, words come out slowly and slurred.
"I want to create awareness for this disease," she told me. "I went through a down phase but you cannot fight when you're down so I adjusted that. You can't give up. You have to fight."
Zellweger was with Ryder when, after seven months of medical tests, she was told by a doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston that she had ALS. "It was a shock," the Chicago star said. "But she's handling it with grace. She faces everything with a humor, lifts the spirits of everybody around her. She's changed her focus to look outward and to see how her life experiences may benefit other people."
"I'm here to help whatever comes her way," Witherspoon said. "We really don't know what's next but we're here for her no matter what."
Not only were there dozens of past and present employees from Ryder's firm BWR at the walk wearing "Team Nanci" t-shirts, but there were also publicists from other companies, agents like CAA bosses Kevin Huvane and Bryan Lourd, and more celebrities, including Emmy Rossum, Katherine McPhee, Roseanna Arquette, Rose McGowan and Mae Whitman.
"I'm overwhelmed," Ryder said. "I feel so loved. I think we tend not to appreciate that, but now I really do."
Witherspoon plays the role of Cheryl Strayed, a woman who trecked across a vast tract of wilderness in the United States for three months to recover from the death of her mother, a marriage breakup and heroin abuse.
"It was more challenging in a way that I've never had before," Witherspoon said.
"It's definitely the hardest movie I've ever made, physically, emotionally, mentally, but when I got through it I was so happy."
Initially, Witherspoon had carried a backpack filled with newspaper for filming, but this was replaced by a bag packed with weights by Jean-Marc Vallee to make her walk more realistically.
"I've never been as strong as I was after that movie. I had some back problems."
The film also depicts drug taking and explicit sex scenes, which Witherspoon admitted she struggled with.
The actress, who also produced the film, was joined in London by the real life Strayed, whose memoir was adapted by novelist Nick Hornby for the film.
The film was highly acclaimed at the Toronto Film Festival and has been tipped for Oscar success.
The 38-year-old won the Oscar for best actress in 2006 for her role in another biopic, "Walk the Line", the tale of US singer-songwriter Johnny Cash.
While promoting her new movie Wild during a press conference at the BFI London Film Festival Monday, the Oscar winner opened up about her drunken run-in with the law, which shocked many fans at the time.
"I think it was a moment where people realized that I wasn't exactly what they thought I was," the 38-year-old actress told reporters (via THR)."I guess maybe we all like to define people by the way the media presents them, and I think that I showed I have a complexity that people didn't know about. It's part of human nature. I made a mistake. We all make mistakes. The best you can do is say sorry and learn from it and move on."
Witherspoon and her husband Jim Toth were both arrested last year in Atlanta after Toth was pulled over under the suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Witherspoon was charged with disorderly conduct after trying to defend her hubby to officers.
After news of her arrest broke, Witherspoon released a statement regarding her uncharacteristic behavior, saying, "Out of respect for the ongoing legal situation, I cannot comment on everything that is being reported right now. But I do want to say, I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said. It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse."
Arrest drama aside, Witherspoon also opened up about playing a woman who goes on a 1,100-mile solo hike in Wild. "When you see me putting together the tent, that's literally me putting together the tent," she dished. "It took me two hours. I could not figure out the f--ing tent. And when I kicked the stove, it's because I couldn't make the f--ing stove work."
Reese Witherspoon is getting ready to take a seat in the director's chair.
The Oscar winner tells me that she may be directing soon.
"I've actually been thinking about it," Witherspoon exclusively told me today at Variety's Power of Women gala. "I'm actually working on a project right now."
She wouldn't spill on details, but we can't wait to hear what she has up her sleeve.
Witherspoon jumped into the producing world recently with her first movie being the box office hit Gone Girl. Next up, she produced and is starring in Wild, and adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Both movies are already being buzzed about for Oscars.
"The place and the position that I've had I feel a responsibility to take care of others, help tell more women's stories [and] get the word out there that women are complex, dynamic [and] interesting," said Witherspoon, who was honored at the gala for her work with The Malala Fund. "We're not just one thing or another."
Oprah Winfrey, who selected Strayed's book as the first pick for the launch of Oprah's Book Club 2.0, has already thrown her support behind Wild.
She was a surprise guest when the film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival this summer.
"Oprah is amazing," Witherspoon told me not long after Telluride. "She is really unbelievable. She is such a force and the fact that she decided to come and support us for Wild, we were thrilled and honored."
In August, Deadline Hollywood reported that Witherspoon's production company Pacific Standard and Nicole Kidman's Blossom Films were set to co-produce the upcoming movie adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel Big Little Lies. Both actresses will also co-star in the movie.
Other Pacific Standard projects include Don't Mess With Texas, a comedy with Witherspoon and Sofía Vergara, and movie based on the life of singer Peggy Lee.
Pacific has also bought the rights to children's book Pennyroyal's Princess Boot Camp and the novel The Engagements.
Not only did Malala Yousafzai win the Nobel Peace Prize today, but just hours later, Reese Witherspoon was honored at Variety's Power of Women luncheon for her work with the Malala Fund, the young activist's organization for girls education.
It was Witherspoon's daughter Ava who introduced her to Malala's story.
"Ava was the first person who told me about Malala, about how violently she was treated, how great that she recovered and how extraordinarily she stood up within her country against an entire culture of oppression," Witherspoon said at the gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
Witherspoon and Ava actually had the chance to spend time with Malala in August over dinner at a mutual friend's home in London.
"She's just a regular teenager in some ways," Witherspoon said. "She sat next to Ava at dinner and they talked about school work, homework and what their life goals were and Ava was just in awe of this 17-year-old woman who is making a difference in this world."
The Wild star also said, "I think it's very important to point out that Malala is not just some very beautiful, sweet little girl. She is a fierce young woman who has the courage to stand up to even world leaders.
"When she met President Obama, she looked him in the eye and confronted him on his foreign policy in the Middle East," she continued. "When I met President Obama, I shook his hand and said, 'Hey, it's really nice to meet you.' Her courage and her vision is a true inspiration. She is my role model."
At age 17, Malala Yousafzai is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2012, a masked gunman targeted Yousafzai on her school bus in Pakistan. Doctors removed a bullet from her head, and then she was flown the U.K. for more surgery. She now lives in Birmingham in the U.K. with her parents and brother.
Also honored at the Variety luncheon sponsored by Audi and Lifetime were Jennifer Lopez, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Universal Pictures' Donna Langley and E!'s own Maria Menounos.
Presenters included Eva Longoria, Maria Bello, Aaron Sorkin and Ryan Seacrest.
Catch Hell writer, producer and star Phillippe, 40, recounted the experience with his ex-wife and their children in a HuffPost Live interview Monday. "We got to meet up as a family and took a walk through Central Park with the kids, and it was funny," Phillippe said. "We were reminiscing then because we shot a lot of Cruel Intentions [there], so there we were with Ava and Deacon talking, and they were tripping out on the fact that we were there shooting a movie before they were even a thought in our minds."
It's been eight years since the co-stars separated, and since then, the exes have found ways to co-parent without adding any unnecessary drama. As Phillippe explained, "It's a feeling-out process and I think we've gotten to a really good place...It's going well, and she's happy and remarried [to CAA agent Jim Toth], and our kids are incredible. I'm proud of the way we've handled it and who our little people are."
Perhaps coincidentally, Witherspoon recently tweeted a photo of the Cruel Intentions cast that featured co-stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and her ex-hubby. "For my age, I've had such a long career. I did my first movie at 19, and I just turned 40. All of that stuff sort of becomes...I don't want to say background noise, but it becomes part of the territory. You see old photos here and there. You see acquaintances. I had a cool moment this morning on the Today show where I ran into [Joshua Jackson], who I hadn't seen in a long time. He was in Cruel Intentions...and he was so great," Philippe recalled. "He's such a nice guy."
The ex-couple's children have yet to watch Cruel Intentions. "I guess Ava could," Philippe said, "but I've literally only done one or two non-R-rated movies." He added, "They haven't seen much of my work."
They are, however, allowed to watch their dad's 10-episode series for ABC, Secrets & Lies.
"We had a really funny moment on the set of Secrets & Lies with [co-star Juliette Lewis] because the day we wrapped The Way of the Gun, I flew to Cedars-Sinai and Ava was born. And so when Ava came to set to visit, Juliette was like, 'That's how long ago we worked!' She was a living representation of how long ago we made that film," he said of his daughter. "But, you know, those moments are neat. They're fun."
A cross-cultural story told in an engaging, family-friendly style, it can't help but touch audiences (* * * out four; rated PG-13; opens Friday in select cities).
The heartbreaking story of the hundreds of thousands of Sudanese children left orphaned and displaced by a civil war in the 1980s was previously chronicled in the wonderful 2007 documentary God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of Lost Boys of Sudan.
An estimated 3,600 Sudanese orphans were permitted to immigrate to the USA, and The Good Lie tells a fictionalized tale of six of them who endured atrocities, watching as rebel soldiers murdered their parents and burned down their village. In addition to the horrendous emotional toll, they survived extreme physical hardships, walking — sometimes barefoot and dodging bullets — for 1,000 miles to safety in Kenyan refugee camps.
The film powerfully opens with the arduous journey undertaken by five boys and a girl, three of whom are siblings. They fend off wild animals, dehydration and gun-toting soldiers during their trek, and one boy perishes and another is taken off by soldiers.
When the remaining quartet reaches safety, they band together ever closer.
Director Philippe Falardeau tells the story in English and the African dialects of Nuer and Dinka, and refrains from showing terrible violence, resulting in a film that's suitable for children older than 10.
The saga flashes forward 13 years to 2000 when the four refugees are granted permission to immigrate to Kansas City, Mo.
The screenplay by Margaret Nagle is loosely based on actual Sudanese refugees. Jeremiah (Ger Duany), Mamere (Arnold Oceng) and Paul (Emmanuel Jal) are given an apartment in Kansas City to share. Abital (Kuoth Wiel) is sent to live with a family in Boston, per the rules for young female refugees. It's heartbreaking to see them separated.
The characters are played as children by the offspring of Sudanese refugees, while the adult characters are played by actors with ties to Sudan, a couple having been child soldiers.
Such wise casting makes the film all the more effective.
Life in the USA is understandably baffling to the twentysomethings. To its credit, the story doesn't waste much time in predictable fish-out-of-water comic scenarios, though it does have a few gently humorous moments.
While the ads prominently feature Reese Witherspoon, she is a small part of the story. She plays Carrie, an employment agency worker who initially doesn't have much interest in the refugees, though her commitment changes with time.
The title derives from a line in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. A "good lie" is an untruth in which the justice of the outcome supersedes the wrong of having lied. Mamere learns the concept in an English class and applies it dramatically.
The film leaves a few narrative gaps. We don't know much about how the young refugees fared in the camp for a dozen years, nor does it explain how they were picked to come to the USA. Yet despite some structural flaws, Lie is openhearted, earnest and well-intentioned.
After a string of box office flops, the 38-year-old beauty is taking a risk, and pushing her acting limits, in the upcoming drama Wild, based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail in which she chronicles her journey of self-discovery across the Pacific Crest Trail following the sudden death of her mother.
Witherspoon plays Strayed in the film—a role unlike any other and a far cry from past characters such as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde—but according to the Oscar-winning actress, who spoke at length about the forthcoming flick in an interview with Vogue magazine, the mother of three welcomed the opportunity to step out of her comfort zone.
"When people underestimate me, it's actually a comfortable place for me," she explains to the mag while looking stunning on the October cover in a chic red dress. "'Oh, that's what you think I am; well, no, I'm not.' I'm a complex human being. I have many different shades."
Those various shades will be on full display on the big screen when Wild hits theaters on December 5 as the film provides a painstakingly real portrayal of the rock bottom Strayed hit, dabbling in heroin and taking part in a string of one night stands, as she attempts to cope with her mother's sudden passing.
"I just didn't want to hear, ‘Oh, we don't want to see Reese have sex. . . . Oh, can we not have any profanity?' " the actress recalls. "I wanted it to be truthful, I wanted it to be raw, I wanted it to be real."
Strayed had to show Witherspoon how to shoot heroin on set— "I was like ‘Come on, people, haven't you guys ever done this?'" the author recalls—and, according to Vogue, the blond stunner even brought in a hypnotist to help calm her nerves before shooting her sex scenes.
But despite the stark juxtaposition between Witherspoon and her character, the This Means War star did draw upon her own experiences to embody the role of Cheryl Strayed.
"Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors, but I think there's a general sense now that I've lived a pretty textured life," she admitted. "So many of the things that Cheryl goes through in the book I've been through, you know? I've been married, I've been divorced. I haven't lost my mother, but my mother's mother died in a very similar way, of an aneurysm very suddenly...Cheryl has this idea that the things that have happened to you are part of you. There's something really beautiful about that idea."
Are you excited to see Reese on the big screen in Wild?
So what did we learn during the tour? Well, first of all, Reese recently took up rollerblading and thinks it's the best idea for a first date. She also misses the people in Nashville and thinks her hip-hop name would be Little Spoon.
In the house, we see Reese's Southern style throughout. There's a huge dining room where the star says she'd like to have dinner with all the female senators.
Then, out back there's a blue, tile-lined pool with an umbrella-covered picnic table. Reese serves iced tea (her grandmother's recipe) with her Oscar sitting in a bucket of ice next to the pitcher.
The Sweet Home Alabama actress then shows off her cheerleading moves in the back yard when she does a back flip on a built in trampoline. She even adds a quick cheer: feeling nostalgic for high school Reese?
Back inside, Reese takes us into a living room featuring a wall full of books and a piano. She admits she'd be a groupie for The Doors, would love to live in the 1940s and has two dogs.
Thanks for giving us a glimpse inside your adorable life Reese!
The actress poses in couture on the streets of Nashville, where she was filming Don’t Mess with Texas with Sofia Vergara. And though she still looks like her sweet Southern self in the photos, in her interview, she talks about trying to recalibrate her Hollywood image as someone who can be more than just a bubblegum Elle Woods type. “When people underestimate me, it’s actually a comfortable place for me,” she says in the interview. “‘Oh, that’s what you think I am; well, no, I’m not.’ I’m a complex human being. I have many different shades.”
For more from the actress on her upcoming role in Wild, check out Vogue.com or pick up the issue, on stands Oct. 1.
The actress, who is known for films such as "Legally Blonde" and "Walk the Line," stars in the upcoming dramas "Wild" and "The Good Lie," and is currently working with her production company, Pacific Standard. When asked if "Elle Woods [has] grown up," Witherspoon talks about her evolution in Hollywood and the impact the "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock" star's words have had on her.
"One of the biggest inspirations for me was reading Tina Fey's book," says Witherspoon. "It was a very -- she said, you know, 'If I can help one other woman create something in Hollywood, I've done my job.' And I hope to have that same goal...just to create opportunities for other women to tell their stories, because women aren't just girlfriends and wives."
The actress also discusses her public image and what she hopes to do with her life in the near future.
"I think creating films on my own and producing things on my own, I think people are starting to see sort of a little bit more -- a little bit more of what really touches me and moves me as a human being," says Witherspoon. "I think I'm in that phase of my life where I really think about giving back and what is it that I -- what is the mark I want to make in this world?"
"The Good Lie" hits theaters Oct. 3.
Witherspoon is at TIFF this year with two films, Wild and A Good Lie. Wild is already setting Witherspoon up for another Oscar nomination. The movie is an adaptation of the hugely popular memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed, which documents the 1,100 mile hike Strayed took following a break-up and while battling drug addiction.
The project came to her while she was looking for better parts for women. Her production company Pacific Standard Films produced Wild and the upcoming buzz film Gone Girl. "I don't think you know what you are looking for until it is right in front of you," Witherspoon said when asked by interviewer Ruby Rich about how she selects projects to work on. She read the book over 24 hours and said she sobbed the entire time.
She went in to the project with very little hiking experience but recalled a hiking trip in 7th grade where she got classmate Larry Vanderwood to carry her gear in exchange for a kiss behind the tree. "Everyone asked, "How did you get Larry to carry all of your stuff?' and I was like, "He's just really nice,'" she laughed.
Both Wild's director Jean Marc-Vallee and Cheryl Strayed were in the audience for her talk. Vallee directed the breakout TIFF film Dallas Buyers Club starring Matthew McConaughey. He came to the project after Witherspoon's agent husband Jim Toth, who also represents McConaughey, suggested Vallee. And it seems like Witherspoon has an affinity for Quebecois directors. "There is a strength of vision that comes out of Quebec," she said. Her last three films were all directed by Canadians.
Although most of the talk was about Wild, she also had interesting things to say about some of her past work. After Election, she revealed, a lot of directors like Cameron Crowe and Christopher Nolan wanted to work with her but were told they couldn't by their studios because everyone thought she was as controlling and cold as her character. As for Legally Blonde, she learned to love that role after she saw feminist icon Gloria Steinman speak on TV about the political significance of Goldie Hawn's Private Benjamin. "Anyone who is playing really dumb really well is actually very smart," Witherspoon said.
That will become clear in one of her next projects starring Sophia Vergara, tentatively called Don't Mess With Texas where Vergara will play a prisoner and Witherspoon an incompetent police officer. "The Latin American audience is so underserved. No one was developing stuff for Sophia. This woman is Lucille Ball," she said.
Wild comes out on December 5 and A Good Lie will be released on October 3.
"The producer sent me the script and I just wept and wept through it," the Oscar winner told me at the movie's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. "I thought it was so beautiful about family and it was funny and what does it mean to be a stranger in a strange land?"
Based on real events, the film tells the story of an American woman (Witherspoon) who takes four Sudanese refugees under her wing when they win a lottery for relocation to the U.S. Screenwriter Margaret Nagle told me she always had Witherspoon in mind for the role while she was writing the script.
Sudanese actors were hired to play the refugees, including Emmanuel Jal, who was a child solider during the Second Sudanese Civil War.
"When they first told me they wanted to hire real refugees for the parts, I was a little nervous," Witherspoon admitted. "I didn't know what that was going to be like that."
Fortunately, everything turned out just right. So much so that there's already buzz that Witherspoon could pick up an Oscar nomination for her work (most likely as a supporting actress). "They were teaching me things that I didn't understand and know," Witherspoon said. "In the very end of the movie, we got to go to Africa to the refugee camp that's in the movie. It was a great educational opportunity for me."
The Good Lie opens on Oct. 3.
Witherspoon is also getting major Oscar buzz for her starring role in Wild, the movie adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Before showing at TIFF, Wild premiered at the Telluride Film Festival.
Oprah Winfrey, who selected Strayed's book as the first pick for the launch of Oprah's Book Club 2.0, was a surprise guest at Telluride.
"Oprah is amazing," Witherspoon told me. "She is really unbelievable. She is such a force and the fact that she decided to come and support us for Wild, we were thrilled and honored.
Wild is in theaters on Dec. 5.
And it was those fashion disaster moments that sparked Joan Rivers' best sharp-tongued zingers.
"I love Joan," Witherspoon told me at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of her upcoming drama The Good Lie at the Visa Screening Room.
"It's a hard thing because everyone loved her so much," she said. "But seeing all this wonderful work that she did, how she entertained people for years and years, it just really touched my heart."
And then the Oscar winner smiled, "She was always very nice to me and even when she wasn't I still laughed, she still made me laugh."
A funeral for Rivers, who died last week at age 81, was held yesterday in New York City. The program included performances by Hugh Jackman, Broadway star Audra McDonald and the New York City Gay Men's Chorus.
She was eulogized by Howard Stern, New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams, Inside Edition host Deborah Norville and, of course, her daughter Melissa Rivers.
The pair, who bonded earlier this year while shooting an action comedy about a police officer who goes on the run with the glam wife of a drug dealer (you can guess which is which), caught up backstage at the Stand Up to Cancer event in Los Angeles on Friday.
Witherspoon, 38, appeared to have taken a page out of the Modern Family star's style book with her bold red lips and diamond hoops.
"Sorry I stole your earrings @sofiavergara and please #SU2C," she captioned an Instagram pic of her and her "work wife" along with Vergara's boyfriend, True Blood star Joe Manganiello.
Vergara also shared her love for her celebrity bestie, posting a photo on Instagram along with the line, "Reunited with the most beautiful girl in the world!!!"
Stars including Jennifer Aniston, Jon Hamm, Pierce Brosnan, Rob Lowe and Katie Couric wore their Stand Up to Cancer tees at the annual telethon, which raises funds for cancer research.
Vergara, 42, told PEOPLE that the event was "very special" to her because she beat thyroid cancer in her late 20s.
She wore a T-shirt at the event that said "Survivor."
"They sent me my T-shirt and mine is different than the others," she said. "I kind of don't like it, but it is what it is and I'm so happy to be free of cancer and I can come here now and support."
Vallee introduced the screening by saying: “We are very happy to be here to present this film, in this town, in this wilderness surrounded by the most amazing mountains. We shot this in Oregon.” He then offered thanks and then introduced the producers, Dern, Witherspoon and Strayed. “We are so honored to come here today and for you to see our Wild movie, but really the most important thing to all of us up here is that this movie bring you joy, pleasure and pain and — all those good things that art, that movies can bring to us,” Strayed told the overflow audience at the Chuck Jones Cinema. “What better place to premiere a movie about a woman walking through the wilderness than Telluride? This film is about me, which is very strange. But when I was writing the book, one of the things I thought all along the way was that it really isn’t about me. I always wanted to write a story about this journey that was about all of us. And I am just so honored by the film that Jean -Marc made because it really does honor that vision.”
Among those in attendance were several Academy members including Oprah Winfrey, who featured Strayed’s book in her Oprah Book Club. Afterward, she came up to Witherspoon and Strayed as they were heading up the aisle, embraced them both and told Strayed, “Wow, this must have been a really strange experience for you today.” Maybe, but it clearly was a special one.
Wild competed against a special 35th anniversary screening of Apocalypse Now (1979), with director Francis Ford Coppola, cinematographer Vittorio Stararo, Walter Murch and producer Fred Roos in attendance. It just proves that coming to Telluride means making Solomon-like decisions about what to see. That screening also was sold out, according to Telluride Fest Director Julie Huntsinger. Wild also will be hitting the Toronto International Film Festival, but because of TIFF’s new dictum that all films shown in the first four days must be World Premieres, it won’t have its gala screening until after that. Canada has something to look forward to based on the reaction here.
Two more world premieres launch Friday night including Jon Stewart’s directorial debut: Jon Stewart‘s directorial debut Rosewater and The Weinstein Company’s big Oscar hope The Imitation Game. Also scheduled is the North American premiere of Cannes sensation Foxcatcher. Lots to see. Many hard choices to make.
Reese Witherspoon wore her Legally Blonde character's signature color to support a cancer-stricken fan via Instagram Wednesday. With a handmade sign in hand, the star explained her actions in the caption.
"This is for one of the strongest little four-year-olds I can imagine. Will—I hear that you're fighting so hard and strong against cancer and that in the hospital you've been watching a lot of Legally Blonde and loving it. I hope it makes you laugh!" said the 38-year-old Wild star, who has three children of her own.
"I wanted you to know that I made this sign in your honor—and I'm sending a big big hug and my hope and prayers," she wrote. "Just know—I'm a really big fan of YOURS! PS anyone else—feel free to make your own sign for Will and post it with the hashtag #TeamWill so he can see it....I'm sure he'd love that!"
The star, who will participate in Stand Up to Cancer's fundraising telecast Sept. 5, has been increasingly active on Instagram. "Can you tell I have teenage kids?" she tells Vulture, referring to Ava Phillippe and Deacon Phillippe. "It's a great way to communicate with people, and I'm actually having fun with it. For an actor who doesn't ever get to see my audience, it's a great way to correspond and talk to my fans."
It's also a great way to support for causes close to her heart.
On Wednesday, the Oscar winner Instagrammed a gorgeous photo of herself holding hands with son Tennessee James Toth on a beach in the Caribbean. And, as you can see, Reese's little man, who turns 2 next month, has grown up to be a big boy!
Reese and hubby Jim Toth are going to have their hands full when Tennessee hits those terrible twos, but luckily, this 38-year-old Southern mama has been through this—twice—before with her older children, 14-year-old Ava Phillippe and 10-year-old Deacon Phillippe.
And while Reese always looks like the perfectly pulled together working mom, she's the first to admit there are some crazed moments, too! Just after giving birth to Tennessee, she joked to Red magazine, "Seriously, this child stole my brain!"
"Ever since I had the baby, I can't remember anything," she said. "I'm losing friendships over forgetting to get back to people. But you can't keep up with everything...It's like CNN ticker tape running through my mind at all times. [puts on robotic voice]: ‘Where is Ava? She's okay. Good. Where is Deacon? He's okay. Good. Where is Tennessee? Is he okay? Yes. Great. Back to Ava...' It doesn't stop."
Ha, if anyone can handle it, you know it's Reese! Plus, as Tennessee demonstrates, kids grow up faster than you think!
The charitable event, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, returns for its fourth biennial fundraising telecast. Sept. 5. Participants will include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Pierce Brosnan, Dane Cook, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Will Ferrell, Tony Hale, Jon Hamm, Mark Harmon, Marg Helgenberger, Rob Lowe, Danny McBride, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Passmore, Italia Ricci, Rob Riggle, Ben Stiller, Eric Stonestreet, Kiefer Sutherland, Bree Turner and Reese Witherspoon.
Ariana Grande, Lupe Fiasco and Common, Jennifer Hudson, Dave Matthews and The Who will perform.
Additional celebrities and performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
Paltrow and Joel Gallen are co-executive producing the event, which takes place at L.A.'s Dolby Theatre.
ABS, CBS, Fox and NBC are donating one hour of simultaneous, commercial-free viewing for the nationally televised special. The event will also be broadcast on ABC Family, American Forces Network, Bravo, Cooking Channel, Discovery Fit & Health, E!, Encore, Encore Espanol, EPIX, ESPNEWS, Fox Sports 2, FXM, HBO, HBO Latino, Hulu, ION Television, LMN, Logo TV, MLB Network, National Geographic Channel, Oxygen, Palladia, Pivot, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, Starz, TNT, Vh1 and Yahoo.
For the first time, SU2C will air simultaneously on all four major English-language Canadian networks: CBC, City, CTV and Global, along with services AMI, CHCH, CHEK, Fight Network and Hollywood Suite.
All funds received from Canadian viewers during the broadcast will be directed towards the creation of collaborative research teams, as well as education and awareness programs conducted in the country.
Instead of having traditional phone bank staffed by stars, the telecast will feature a "digital lounge" on set, hosted by Yahoo News Global Anchor Katie Couric. Celebrities will reach out to viewers via phone, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms through a campaign called "We're Calling You."
SU2C's supporters can sign up for the campaign today at werecallingyou.org.
"Since we started Stand Up to Cancer in 2008, social media has exploded, creating a whole new way to connect. So in an unprecedented way, we'll have plenty of stars reaching out to donors via social media, thanking them through Facebook messages, digital shout outs, Instagrams and tweets," says Couric, a SU2C co-founder who lost her husband to colon cancer in 1998. "In other words, this year, we are so 2014!"
To date, more than $261 million has been pledged to support SU2C's cancer research programs.
In the digital lounge, Couric will tap into the Facebook Mentions Box, which allows supporters to share their connections to cancer and receive real-time responses from celebrities. Other famous faces in the digital lounge will participate in Facebook Q&As, using their own pages to respond live to fan questions.
"Cancer affects us all, and each and every person can help the scientists who are working 24/7 to save more lives," says Paltrow, who lost her dad to oral cancer in 2002. "We want to get that message out in as many ways as possible, so we're excited to use social media to reach supporters from all over who are helping to grow the Stand Up to Cancer movement, and hopefully, get even more people to stand up with us."
Stand Up to Cancer will air on 31 broadcast and cable networks and stream on Hulu and Yahoo Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. ET and PT and 7 p.m. CT.
The Oscar winner and husband Jim Toth are the proud new owners of a quaint Southern-style home in Nashville. Built in the 1930s, the four-bedroom home sold to the power couple for a cool $1.95 million. The 3,855 square foot home is situated on six and a half acres, and also features a guest house and a swimming pool.
"It's one of those historic houses," listing agent Hal Rosson, of Freeman Webb Company Realtors, tells E! News exclusively. "Creek runs down to the front of it with white ducks; it's just a wonderful setting."
And while the charming Southern home has a certain picturesque charm, it's far from picture perfect. The historic home is a classic fixer-upper, but, according to Rosson, that' wasn't an issue for Witherspoon. Rosson explained that the deed restrictions state the home cannot be demolished, meaning the Reese and Jim will probably have their hands full with home renovation.
And while the house itself may need a little TLC, the location can't be beat. "It's a really great street in Nashville," Rosson says. "[The] Governor's residence is right around the corner."
Really, we're not surprised the duo splurged on the historic digs—Reese grew up in Nashville, and the couple's son is named Tennessee.
As summer begins to wind down, Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon is enjoying every last minute of the warm weather while vacationing in beautiful Italy.
The Walk the Line actress was spotted on a luxurious boat late last week where she soaked up some serious rays.
Wearing a cleavage-baring one-piece swimsuit, the 38-year-old mother of three looked to be in fantastic shape as she snapped pictures of her friends in the water.
Witherspoon has been capturing her memorable vacation moments on Instagram throughout the past week.
The Oscar winner was seen living it up with her pals during a girls' trip to Capri earlier this week.
The bubbly blonde stopped by Taverna Anema e Core with a group of friends and happened to run into a local band and singer Guido Lembo.
The group took full advantage of the live music, because YOLO, and were spotted dancing throughout the hangout.
Oh, did we say dancing? Apologies, we meant, getting their damn groove on. Reese in particular was throwing out some seriously adorable moves and even almost raised the roof at one point (phew, thank goodness that didn't happen!).
And truth be told, we can't hate on the star because she managed to get down all while holding a glass and looking fabulous. That's skill, people.
Reese has been hinting at her summer vacation for several days now on Twitter, posting pics of her travels and asking fans to guess where in the world she is.
"Let the holidays begin!! (You still guessing where I am?" she posted on one cute pic of herself.
She later shared a snapshot of her overlooking the ocean and wrote, "Hello from Capri!!! OK now I'm jumping in."
The novel tells the comic tale of three mothers of kindergartners whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder. The book just got published. Pacific Standard and Blossom Films, both book-smart companies, have been busy. Pacific Standard just produced the Jean Marc Vallee-directed Wild for Fox Searchlight based on the Cheryl Strayed memoir, with Witherspoon starring; the David Fincher-directed Gone Girl; and the untitled Anne Fletcher-directed comedy that stars Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara for MGM and New Line. Books on the Pacific Standard slate include Pennyroyal’s Boot Camp and The Engagements at Fox 2000. Blossom Films is currently filming the Jason Bateman-directed adaptation of the Kevin Wilson novel The Family Fang, with Kidman and Bateman starring together. Blossom produced Rabbit Hole, which got Kidman an Oscar nom, and Monte Carlo. Also in the works are book adaptations of The Silent Wife and Reconstructing Amelia, the latter a biopic of singer Dusty Springfield for HBO.
Australian novelist Moriarty, who’ll serve in a producing capacity, wrote the bestsellers What Alice Forgot, Three Wishes, The Hypnotist’s Love Story and The Husband’s Secret, along with a line of children’s books.
Jerry Kalajian of the Intellectual Property Group, attorney Matt Sugarman, Fiona Inglis at Curtis Brown Australia and Faye Bender repped the author, while Pacific Standard is repped by Hansen, Jacobson, CAA and LBI, and Blossom is repped by Alan Werthheimer, CAA and Media Talent Group.
Somebody get this woman her gold-plated ice cream cone trophy!
What's so special about this simple, one-color combo, you ask? Everything. The Monica Rose creation has all the elements of what makes warm weather fashion so much fun:
1. The color. It doesn't get better than white this time of year, and this is a gleaming shade that makes the blonde beauty's features pop.
2. The shape. Easy, breezy, flirty and fun! We can't think of four better words to describe what June through September means.
3. An edgy element. In this case it's the top and bottom cut-outs that give the look that extra bit of flair.
So congrats Reese! But to be clear Eva Mendes was very close to taking it. She's tied to Ryan Gosling for life now guys...
Well, just one cake — but it’s epic enough to go down in themed cake history. Because, well, look at it!
Witherspoon posted the whimsical pic on WhoSay with the caption: “It’s my first #quinceanera and don’t think I’m not eating that whole bird/cake #itsmyparty” — sounds like there may be a quinceañera scene in the movie she just finished filming in New Orleans with Sofia Vergara?
Either way, we want to get to the bottom of how this masterpiece was created. The edible feathers appear to be made from fondant, and we’re guessing the head is made from modeling chocolate. But it’s the train of faux peacock feathers that really push this dessert into “Wow!” territory.
We’d also be impressed if Witherspoon really ate the whole thing, but we’re guessing Vergara, whose love of cakes has been well-documented on Instagram, would never stand for that.
We can’t wait to see if/how this peacock makes an appearance in the film!
In the first trailer for her upcoming film, “Wild,” Witherspoon gets back into serious-actress gear. The movie, based on the bestselling memoir of the same name by Cheryl Strayed, follows a woman who, after getting divorced and losing her mother, hikes 1,100 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail to find herself.
The wildly popular book owes a lot to one Oprah Winfrey, who selected it as the first choice for the relaunch of her book club. And well, if it’s good enough for Oprah, it’s good enough for us.
The flick is a passion project for Witherspoon, who optioned the rights to the book before it even came out. Wanting to keep it as real as possible, she opted to go makeup-free.
Director Jean-Marc Vallée, who also helmed “Dallas Buyers Club,” told Entertainment Weekly, “She went method with the hair and no makeup … We wanted to see Reese out there, not vain at all, not concerned with her image, and she went for it. Wait until you see her in the film. It’s a new Reese.”
“Wild” opens in theaters December 5.
When filming wrapped recently on the New Orleans set of the actresses’ upcoming not-yet-titled movie, Witherspoon surprised her costar, who has a well-documented sweet tooth, with a box of baked goods that she personally picked out from local dessert boutique Sucré. The luscious confections included a strawberry dacquoise rouge (which Vergara is holding), lait praline, summer berry verrine, S & M (strawberry and malt) and s’more skillet.
The Modern Family star appreciated Witherspoon’s gift by posting a shot of herself happily posing with the pastries. “Stop spoiling me @reesewitherspoon!!,” she wrote. “Im going to miss u too much!!!”
Witherspoon clearly was on the right track: Vergara’s Instagram is filled with pictures of herself surrounded by cakes, pies and doughnuts. A few weeks ago, in a photo that showed off her famous derriere, the sexy actress held up a small pink box and wrote, “I worked out on a saturday!!! I deserve my little rum cake!!” In another shot, she’s gazing down at a big chocolate-topped cake: “Now is a happy Friday!!!gracias.”
Vergara and Witherspoon bonded during the film’s shoot and, like girlfriends everywhere, occasionally posted goofy photos of themselves. One on Witherspoon’s Instagram feed depicted Vergara primping over the blonde actress with the caption, “Thanks for the makeup @SofiaVergara Now can you do my hair?”
Before she left New Orleans, Witherspoon, who was raised in the Louisiana hot spot, treated another special someone to a Big Easy sweet: her 21-month-old son, Tennessee James. “Last day of beignets with my boy,” she captioned in an Instagram shot of her holding hands with the tot.
For her part, Vergara is also keeping busy post-filming: She’s rumored to be dating PEOPLE’s Hottest Bachelor, Joe Manganiello.
Let’s just hope the True Blood star has an appreciation for all things sugar, too.
The actress spent her holiday weekend in The Big Easy with her family, including youngest son, Tennessee James, doing what the locals do.
“Last day of beignets with my boy,” she captioned a shot of herself holding hands with her towheaded tot on her WhoSay account.
Not only are we excited to finally get a glimpse of Witherspoon’s growing little guy, but we also loved his festive outfit – Charlie Rocket White Penguin Tee ($21), red sweat shorts and blue sneakers.
The 22-month-old isn’t the only one keeping his mama company down South. Witherspoon has also been spending time with Sofia Vergara as the pair film their upcoming movie, Don’t Mess with Texas.
First the actress dove into a pile of chocolate beignets with her sons, then into a pile of pastries … and now, it’s a hot dog adventure with two adorable partners in crime.
“My nieces are in town and they mean business. # NOLA,” the actress captioned the Instagram photo above, taken at Dat Dog on Magazine Street.
The hot dog joint also means business: The 12 sausages on the menu include alligator and crawfish, beer-battered cod, a turducken dog and two traditional German-style wieners, plus vegetarian and vegan options, with 25 different toppings available.
Witherspoon’s table went the vegan route on at least one order, requesting the meat-free apple sage dog with dill relish and barbecue sauce. Sounds messy — and delicious.
And while the two may have a love-hate relationship in the movie, it's all love on the set. Above, the two pose for a picture while handcuffed together, which Witherspoon posted on Instagram with the caption, "Things could be worse."
Indeed.
The pint-sized blonde cutie has also been calling the dark-haired Latina beauty her "work wife," while posting photos of them getting into all sorts of hijinks on set. According to Vergara's Instagram account, she helps Reese with "makeup emergencies," like any good work wife would do.
Witherspoon, 38, shared a couple of Instagram pics on Friday from the set in New Orleans showing just how much she's bonded with the Modern Family star as they play a police officer and a prisoner on the run together.
"Happy Friday with @SofiaVergara," she captioned a pic of the two of them in costume, adding the hashtags #workwife #happywifehappylife.
And then, acting like a couple of preteens at a pajama party, Vergara – who split with fiancé Nick Loeb at the end of May, did her BFFs makeup.
"Thanks for the makeup @SofiaVergara Now can you do my hair?" the mom of three wrote.
Vergara, 41, shared a similar shot, captioning it, "Makeup emergency, NoLa Set! @RWitherspoon don’t panic!"
Witherspoon shared selfies with her new bestie a couple of weeks ago, so we're guessing it's just a matter of time till we see a shot of them braiding each other's hair.
The untitled action-comedy stars Witherspoon as a straitlaced policewoman protecting a drug lord's sexy widow, played by Vergara, as they run from crooked cops and murderous criminals through the Lone Star State.
And the blonde-brunette duo looks to be enjoying their roles in the photos they shared on Instagram today.
The Legally Blonde star posted a pic of her in full uniform playing with a furry costar's big ears, writing "Dog casting on set #bassetthound#allears."
But the Modern Family actress opted to snap a pic posing in her movie star chair with her son smiling behind her, which she captioned "On the set."
The Anne Fletcher gal-pal buddy film is shooting on location in New Orleans and will be released on Mother's Day weekend next year on May 8.
The actress, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line in 2005, joined Chesney on stage at the House of Blues in New Orleans, where stars gathered to fund raise for Drew Brees and Matthew McConaughey's charities, the Dream Foundation and the Just Keep Livin Foundation.
Chesney, 46, brought Witherspoon on stage to help him perform an acoustic version of Johnny Cash's "Jackson," and the crowd loved her Southern twang as she hit the song's final note.
We know Witherspoon loves the Man in Black – besides playing his wife on screen, she's photographed her 20-month-old son Tennessee "crawling the line" – and it seems she's a fan of Chesney, too.
"Singing with Kenny C #NOLA #amazingnight #jkl," Witherspoon, 38, captioned an Instagram of their musical moment.
Watch Witherspoon take the mic here.
The two studios previously have partnered on The Hobbit franchise, which is nearing the $2B milestone. The final installment of their trilogy, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, will bow December 17. The two are also partnered on the upcoming romancer If I Stay, which hits theaters on August 22.
In the buddy comedy, Witherspoon plays an uptight cop trying to protect the widow (Vergara) of a drug kingpin as they race through Texas. The film, a combo of Midnight Run and The Heat, is being produced by Witherspoon and her Pacific Standard partner Bruna Papandrea with Dana Fox. Vergara and her manager Louis Balaguer are exec producers. The script is from David Feeney and John Quaintance.
“[You know] what’s the most important thing in a name — for a girl? It’s that a man can whisper it into his pillow,” Reese Witherspoon says in one of two videos posted to Cara Delevingne‘s Instagram account (and later deleted).
Delevingne captured Witherspoon, 38, doling out free advice to an elevator full of attendees dressed to the nines, including Kate Upton and Zooey Deschanel.
In another exchange, Witherspoon hilariously declares her love for the cumbersomely named model.
“If you force me to say your last name, I’ll be f—ed,” she says.
“I love you Kara. Cara. I don’t know what your f—king name is,” she says, looking down at her cell phone. “That stupid French.”
She then looks alluringly into the camera and rattles off the last name perfectly, “Delevingne.”
(Video)
Not a bad elevator to get trapped in.
Decked out in a lovely Oscar de la Renta dress, the Oscar winner seemed to color-coordinate perfectly with the former Olympic swimmer as they posed for pictures on the red carpet together.
Princess Charlene received the Champion of Children Award in recognition of her charity work in Europe and her native South Africa.
Rizzoli & Isles star Angie Harmon served as host for the event.
Meanwhile, Witherspoon took part in a much different event just a few days earlier, when she helped Kate Hudson celebrate her 35th birthday.
The bash was a star-studded affair with the likes of Nicole Richie, Jessica Capshaw and Demi Moore also in attendance, as well as Hudson's fiancé Matt Bellamy.
"Everyone was dancing and having the best time. Kate and Matthew seemed totally in love. They held hands and kissed throughout the night," an eyewitness told E! News. "It was a really fun night, everybody had a blast."
The blonde actress rang in her special day alongside jewelry designer Jen Meyer, who's married to Tobey Maguire, at the hip No Name Bar.
Hudson rocked a metallic sequin jumpsuit to the bash, which featured a plunging neckline to show off her décolletage.
She also wore a velvet black blazer over the daring ensemble to keep warm on the cool night.
Hudson went for a dramatic smoky eye and her signature beachy wavy locks for the special occasion as well.
Her fiancé Matt Bellamy was also seen at the party and took a few breaks to hang out outside the venue with his male friends.
But the star power didn't stop at the birthday girl and her leading man, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Richie, Jessica Capshaw and Demi Moore also made an appearance!
Fashion journalist Derek Blasberg snapped two photos from the evening outing, one of Meyer and Hudson blowing out their birthday brownies and another of a group of ladies making silly faces.
Witherspoon posed with the group of blondes in the photo that was captioned, "Reese, Jessica, Kelly, Jen and Emily: Blondes. Having more fun. Happy birthday!"
Everyone was dancing and having the best time. Kate and Matthew seemed totally in love. They held hands and kissed throughout the night," an eyewitness tells E! News. "It was a really fun night, everybody had a blast."
Happy birthday ladies!
Witherspoon, 38, posted an Instagram on Friday of her blond baby boy crawling next to an acoustic guitar. And since the actress won her Oscar for portraying June Carter Cash in Walk the Line, she found a witty way to caption the snapshot of 1-year-old Tennessee James.
“I Crawl the Line #johnnycash #startingearly #countryfan4life,” the proud mama wrote.
Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth welcomed Tennessee on September 27, 2012. He joined older siblings Ava, 14, and Deacon, 10, her kids with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe. Witherspoon’s photo suggests if anyone has inherited her Southern charm, it’s little Tennessee.
He’s wearing a light blue onesie in the photo, but let’s just call him the Baby in Black.
And now E! News can exclusively reveal that not only is the Oscar winner's Goop-like venture called Draper James (those happen to be her nieces' names!) but her plans also include opening a retail store next year.
A trademark application includes hundreds of items to full under the Draper James empire, including bed and bath products, lingerie, handbags, kitchenware, fragrance and cosmetics, furniture, swimwear, pens, pencils, stationary, swaddling blankets and even plastic storage containers.
An official description of Draper James reads, "This multi-channel lifestyle brand founded by Reese Witherspoon will emphasize her southern roots and personal style. The first store will open in 2015.
Reps for Witherspoon declined to comment for our story.
Witherspoon announced about five weeks ago that she was developing a lifestyle brand and had just hired C. Wonder president Andrea Hyde as her CEO.
Before C. Wonder, Hyde was CEO of French Connection and Nicole Farhi. Her impressive resume also includes stints at Kenneth Cole and Gap Inc., Estee Lauder and Calvin Klein.
Sounds like Witherspoon is on the right track to giving Martha Stewart and Gwyneth Paltrow a good run for their lifestyle money.
Reese Witherspoon is enjoying a picturesque family vacation in the Bahamas and the actress took to her WhoSay account to share a handful of beautiful snapshots from her "spring break."
"Perfect day," the 38-year-old sweetly captioned a lovely photograph with her 1-year-old son Tennessee.
The blond mother-son duo is sitting on a gorgeous beach and peering out at the clear blue ocean. The smiling Oscar winner, clad in a one-piece black swimsuit, is gazing at her little boy, who is adorably reaching up to his mama.
Even though they have their backs to the camera, it is clear that they are having a wonderful sun-filled day in the sand.
Witherspoon has been documenting the gorgeous views and posted a serene selfie during a beach stroll at sunset.
(Photo) Witherspoon also showed off an adorable tropical outfit by Pret-a-Surf as she peered out at the ships sailing by.
(Photo) As for her office during her "spring break" getaway? That would be a peaceful hammock with a pretty stunning view.
(Photo) Before jetting to the Bahamas, Witherspoon recently celebrated her birthday with a good ol' fashioned trip to the bowling alley with her loved ones in Nashville.
"Having a ball at my birthday! #nashvegas #goodfriends #bowlersnotballers," she wittingly captioned a WhoSay snapshot on March 22.
Reese Witherspoon hit up her local lanes to celebrate her birthday with a night of bowling in Nashville on Saturday.
Before taking her turn, the actress – with her blue ball in hand – flashes a sly smile in a picture she posted to her WhoSay account.
"Having a ball at my birthday! #nashvegas #goodfriends #bowlersnotballers," Witherspoon, who turned 38, captioned the shot.
But what's a birthday without a sweet selfie with the woman who made it all possible?
"Thank you to my amazing mother! #happybirthday #9months #birthandbeyond #alltherest," she wrote, along with a happy photo of the mother-daughter duo.
And now another Oscar winner (and pal of Paltrow) is in the early stages of starting her of lifestyle company. Reese Witherspoon has just hired C. Wonder president Andrea Hyde to act as CEO of her new and unnamed project.
The brand will have a southern influence as Reese hails from Nashville. We're guessing beauty, fashion, health and food will all be hot topics. Just last week, the star was taking cooking classes at a Culinary Institute in Nappa Valley with Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz—two gals who have also recently released lifestyle books.
Reese's new company is set to launch in 2015, but there is another blond star who will probably debut a similar project before then. Blake Lively confirmed to Vogue UK last fall that she has been working on a Goop-like site.
"I have so many passions outside of acting and things that I grew up being good at and that I don't utilize when acting," Ryan Reynolds' wife shared. "Acting was something that my family did so I just kind of got into it by default, but there was so much that I cultivated, thinking that I wouldn't be an actor."
Fair enough. Apparently there's quite a lot of well-rounded women in Hollywood.
The actresses, along with stylist Leslie Fremar and makeup artist Gucci Westman, are enjoying a girls' getaway in Napa Valley, Calif.
The #girlstrip2014, as Witherspoon tagged a photo on her Instagram account of rolling green hills, has included rest, relaxation and even a furry new sidekick.
"My new friend, Riley," the actress, 37, captioned a photo snapped by Barrymore in which she strikes a playful pose with an adorable Yorkie.
Of course, no trip to Napa would be complete without some serious epicurean indulgence, and the group appears to have honed their cooking skills at a Culinary Institute of America class.
"Going to culinary school in napa!" Barrymore, who is expecting her second daughter with husband Will Kopelman this spring, posted on Instagram, along with a picture of various pastas and cheeses.
Which leaves us with only one question: Can we come, too?
E! News has learned that the trio of A-listers jetted off to Napa Valley in Northern California to experience the "Cooking of Italy" at the Culinary Institute of America with Hollywood stylist Leslie Fremar and celebrity makeup artists Lona Vigi and Gucci Westman for two days.
"What an amazingly delicious, educational, and ridiculously FUN time I had with these awesome ladies!!! @gucciwestman @reesewitherspoon @drewbarrymore @lesliefremar @lonavigi @oilandsalt @jal14 @ladyfredriksz #CIA #napavalley #culinarylove #goodfoodgoodfriends#GT14," Diaz wrote on Instagram with a snapshot of the group.
Meanwhile, Witherspoon shared a photo of herself, decked out in her chef gear, while making "spinach ricotta raviolis and fresh pasta!! #CIA#GT2014."
Barrymore also shared an Instagram photo of different culinary dishes ranging from salmon to oranges and pasta dinners.
"Going to culinary school in napa ! #freshpasta #learning #eating," she captioned the kitchen shot. In the photo collage, Barrymore posed with the pasta dough before it's made into shapes. Another image shows the dough laid out and cut into strips on a stone counter top before getting presented all ready to eat in a bowl.
So when are we invited for dinner, ladies?!
Reese Witherspoon showed some major cleavage—and plenty of side-boob, too—when she made an appearance at Vanity Fair's annual Oscar party Sunday. The Wild star's Jason Wu for Hugo Boss dress was a departure for the actress, who typically favors more classic and conservative red carpet styles.
The Walk the Line star, who won an Oscar in 2006, accessorized with Irene Neuwirth jewels. She also congratulated Best Actor winner Matthew McConaughey, her costar in Mud and her agent husband Jim Toth's client. "A stunning performance, an amazing night!" the 37-year-old wrote on WhoSay.
Witherspoon, of course, wasn't the only woman who brought some sex appeal to the Vanity Fair party.
The late-night host, 39, the Mud actress, 37, and The Voice mentor, 35, got animated playing a round of the word guessing game Catch Phrase. It was boys vs. girls, as Team USA gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin joined Witherspoon's team. "Awesome," the movie star exclaimed. "I got the Olympian!"
Fallon then broke down the rules: one teammate must help the other guess a word displayed on the disc. He or she can make any physical gesture and say anything, with the exception of any word in the actual clue. Whichever team is in possession of the disc when the buzzer goes off loses that round.
The lights dimmed and Witherspoon got started. Her word was "curfew," which she described as when "you're a teenager and you have to be home at a certain time." She passed it to Usher, who helped Fallon guess "Buzz Lightyear" by using the character's famous phrase: "To infinity...and beyond!"
With the timer running out, Shiffrin and Fallon started to sweat. Witherspoon was handed the disc and got 9 to 5, which she accurately described as a movie starring Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. Unfortunately, the buzzer went off before Shiffrin figured out the answer. "Looks like you're getting the bronze tonight," Fallon joked, before professing, "I'm not a sore winner!"
Witherspoon kicked off the second round and selected the word "Germany." The Legally Blonde star said, "This is a country in Europe and they speak a foreign language. They like cake and they're always on time!" Shiffrin guessed correctly, and Usher completed his turn with ease. The disc made a full round before it went back to Shiffrin. Sadly, she mimicked a "trombone" just as the buzzer went off.
Usher and Fallon did a cute victory dance, and the comedian said, "We are the champions right there!"
The Emmy-nominated sitcom star and writer picked the Oscar winner's brain—and vice versa—at the Brentwood School's 2014 Young Women's Conference over the weekend. And as you might imagine, the conversation was both complimentary and comprehensive.
Saying that she wouldn't bother asking Witherspoon how she managed to juggle work and family so efficiently, Kaling did ask her about what "you do just for you and for fun? My answer would be nail art. Like a 14-year-old girl."
"Few people know this about me, but I like to take hip-hop dance classes. I'm not saying I'm good at hip-hop dance classes, I just enjoy taking them," Witherspoon revealed, per the Huffington Post. Asked what level she's at, she guessed, "I'd say a one or a two. That's the bottom. I liked taking dance classes when I was in high school and I was never any good at it. But they would bring three girls to the front and they'd say, 'Okay, watch Sarah for her arms. And watch Lily for her legs. And watch Reese for her personality.'"
Speaking of personality, Kaling told Witherspoon, "Something about you reminds me of Emma Thompson. She always plays intelligent characters."
To which the flattered Witherspoon replied, "She's really much smarter than I am."
Kaling, who probably can't help but be the smartest gal in a lot of rooms, said that, back when she was a teenager, "I think everyone thought I was smart, but my one best friend Emma used to say that I was funny. We'd do impressions of people who were mean to us."
"I've been asked what advice I would tell the 15-year-old version of myself so I wanted to ask that of you," Kaling told Witherspoon. "And also what is the aspect of your life now would the 15-year-old version of yourself would be the most surprised at?"
"Gosh, probably all of it," Witherspoon admitted. "Growing up in the South is much more of a conservative place. Even growing up in the ‘90s. I remember I got into Stanford and all of my girlfriends were going to Georgia or Ole Miss and the sensibility was people go to college, but you really just want to get married and have kids. But I was always ambitious."
In turn, she asked Kaling how the Mindy Project star handles being in the public eye, particularly when it comes to criticism.
"When you're an A-student, I was and still am addicted to feedback," Kaling said "I think that can be good sometimes, but something I had to learn when I got the new show was to only get that feedback from smart sources. People will say incredibly painful things and you can't understand how they can muster up the energy to feel such hatred towards you."
She continued, "One really nice thing is that girls come up to me a lot and say things like, 'You're a role model' or 'I wish I was your friend.' And for me that is what makes it all worth it. Having girls tell me that they wish they were my friend instead of saying my butt is too fat of my skin is bad. It feels good when someone says I wish you were my friend."
In response to Witherspoon's insistence that Kaling is indeed a great friend, Kaling replied, "I'm an OK friend. I'm a little bit of a freeloader, to be honest. You have the most beautiful Christmas party every year and this year I took sweets with me on the way out. There was a stack of little brownie bites and I took them."
It's a truly worthy cause, so we're glad to see that the stars stepped out in style for the charitable gala benefitting the American Cancer Society. And when it came to the red carpet, everyone earned high marks in the fashion department.
Host Reese was glowing in a bright orange Roland Mouret dress with a plunging neckline and white panels on the side. And fellow blonde Gwyneth Paltrow looked absolutely stunning in a cobalt blue David Koma cutout dress. We're having some major ab envy right now!
And then there was Selena Gomez, who also went for the cutout trend in a white wide-legged jumpsuit, and Anne Hathaway showed her love for the menswear trend in a Viktor & Rolf bedazzled blazer.
Another stunner? Jessica Alba, who looked simply beautiful in a dark berry lip and a white leather floral Ralph Lauren dress.
THE DRESS. Stylist Leslie Fremar came up with the color for Witherspoon’s gown in a dream, then tasked Calvin Klein with making it happen — and it certainly didn’t come together overnight. The collaboration began about a month ago and ended with one final fitting Sunday morning, culminating in a result Fremar was thrilled with. “I love the color. I love the fit. I felt like it was very modern. It was moving forward for her in terms of fashion,” Fremar tells PEOPLE. “I feel like it all came together like I wanted it to.”
Witherspoon herself contributed some design elements, like the striking racerback, and loved the dress enough to share a sketch on Instagram (below). “You could see it in her face, that she just felt really good in it,” Fremar says. “It was a collaboration and it really came together. Everyone was happy.”
One more fun element Fremar shared: The shoes were custom Christian Louboutins dyed perfectly to match. “I had them dyed the color of her dress, because I didn’t want any break in color,” Fremar says. “I sent them [a swatch] and they made the shoes to match.” Now that’s service.
THE MAKEUP. Mai Quynh chose warmer colors to play off Witherspoon’s tan skin and ocean-hued gown. She used Laura Mercier’s eyeshadows in “Earth Glow” and “Fire Glow” plus liner in “Brown Copper” for a golden look. “A lot of people asked me, ‘Why didn’t you do a dark smoky eye?’” Quynh tells PEOPLE. “I just thought that would take away from everything and not be as fresh and modern. I wanted a brighter eye.”
And Witherspoon is happy to put herself in Quynh’s hands for the best beauty results. “She’s so great, she trusts you. And she’ll ask questions, like ‘What’s this?’ She’s so interested,” the makeup artist says. “So I’m kind of giving her a lesson while we’re doing it! And at the end she was like, ‘Great, I love it, thanks!’” Can you blame her?
THE HAIR. Stylist Renato Campora saw the dress the day before to come up with the look he calls “simple, sophisticated, modern, quite Calvin Klein.” He used L’Oréal hair products to create a graphic, defined bob for her that was a little angular, finishing it with the brand’s Advanced Hairstyle Sleek It Strand-Smoother Serum Spray to make sure the very clean look stayed that way all night.
“There are so many elements, [like] the earrings, you work around what is there. We wanted to open up her face to show the neck which is beautiful,” he tells PEOPLE. And while he’s open to Witherspoon’s suggestions, she trusts his vision, just like she does Quynh. And in the end, “Reese was very, very happy. She felt beautiful. For me, when you create a hairstyle, it’s important that you combine the personality of who it is” with the style itself, he says. And it shows in her the way Witherspoon worked that red carpet all night!
What did you think of her whole look? Is it fun to see the sketch and the finished product?
The 37-year-old mother of three was photographed over the weekend wearing a striking purple two-piece while on a brief vacation with husband Jim Toth in Hawaii.
The “Legally Blonde” star and her husband made a quick trip to the 50th state for the wedding of “Hangover” actor Justin Bartha and personal trainer Lia Smith.
Weatherspoon’s most recent movie “Devil’s Knot” premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival and is set to hit theaters on January 24.
Reese and Jim Toth hit up the outdoor patio at Gjelina in Venice over the weekend. A source connected to Reese says she had a glass of wine with an early dinner and then walked around the area XMAS shopping for "several hours," and then got behind the wheel and drove home.
As you recall, Reese and Jim famously got arrested in Atlanta after a drunken night out on the town. Jim was busted for DUI. Reese was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Beyond.
Reese Witherspoon took her three kids out to lunch on Friday and you can bet that the tow-headed bunch made for a handsome picture—especially when big sister Ava took over carrying baby brother Tennessee.
Mom and her brood showed up at Lamonica's New York Pizza in Los Angeles' Westwood neighborhood at around 1:30 p.m. All seemed to be in a good mood and were laughing as they walked to the restaurant.
Also, none of them looked bothered by the chill: The high in L.A. today was around 64 degrees—and Ava and Deacon were in shorts and T-shirts!
Then again, it's always warmer in the sunshine—and the kids were probably just looking forward to pizza time.
Reese has been working close to home and has seemingly found plenty of time to play mom in recent weeks, judging by the near-daily set of paparazzi pics taken of her at the market, walking with the kids, etc.
She was spotted earlier this month sporting a brunette wig on the set of her latest movie, The Good Lie, but the quick-change artist was back to her normal blond later on the very same day.
In the past year, Adam Sandler's, Katherine Heigl's and Reese Witherspoon's movies didn't necessarily make a profit quite large enough to justify their salaries, which is why Forbes named these three the Most Overpaid Actors of 2013.
Per Forbes, calculations were based on the last three movies each actor starred in over the past three years ending June 1, 2013. Then they factored in each actor's pay with the film's budget and expenses to calculate a return on investment for each movie and then used the average of all three to get each star's overall return.
So why was Sandler no. 1 on the list of overpaid actors? Forbes points to Jack & Jill (in which he played both the brother and sister in the film) as well as That's My Boy (costarring Andy Samberg) for not faring as well as might've been expected. According to the site, Jack & Jill grossed $150 million, but cost an estimated $80 million to make. That's My Boy, on the other hand, had an estimated budget of $70 million and only brought in $57 million at the box office. According to Forbes' estimations, for every dollar Sandler was paid in his past three films, each movie returned an average of $3.40.
Heigl, Forbes estimated, returned an average $3.50 for every dollar she was paid, while Witherspoon brought in an average $3.90 for each dollar paid. Other actors high on the list included Nicolas Cage and Kevin James.
For the full list of overpaid actors—and the ones who bring in more bang for their buck—check it out at Forbes.com.
The 37-year-old actress posted a picture from The Good Lie set to her WhoSay page on Thursday, Dec. 5. Reese has long brunette locks in the selfie, taken alongside costar Arnold Oceng, and while this darker hue certainly suits the Oscar winner, it's far from permanent!
The very same day, Reese was snapped on her way into an L.A. chiropractor's office with her trademark blond tresses back intact! The Legally Blonde beauty's hair also hit just above her shoulders, making it several inches shorter than the brunette wig she wore on set.
Reese has crossed over to the dark side before, though. In March 2013, the mom of three went brunette. During this particular non-blond period, Reese was arrested for disorderly conduct after hubby Jim Toth was pulled over under the suspicion of driving while intoxicated. She was arrested after disobeying repeated instruction from a police officer to remain in their car.
She apologized, of course, and was even able to see the humor when pal Chelsea Handler joked that her "favorite project of [Reese's] was an overlooked short film" in which the actress "plays a very inebriated housewife defending her inebriated husband."
Hey, the past is the past! Sometimes bad things just happen when you stray too far from your roots.
Actress Reese Witherspoon was spotted stepping out to the Brentwood Country Mart on Wednesday alongside her daughter Ava (who is a spitting image of the star, by the way) and son Deacon, husband Jim Toth and her mother, Betty (not pictured). The couple's 14-month-old son Tennessee stayed at home with the nanny.
Reese was looking pretty chic for the errand run, wearing a multicolored printed knit sweater with cuffed jeans and black wedge-heel ankle boots, while her loved ones opted for a more casual and comfortable look. Toth also showed off his impressive Movember mustache.
The holidays may not be the only busy time of year for the star. It looks like Witherspoon may have an exciting awards season up ahead.
The first trailer for Devil's Knot has hit the web and her performance is living up to the hype and creating some potential Oscar buzz.
Witherspoon plays a grieving mother whose son has vanished without a trace. She is quickly overcome with emotions when she finds out her son was beaten to death just one day after disappearing. Devil's Knot, based on the best-selling book, follows the true story of three boys—Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr., famously known as the West Memphis Three—who were found guilty of murder.
The first trailer for Devil's Knot has hit the web and Reese Witherspoon's performance is living up to the hype.
In the sneak preview, Witherspoon plays a grieving mother whose son has vanished without a trace. She is quickly overcome with emotions when she finds out her son was beaten to death just one day after disappearing.
While her acting chops deserve plenty of praise, we are also impressed with the fact that Witherspoon was able to hide her pregnancy so easily. The 37-year-old, who delivered her third child shortly after shooting wrapped, hides her baby bump well with the help of some loose fitting ensembles. Bravo, wardrobe department!
Devil's Knot, based on the best-selling book, follows the true story of three boys—Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr., famously known as the West Memphis Three—who were found guilty of murder.
Instead of focusing on the three teenagers who were wrongly convicted, however, the film puts a spotlight on one of the grieving victims who has become bothered by the lynch-mob mentality of her fellow citizens.
In real life, Peter Jackson, Eddie Vedder, Margaret Cho and Natalie Maines were just some of the Hollywood stars who believed the trio was wrongly convicted.
One of their biggest supporters, in fact, was none other than Johnny Depp.
"Johnny has been with us every single step of the way since I got out," Echols told E! News after his release. "We've grown to love him dearly. He's become like a brother to me."
Whether you followed the high-profile case back in 1993 or you're just learning about it today, you won't want to miss Devil's Knot, hitting theatres in 2014.
The prospect of Meyers making this movie at that budget level generated excitement among distributors, and The Weinstein Company and Universal also gave chase. Meyers has shown a generational zeitgeist touch with scripts that include What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated. I’ve heard from some who’ve read it that this one really hits the mark and the modest budget is making it catnip to suitors. Meyers also writes great parts for actors, and this one seems strongly suited to Oscar winners De Niro and Witherspoon, both of whom Meyers hand-picked for the lead roles. CAA packaged the film, arranged the funding, and brokered the domestic deal with Warner Bros. Production will begin early next year.
Her Ojai, Calif., home, which has been on the market for over a year, may have very well found a buyer (finally!) after a major reduction in asking price.
The actress first listed the Spanish-style ranch home for $10 million, and eventually lowered it to $5.9 million to date, and we're guessing she's just happy to get it off her hands.
As for the picturesque property, it's certainly worth its weight in value, having been the venue for her wedding to husband Jim Toth last year and also the famed getaway for Robert Pattinson after his breakup with Kristen Stewart.
Talk about a cool claim to fame!
If the buyer follows celebrities at all, we're thinking they hit the jackpot!
The two-story home, which was also featured in Elle Décor, is filled with beauty and charm, and comes with all of the fixings, including three guest cottages, a swimming pool, barn, horse stables, carriage house, organic garden and much more.
Witherspoon's realtor Billy Rose of the Agency tells E! News that the grandiose home, located only 45 minutes from Los Angeles, is "unbelievably magical."
Rose says Witherspoon, like many others that have seen the estate, fell in love with it on first sight.
And for good reason!
The stunning pad features nine spacious bedrooms and seven baths and was originally built in 1921 by architect Wallace Neff.
The historic space, which was previously owned by actor Harold Ramis and celebrity designer Kathryn M. Ireland, is positively brimming with character including century-old hardware, fireplaces, arches, original stonework, Spanish tiles and plank floors, just to name a few.
It's the best of both worlds!
Witherspoon will play the founder of a highly successful fashion website who is prompted to take part in her company’s Senior Intern Program. She is assigned a 70ish widower who shows up with a suit and a briefcase. Turns out he ran his own successful business before retiring. What starts initially as a clash between old world and new world business values grows into something more as the intern becomes a mentor to the young entrepreneur. Meyers has shown a generational zeitgeist touch with scripts that include What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated. I’ve heard from some who’ve read it that this one really hits the mark and the modest budget is making it catnip to suitors. Meyers also writes great parts for actors, and this one seems strongly suited to Oscar winners De Niro and Witherspoon, both of whom Meyers hand-picked for the lead roles.
CAA packaged the film and arranged the funding, and Meyers will be at AFM today to explain her vision for her film. She’ll begin production early next year.
Reese Witherspoon stepped out for a fun family lunch date in Brentwood, Calif., on Sunday.
Witherspoon, 37, and her husband Jim Toth, their son Tennessee, and her kids with Ryan Phillippe, Ava and Deacon, had a meal at the Tavern Restaurant, which serves everything from salads to gourmet burgers to quail.
13-year-old daughter Ava once again showed an uncanny resemblance to her mom, with both wearing their shiny blond hair down and sporting sunglasses.
Witherspoon is currently producing and starring in Wild, a film based on Cheryl Strayed's 2012 best-seller about her 1,100-mile hike along the Pacific Coast Trail.
"You know, it's been a great opportunity for me," Witherspoon said last night at Elle's Women in Hollywood gala, where she was honored for work in the biz. "I've seen the world. I've met the most amazing people…It's afforded me many wonderful opportunities. So whatever they want to do with their lives, whatever dreams they have, I support them."
Awww.
Witherspoon has two children, Ava, 14, and Deacon, who turns 10 tomorrow, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe. She and her agent hubby, Jim Toth, have a 13-month-old son, Tennessee.
The young ones certainly have a mom to look up to.
"It's incredible," Witherspoon said of being honored by Elle. "I love this magazine. It's wonderful and I love this event because you get all these wonderful women, different ages, different countries and they're all just doing extraordinary things and extraordinary work in this business.
"And we all know as women, it's not easy," she said. "So it's really exciting to be here with these people who have really worked hard and gotten to this place in their lives."
You won't be seeing Witherspoon in one of her next projects. She's producing, but not acting in, director David Fincher's movie adaptation of Gone Girl. Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike star with Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry rounding out the cast.
Witherspoon said it "feels good" to be the boss woman (our job description, not hers).
"I like it," she said. "It's great to collaborate when people are so talented. I'm just thrilled that the movie is getting made so quickly…and this author Gillian Flynn, who is so talented, is having so much of her work produced now."
If you don't remember, the Oscar winner was arrested in April in Atlanta for disorderly conduct after her husband was pulled over under the suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Witherspoon was arrested after disobeying repeated instruction from a police officer to remain in their car.
"Personally, as a true friend, my favorite project of hers was an overlooked short film that she made earlier this year," Chelsea Handler said Monday night while presenting Witherspoon with an Elle Women in Hollywood Award at the Four Season Hotel in Beverly Hills. "She plays a very inebriated housewife defending her inebriated husband."
Just a few feet from the stage, Witherspoon doubled over in laughter in her seat. Her husband, talent agent Jim Toth, also laughed along at the joke. He was arrested that night for DUI.
"And if you haven't seen it, you can go on YouTube," Handler said.
Handler also cracked on Witherspoon's most famous comedy work, Legally Blonde.
"I've seen her naked and I can tell you, she was miscast," Handler said, causing practically everyone in the packed ballroom to howl. "A more appropriate title would have been Legally Bald."
Witherspoon shot back, "I don't know if I should thank you for that. Jesus!"
Witherspoon insisted earlier in the evening that she wasn't worried about what the E! talk show would say about her. "Any party," she said, "gets that much better when Chelsea Handler shows up."
Also honored by Elle were Shailene Woodley, Melissa McCarthy, Naomie Harris, Marion Cotillard, Eva Marie Saint and director Nancy Meyers.
For more from Elle's Women in Hollywood gala, make sure to tune into tonight's E! News at 7 p.m.
The magazine honored Reese Witherspoon, Melissa McCarthy, Marion Cotillard, Naomie Harris, Shailene Woodley, Eva Marie Saint and director Nancy Meyers at its 20th annual event Monday at the Four Seasons hotel.
All were introduced by admiring colleagues, and each shared how women had helped them succeed. Chelsea Handler said Witherspoon helped her get a movie role. McCarthy was introduced by Kathy Bates, whom she cited as an inspiration. Meyers said studio heads Sherry Lansing and Amy Pascal supported her career, and it's up to women to everywhere to vote with their wallets to support projects helmed by and starring women.
She noted there are no Men in Hollywood events.
Just a few weeks before Halloween, Reese Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth decided to have a family-friendly afternoon at the Brentwood Corn Festival in Los Angeles.
Wearing a blue scoop neck T-shirt with denim jeans and sunglasses, the 37-year-old mother of three was ready to tackle the day filled with petting zoos, arts-and-crafts and plenty of tasty fall treats.
As the proud parents switched off with stroller duties, the couple's baby boy, Tennessee, was able to get up close and personal with horses, ponies and goats. The adorable child even flashed a smile after locking eyes with the four-legged creatures.
When not taking in the sights and sounds of fall, the Legally Blonde star and her family were often found chatting with a few famous faces.
Kevin Nealon ran into the famous family and shared a friendly hug. Adam Sandler also said hello as he enjoyed the festivities with his daughters, Sadie and Sunny. What a small world!
With two big projects in her near future including the role of Cheryl Strayed in Wild, Witherspoon appears to be spending any free time with those closest to her.
Enjoy the season, Reese! We can't wait to see what Halloween brings to your lovely family.
The blond actress shared the pic on her WhoSay account and captioned the shot, "So excited to play @CherylStrayed in a movie!"
The 37-year-old celeb is seen wearing a bright blue backpack and boots similiar to Strayed's fateful footware while hiking through rugged terrain. She appears to be wearing minimal—if any—makeup along with a worn-in T-shirt.
Witherspoon is taking on the role of the real-life Strayed, who documented her arduous 1,000-mile trek through the Pacific Crest Trail in her moving 2012 memoir.
The book follows the trials and tribulations of Strayed's journey as she travels on foot (sometimes without boots!) from the Mojave Desert to the state of Washington. Strayed took on the challenge after the death of her mother and end of her marriage brought her to the brink of despair.
Since then, things have been looking up. The book became a bestseller after it was featured in Oprah's Book Club.
And Witherspoon isn't the only one who's excited about the role.
Strayed herself tweeted a heartfelt response to the actress' behind-the-scenes glimpse.
"The first photo of Reese Witherspoon as me in 1995!" she wrote. "Crazy beautiful amazing to see this."
"Having kids made me clearer about who I was as a woman. I just wanted to exhibit good qualities for my daughter. I was a little competitive before I had kids — probably really competitive, to be honest," Witherspoon told Elle in a recent interview. "It really made me let go of that."
Witherspoon had her first child, daughter Ava, when she was 23. She also has a 9-year-old son, Deacon, and a 1-year-old son, Tennessee. Having children, the Oscar winner said, gave her direction. "Somebody was saying to me the other day, 'Oh, people get less interesting when they have kids.' I just don't think that's true," Witherspoon said. "I feel like I was so confused before I had kids, I almost got in my own way."
Although Witherspoon says she's less competitive these days, she's just as busy as ever. In addition to starring in films, most recently in the indie Mud, she is also producing movies under her Pacific Standard production company (which, appropriately, was formerly called Type A Films). Witherspoon's company is next producing the highly anticipated film adaptation of the hit literary thriller Gone Girl.
"I started noticing a couple years ago that I wasn't seeing women as the stars of movies," she said. "I'm seeing them as the guys' girlfriends, or so-and-so's wife. I just thought: God, if I don't start buckling down and start producing some movies, what's my daughter going to see in the movies?"
The A-list actress looks stunning in a sexy black Versace dress that manages to show off just a hint of décolletage.
In the issue, Witherspoon reveals one of the biggest reasons that she decided to go into producing films and how her children have changed her (for the better).
"I started noticing a couple years ago that I wasn't seeing women as the stars of movies. I'm seem them as the guys' girlfriends, or so-and-so's wife," she explained.
"I just thought, 'God, if I don't start buckling down and start producing some movies, what's my daughter going to see in the movies?"
And speaking of her daughter, the Legally Blonde star confessed that her most important role to date has been being a mother to her three kids.
"I feel like I was so confused before I had kids, I almost got in my own way. Having kids made me clearer about who I was as a woman."
Witherspoon added, "I was a little competitive before I had kids—probably really competitive, to be honest. [Motherhood] has really made me let go of that."
Melissa McCarthy also appears on the cover—looking positively glamorous, we might add.
The Bridesmaids star revealed to the fashion mag that she's got a bit of a girl crush on one of the funniest ladies in Tinseltown right now.
"I watch Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Veep and she is so good, because she is playing the world's biggest a--hole narcissist, and yet you can't take your eyes off of her. In fact, you still strangely like her and almost want to hang with her."
(Side note: McCarthy and Louis-Dreyfus on the big screen together would be amazing, right?!)
Meanwhile, the third cover girl Shailene Woodley shared her plans for the future and where she sees herself in the next five years.
"I'm so young, and I'm single, and I just want to drift. I'm just going to be a drifter. I want to do something totally different before Insurgent. Maybe I'll work in a tea shop or live in Amsterdam or be a nanny. Life experience only helps us as actors. I need new experiences to draw upon."
And last, but certainly not least, new mother Penélope Cruz also landed a coveted cover spot.
The Spanish actress—who just recently gave birth to her second child—told the magazine that she's never felt quite comfortable with all of the fame and attention that comes with the territory.
"The concept of a 'star' will always sound foreign and surreal to me because growing up in my country, you're an actor, not a star."
All four lovely ladies may come from different walks of life, but their profession brings them together to a caliber all their own.
The 37-year-old mother of three is ready to add some magic to the big screen in her latest project just announced.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Witherspoon will star in Happily Ever After, a Disney film hoping to add a fresh spin to the popular fairy-tale genre.
The movie will follow a prince and a princess almost 10 years after they rode off into the sunset for their "happily ever after." Like many couples today, the magical duo will quickly learn marriage is no fairy tale and hard work is necessary to keep relationships strong.
Even though the plot may sound a bit dramatic, (at least for Disney standards) fans will be happy to know the movie's creator is none other than Nahnatchka Khan, the mastermind behind ABC's hilarious comedy Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.
Witherspoon's new role couldn't come at a better time.
The self-proclaimed Disney fan hasn't starred in a family film since 2009's Monsters vs. Aliens.
In addition, we can't help but imagine how excited Witherspoon's three kids are at the idea of seeing their mom as a real-life princess.
As the actress waits to find out who her Prince Charming will be on the big screen, we have someone in mind. Hey, Robert Pattinson, are you up for a Water for Elephants reunion?
Congratulations, Reese, on the new gig. We're already excited to see it!
The actress was spotted running errands around Los Angeles on Friday but made sure to rock two different looks between the morning and afternoon.
For her first ensemble, the actress sported a casual oxblood sweater (so on trend!) with a pair of distressed jeans. She accessorized with studded Valentino flats and Thierry Lasry sunglasses that perfectly framed her face.
But one outfit wasn't enough for the fit fashionista.
She stepped out hours later rocking even more of the latest duds from her enviable closet.
The mother of three opted for a sexy leather skirt (in a similar shade to her earlier sweater), and a pair of edgy ankle booties.
The fit-and-flare shape helped to accentuate one of the star's best assets: her gorgeous gams!
And with a few key accessories switched up, she managed to pull off daytime leather like a pro.
If there's one thing that we know we can always count on the Legally Blonde actress for, it's to look effortlessly chic at all times.
Case in point (aside from Friday's two stellar examples): her fabulous fashions while traveling to the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month.
Between a cozy flannel and a pair of trusty skinny jeans, the A-lister managed to race through the terminals without missing a sartorial beat.
Looking good, Reese!
But bottom line: this casual, cool look on the Academy Award winner defines the difference between the two coastal hubs, fashion-wise at least. Reese is as SoCal as they come strolling out of her L.A. lunch in a look fit for everything from a business meeting to a birthday party—all in the two most basic colors of all.
What makes this outfit so obviously west coast is the blousey, light nature of the look. In New York that white top would be tighter and feature a longer sleeve. The skirt would be longer and definitely more form-fitting. And Reese would likely be wearing a closed or at the very most peep-toed shoe.
See the difference? It's all in the details. Though, we admit that gorgeous statement necklace would receive rave reviews on either side of the country, as would the over-sized bag. So maybe Reese is more of a great equalizer than a great divider, despite her Cali blonde hair.
It seems as if Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal nearly bumped into each other while out and about Beverly Hills on Monday.
After getting her hair done at a nearby salon, the Oscar winner was apparently making her way through a parking lot, where her ex-boyfriend just happened to be getting into his car, the Daily Mail reports.
However, the Mail was quick to point out that the two either didn't see each other or simply chose not to exchange pleasantries.
Either way, Witherspoon (and her 'do) nevertheless looked pretty fabulous in a short red skirt. Of course, Gyllenhaal, with his hair slicked back, didn't look too shabby himself.
The pair began dating after apparently falling for each other while making the 2007 drama Rendition. When they split in 2009, a source told E! News that the breakup was completely amicable. "There are no other people involved," the source said at the time. "The relationship just ended. It fizzled."
In March 2011, Witherspoon married Jim Toth. They welcomed son Tennessee last September.
As for Gyllenhaal, he and Sports Illustrated model Alyssa Miller have been dating since at least mid-June.
Witherspoon remains with CAA. Said O’Neill: “The time has come for us to go our separate ways after 19 years. I am so proud of her career and everything we accomplished together.” O’Neill continues to rep clients that include Julianne Moore, Salma Hayek, 42‘s Chadwick Boseman, Zach Braff, Bryce Dallas Howard, Greta Gerwig, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bartha and Michael Chiklis.
Actress Reese Witherspoon was spotted enjoyed the holiday with her family and close friends in Malibu.
The Oscar winner soaked up the sun and enjoyed the beautiful California weather in a festive outfit. Wearing a blue-and-white polka-dot one-piece with red manicured nails, Witherspoon did not disappoint when it came to displaying American pride.
With sunglasses in her hand and a beige hat on top of her blond locks, Witherspoon was also well prepared to catch some rays outside her friend's gorgeous home.
While the 37-year-old New Orleans native enjoyed the sun, husband Jim Toth and baby boy Tennessee decided to venture out and explore the neighborhood with a walk on the beach.
Wearing blue board shorts and a classic Disneyland baseball cap, Toth looked like a beach regular as he held his son during an afternoon stroll. Now that's father-son bonding at its best!
When the sun began to set and the temperatures cooled down, the entire family was able to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city's firework display.
"Happy 4th of July! #fromseatoshiningsea," the actress shared on her WhoSay page with a view of a bright and colorful firework bursting into the air.
Wish we were there to celebrate with you, girl!
Witherspoon, however, wasn't the only Hollywood star who enjoyed the holiday near the water.
America's Got Talent judge Heidi Klum chose a more revealing bathing suit when she posed at the beach and wished her Twitter followers a Happy Fourth! One again, Klum proves she is bikini-ready anytime of the year.
Ireland Baldwin added a little romance to her holiday when she posted an Instagram picture of herself cozying up to boyfriend Slater Trout on a paddleboard. That might be a little too adventurous for some of us.
Finally, "Party in the USA" singer Miley Cyrus chose to vacation in the Bahamas for her Fourth of July. After promoting her new single "We Can't Stop" nonstop last week, we're glad the pop star had a little R&R.
With all these stars celebrating by the beach, a trip to the water this weekend sure sounds great!
The 37-year-old Oscar winner stepped out in L.A. today with her 9-month-old son for a visit to the doctor's office for a checkup.
A bigger-than-ever Tennessee looked adorable in a black and white striped onesie (not to mention his bright blue eyes and blond hair) while being carried in Witherspoon's arms.
His movie star mama, who was flashing a big smile, sported blue and white paisley shorts with matching navy blue top. She completed her outfit with sunglasses and a big yellow purse on her shoulder.
Tennessee must be getting adventurous as he's growing up because he was also wearing two orange Band-Aids, one on his left foot and another on his left thigh.
Last week, Reese and Tennessee were snapped running errands in L.A.'s Brentwood neighborhood looking just as adorable together.
Little Tennessee, who will turn 1-year-old on Sept. 27, is Witherspoon's first child with husband of two years Jim Toth. She also has two kids, Ava, 13, and Deacon, 9, with ex-hubby Ryan Phillippe.
"Ever since I had the baby, I can't remember anything," she told Red magazine earlier this year after giving birth to Tennessee. "Serious, this child stole my brain. I'm losing friendships over forgetting to get back to people. But you can't keep up with everything. I've got a 13-year-old [Ava], a 9-year-old [Deacon] and a baby."
"It's like CNN ticker tape running through my mind at all times [puts on robotic voice]: ‘Where is Ava? She's okay. Good. Where is Deacon? He's okay. Good. Where is Tennessee? Is he okay? Yes. Great. Back to Ava...' It doesn't stop."
And if Tennessee takes after his sis Ava (aka Reese Witherspoon's mini-me look-alike), he'll end up inheriting his mom's good looks for sure!
Keep up the cute outings, you two!
The Mud star and her 9-month-old baby boy stepped out for some shopping Thursday in Brentwood, Calif., looking very preppy-chic in their complementary outfits.
Mama Reese looked very all-American in a striped cardigan, basic white blouse and ankle-length blue jeans. She also wore red shoes and a matching red belt, all while holding Tennessee on one side and two large retail bags in the other!
Tennessee kept it simple in a navy Polo onesie, but his shoes couldn't compare with his mom's! (To be fair, he was barefoot.)
And as much as Reese clearly adores little Tennessee, there were some drawbacks that followed the birth of her third child.
"Ever since I had the baby, I can't remember anything," she told Red magazine. "Serious, this child stole my brain. I'm losing friendships over forgetting to get back to people. But you can't keep up with everything. I've got a 13-year-old [Ava], a 9-year-old [Deacon] and a baby."
She continued: "It's like CNN ticker tape running through my mind at all times [puts on robotic voice]: ‘Where is Ava? She's okay. Good. Where is Deacon? He's okay. Good. Where is Tennessee? Is he okay? Yes. Great. Back to Ava...' It doesn't stop."
Well, it might be a lot of work, but it sure looks like Reese has a pretty good handle on balancing it all!
Reese filed the lawsuit against Marketing Advantages International -- which runs the jewelry website Emitations.com -- claiming it exploited her name and face to sell jewelry and other stuff, including a knockoff of her engagement ring.
The deal breaker ... Reese insists she never gave the company permission to use her to hawk its wares.
She's suing for lots of dough ... it's just beyond.
The blond beauty was spotted shopping in Brentwood, Calif., where she looked adorable in a white blazer, printed skirt and high-heeled sandals.
That is, until an unexpected gust of wind blew up the actress' skirt, accidentally explosing her bum to a bevy of snap-happy shutterbugs.
Luckily, the This Means War star quickly pulled down her skirt, saving herself from what could have been a far more embarassing moment.
Talk about pulling a Britney Spears!
And no, we don't mean the Anne Hathaway kind.
Pic is a female driven comedy about a cop and a prisoner on the run in Texas, with crooked cops in hot pursuit. Witherspoon is coming off the Jeff Nichols-directed Mud, and she will star alongside Keanu Reeves in Passengers, the sci-fi film that was bought by The Weinstein Company at Cannes. She will next be seen starring in the Atom Egoyan-directed drama Devil’s Knot about the West Memphis 3 case, and she’ll next star for Paul Thomas Anderson in Inherent Vice. She’s repped by CAA and Management 360. Besides the hit ABC series Modern Family, Vergara most recently starred in The Three Stooges, with Machete Kills upcoming. She’s repped by CAA, Latin World Entertainment and Untitled. Fox is repped by WME, Quaintance by CAA and Art/Work, and Feeney by UTA.
When Reese Witherspoon and her 13-year-old daughter Ava Phillippe departed Los Angeles International Airport for Paris on Saturday, the mother and daughter's resemblance couldn't be ignored.
Both wearing their long blonde hair down and sporting sunglasses, Witherspoon, 37, and Phillippe even appeared to have the same stance as they gripped their carry-on bags and walked through the airport.
Last September, Witherspoon – who is also mom to Deacon, 9 (with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, and Tennessee James, 8 months, with husband Jim Toth – told British TV show, Daybreak she was weary about her daughter becoming a teenager.
"I don't know anything about teenagers, so I'm on a big learning curve here," she said. "This is the time I start asking all my friends who have kids who are older, 'What do you do about a cell phone? What are your rules about the computer? Is she allowed to go out with friends or is she not?' So I learn a lot from other mothers."
The actress later shared photos of the Parisian vacation on her Twitter page, writing "Dinner in Paris."
The working mom enjoyed some time off from filming her latest movie, The Good Lie, to partake in a little retail therapy.
Wearing a denim jacket, free-flowing skirt and short gray boots, the 37-year-old embraced the sunny Los Angeles weather as she grabbed lunch and shopped around nearby businesses.
In recent weeks, Witherspoon has been enjoying plenty of family time with her kids and hubby Jim Toth.
Whether attending her kids' soccer games or enjoying lunch dates with her man, the actress is getting back to her normal routine in style.
Things certainly are looking bright this summer for Witherspoon!
Reese Witherspoon was all smiles when she went on a shopping spree yesterday morning in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles that she calls home.
The actress looked as if she had just finished a workout, sporting running pants, tennis shoes and a black top.
And while balancing multiple shopping bags, the Legally Blonde star was able to somehow maintain a convo on her cell phone!
Now that's some impressive juggling skills.
Witherspoon's been keeping extra-busy lately. Between shooting films, the mother of three has managed to grow a lovely herb and vegetable garden just in time for the summer season.
What a multi-talented mom!
Reese Witherspoon stepped out for a shopping trip on Wednesday looking very cheerful! The back-to-blond star flashed her signature grin while shopping at Whole Foods in Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
If her smile wasn't telling enough, the actress' sunny orange frock further also reflected her good spirits. The simple sheath was paired with a simple tan belt, sandals and leather tote. She also picked up a bouquet of cheerful yellow tulips—who could be in a bad mood carrying spring flowers?
The actress isn't letting her recent brush with the law get her down—following her arrest and public apology, Reese has hopped right back into her normal routine: attending son Decon's football games and enjoying QT with her hubby Jim Toth.
Reeves will star as a passenger on a spacecraft transporting thousands of people to a distant planet. Due to a malfunction in a sleep chamber, he awakens years before anyone else. All alone on the vessel, he decides to wake up another passenger (Witherspoon).
The concept and script have been popular for a few years, but the package for it did not come together until the past few months with both Reeves and Witherspoon signing on in the past month and a half.
"Game of Thrones" director Brian Kirk will make his feature directing debut from a script by "Prometheus" writer Jon Spaihts. Wayfare Entertaiment will finance and produce the film. Wayfare's Ben Browning will produce with Reeves and Stephen Hamel.
CAA handled the domestic rights while Exclusive Media is still shopping the movie overseas.
Headed into the festival Exclusive Media international sales chief Alex Walton described the movie as "big in terms of scale and ambition, and more than that, a big movie in terms of commercial potential."
The Weinstein Company has bought into that, with Deadline, which first reported the acquisition, claiming that TWC paid several million for the rights with a much larger marketing commitment. The New York-based company already plopped down $6 million for Stephen Frears' "Philomena" and also acquired "Suite Francaise."
McConaughey, in one of the most nuanced and complex performances of his career, plays an outlaw in contemporary times. None of his usual leading man swagger and arrogance is in evidence. In its place is McConaughey's submergence into a character who is charismatic, flawed, probably dangerous and yet compelling all the same.
Mud, the character, is on the run, having a killed a man in Texas. The victim's criminal family members are tracking him down through a hardass bounty hunter. The manhunt has moved to Arkansas on the banks of the Mississippi River. We meet familiar faces with Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon and Joe Don Baker in key supporting roles.
But this movie is not really about Mud or the other adults. It is about the two teenaged boys who discover that Mud has hidden himself in an abandoned boat caught up in a tree on an uninhabited island during a past flood. The makeshift hideout is now perched high above the ground, an aerie for a wounded bird of prey.
The three protagonists establish an uneasy alliance. Mud needs the boys to get him food, keep his location secret and help him contact his tragic lover (Reese Witherspoon in a virtual cameo role). There is a reason Mud chose this town to hole up in.
The boys, meanwhile, need to learn about life, specifically the "muddy" areas of moral choices and the even more opaque realities of romantic relationships. This turns the movie into a superior coming-of-age and rites-of-passage story. Writer-director Nichols gives us a heightened thriller-style drama with layers of subtext, much like Stand by Me or River's Edge. The boys are so skillfully played that Mud also plays like cinema verite. Nichols' fluid camerawork suggests a documentary-style approach. That helps these young lads transform into flesh-and-blood characters who get our attention and support.
One is played by Tye Sheridan, the exciting kid actor from Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life. Sheridan has the potential to morph into the next Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Sheridan's companion in this adventure is played by an Arkansas youth, Jacob Lofland, who has never acted before. Playing Neckbone (great name!), Lofland just 'is" on-screen, the real deal. That is a testament both to Lofland's naturalism and Nichols' skills. Great child performances come from a delicate collaboration.
Nichols has other talents, too. He is a wonderful storyteller who rarely overplays the plot. While Mud the movie is neither as electrifying nor as mysterious as Nichols' masterwork Take Shelter, it does hold us throughout. We are plunged deeply into the muddy Mississippi of legend. It is no accident that Sheridan and Lofland invoke memories of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. These are boys who learn about life by living it.
The pair, who landed in the Big Apple yesterday, were spotted having a nice lunch with a friend out on the patio at Soho House while enjoying the spring sunshine earlier today.
The back-to-blond Witherspoon wore a bright fuschia top (which seems to be her favorite color at the moment) while intently focusing on what we're assuming was her pal's conversation, as Toth—who looks dapper in a crisp, white button-up and striped tie—sipped his beverage.
Witherspoon, who's been keeping busy shooting The Good Lie in Atlanta, and her man have seemingly been getting back into the swing of things following their arrest last month.
Just last weekend, the duo were caught stealing a smooch while cheering on Reese's son Deacon during his soccer game in Brentwood, Calif.
How sweet.
The Legally Blonde actress was spotted catching a flight in New York City sporting her trademark blond locks.
The actress was joined by husband Jim Toth and the two both seemed to be in good spirits as they boarded their flight.
Witherspoon paired her newly-dyed 'do with a bright fuchsia scarf, jeans and a cardigan. Perfect airport style, if we must say so!
The two looked happier than ever despite their legal run-in last month that resulted in both Toth and Witherspoon being arrested in Atlanta.
She plead no contest and will pay a fine for obstruction, while hubby Toth plead guilty to his DUI charge.
Returning to her blond roots, Reese Witherspoon was spotted cheering on her son Deacon during his soccer game on Saturday in Brentwood, Calif., alongside hubby Jim Toth, who made sure to sneak a quick smooch with his lady while on the sidelines.
The pair dressed cazh while trying to beat the heat, with Toth wearing khakis, a white T-shirt, baseball cap and shades, while Reese rocked a blue blouse with white shorts and her hair pulled back into a low bun with a fedora and a pair of shades, too.
This is one of the few times the duo have been out together in public since their arrest in Atlanta. After their legal run-in, the actress pleaded no contest to the charge of obstruction of a person, and Toth pleaded guilty to first offense DUI.
Toth felt "guilty" for getting his wife involved in the legal mess, but something tells us she's not holding it against him.
The Oscar-winning actress was all smiles as she met up Wednesday with former hubby Ryan Phillippe at a track and field event for their two children, 13-year-old Ava and 9-year-old son Deacon.
According to X17online, the exes chatted and looked to be getting on well.
"Reese and Ryan talked for a very long time, and they were smiling and laughing," an eyewitness told the site. "They had a lot to say to each other, which is very unusual."
Noticeably absent, however, was Reese's 42-year-old husband, Jim Toth.
The agent and his Legally Blonde missus made headlines on April 19 after he was busted for over for driving under the influence in Atlanta and Witherspoon ended up being taken into custody after disobeying an officer's orders to stay in the vehicle.
Toth subsequently pleaded guilty last Thursday to a first offense DUI and was put on probation and given community service while Witherspoon entered a plea of no contest and paid a fine.
Tricianne Taylor, who wed the Legally Blonde star's dad John last year, has gone public with her concerns in the pages of the National Enquirer, insisting the damning police arrest video from Witherspoon's regretful night in Atlanta, Georgia last month is proof her stepdaughter has issues.
The actress refused to stay in her car when police officers pulled the vehicle over to question the driver, Witherspoon's husband Jim Toth.
She then challenged one of the officers as he performed field sobriety tests to determine if Toth, who was charged with a DUI, had been drinking.
Witherspoon has since apologized for her embarrassing public outburst, but the stepmother she has never met is convinced she needs help.
Taylor tells the National Enquirer that the actress is "not the sweet, innocent girl next door that her fans think she is," and adds, "Based on Reese's behaviour in those police videos following her recent arrest, I believe she has a serious drinking problem and needs to get professional help."
The Oscar winner flashed an infectious grin as she strolled through Los Angeles on Tuesday. Stylishly dressed, the 37-year-old Mud star definitely appeared to be in an upbeat mood.
Nearly three weeks ago, Witherspoon and her husband, Jim Toth, were arrested in Atlanta. The actress later pleaded no contest to a charge of obstruction of another after disobeying a police officer's command to stay in her car, and paid a fine of $313.
Toth, meanwhile, pleaded guilty to DUI in a plea bargain. He was placed on 12 months' probation and sentenced to perform 40 hours of community service and attend an alcohol education program, a Mothers Against Drunk Driving class and pay a fine, as a result.
After a busy week dealing with the fallout surrounding her April 19 disorderly conduct arrest – which included an appearance on Good Morning America – the actress, 37, seems to have made peace with her run-in with the law.
The mother of three was photographed sporting a hat with the City of Atlanta Police Department's insignia on it when she arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday.
On Thursday, Witherspoon and her husband Jim Toth – who was arrested for DUI – entered pleas. The couple will pay a few hundred dollars in fines and Toth was ordered to perform 40 hours of community service and attend an alcohol education program.
"The pending criminal matters against Ms. Reese Witherspoon and Mr. Jim Toth have been resolved," says Ronda "Roni" Graham, Deputy Solicitor for the Municipal Court of Atlanta, in a statement at the time.
The footage, obtained from law enforcement sources, shows the officer arresting Reese's husband Jim Toth for DUI in the early morning hours of April 19.
Reese -- who since admitted she was hammered at the time -- decided to butt in during the arrest ... and the officer obviously wasn't having it and cartoonishly enforced the law with a vengeance.
In fact, the cop warned Reese several times to sit down and be quiet so he could focus on Jim -- Witherspoon didn't exactly comply.
Instead, Reese got in the officer's face ... and annoyed him to the point that he arrested her for disorderly conduct. Here are some of Reese's finest quotes during the incident:
Reese: "Do you know my name sir?"
Officer: "Don't need to know."
Reese "You don't NEED to know my name?"
Officer: "Not quite yet."
Reese: "YOU'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT WHO I AM!"
Reese: "I have done nothing against the law."
Officer: "Yes you did, you didn't obey my orders."
Reese: "I HAVE TO OBEY YOUR ORDERS??"
Reese: "I'm now being arrested and handcuffed??"
Reese: "I'm an American citizen ... I'm allowed to stand on American ground."
Reese: "You better not arrest me."
Reese: "I'm being anti-American?"
Officer: "Yes, please sit down."
Reese: "Wow!"
Reese: "You're harassing me as an American citizen"
And the best line -- "I'm obstructing your justice?"
After Reese's tirade, Jim actually told the cop, "I'm sorry, I had nothing to do with that!"
During the arrest, Reese also told the cop she was pregnant and needed to pee. She later confessed on "GMA" that she panicked and said "crazy things" because her husband was being arrested.
Funny moment during the bust ... the officer instructs Toth to blow hard during a breathalyzer test -- coaching him along the way, "Blow! blow! blow! blow! blow! blow! blow!"
But Toth blew TOO HARD ... and the cop had to do the whole thing all over again.
Just one day after learning that the A-lister has signed on to produce the American version of Get Her Off the Pitch, E! News confirms that Witherspoon is currently in talks to join fellow actor Keanu Reeves in the sci-fi love story Passengers.
The Brian Kirk-directed film reportedly focuses around a starship passenger (Reeves) who prematurely thaws from a frozen slumber nearly a century early. Feeling a little lonely, he decides to wake up a female to keep him company (possibly Witherspoon).
Should Reese sign on to the flick, it will be one of the first projects she'll be tied to since her disorderly conduct arrest last month.
Witherspoon addressed the situation this morning on Good Morning America, saying, "We went out to dinner in Atlanta and we had one too many glasses of wine. We thought we were fine to drive and we absolutely were not…We know better and we shouldn't have done that."
She adds that she was "disrespectful" to the arresting officer and that her behavior was "completely unacceptable and we [she and husband Jim Toth] are so sorry and embarrassed."
The talent agent and husband of Reese Witherspoon plead guilty Thursday in an Atlanta court and was ordered to pay a fine, PEOPLE confirms.
Additionally, Toth was ordered to perform 40 hours of community service and attend an alcohol education program, according to TMZ, who adds that he was also placed on 12-month probation.
The judge told Toth: "Consider yourself fortunate you didn't injure your passenger and didn't kill anyone."
Witherspoon, 37, who was arrested for disorderly conduct at the time of her husband's arrest, apparently plead no contest to the infraction caused by refusing to stay in the car under police orders. Her lawyer, Bruce Morris, appeared in court on her behalf and reportedly was informed the actress will be ordered a $213 fee.
"We went out to a restaurant in Atlanta, and we had one too many glasses of wine," Witherspoon said Thursday on Good Morning America. "We thought we were fine to drive and we were absolutely not. And we are so sorry and just so embarrassed. We know better and we shouldn't have done that."
Reese -- who was arrested for disorderly conduct April 19 after disobeying an officer's order to stay in the car -- pled no contest to the infraction. You'll recall during her husband's arrest an inebriated Reese asked the cop, "Do you know my name?" She also told him he was gonna be on national news.
Reese -- who was not present but represented by her lawyer, Bruce Morris -- entered the plea to physical obstruction of another and will pay a $213 fine, and that's it.
As for Jim, he was in court and pled guilty to driving under the influence. He'll get no jail time but he must perform 40 hours of community service and attend an alcohol education program. He's been placed on probation for 12 months.
The judge said to Jim, "Consider yourself fortunate you didn't injure your passenger [Reese] and didn't kill anyone."
This is an unusual move for celebrities, who often try and spin their legal woes. Reese was on GMA this morning ... saying she and Jim took full responsibility for their screw-ups and even admitted they exercised really bad judgment when he got behind the wheel drunk.
Her GMA appearance was just hours before Reese and Jim essentially said the same thing to a judge -- accepting responsibility and taking their lumps.
The Oscar winner blamed her and her husband's arrests on "poor judgment."
"We went out to dinner in Atlanta, and we had one too many glasses of wine. We thought we were fine to drive, and we absolutely were not," Witherspoon said. "It's just completely unacceptable and we are so sorry and embarrassed. We know better, and we shouldn't have done that."
Witherspoon was arrested after she disobeyed the arresting officer's orders to stay in the car. According to the arrest report, she said to the officer, "Do you know my name? You're about to find out who I am."
The actress told Stephanopoulos that she was mortified by her actions. "I have no idea what I was saying that night," Witherspoon said, adding that she "panicked" when she saw Toth being handcuffed. "I said all kinds of crazy things. I told [the officer] I was pregnant. I'm not pregnant. ... I was so disrespectful to him."
The most difficult thing about the incident, Witherspoon said, was having to explain it to her older children, Ava, 13, and Deacon, 9. (She also has a 7-month-old son, Tennessee James, with Toth.)
"You just have to be honest with them," she said. "We are taking responsibility and doing everything in our power to make it right."
Truss, once a self-described proud sports atheist, was sent on a lark by her editor to cover the World Cup. Her readers were amused, and Truss eventually spent four years covering major sporting events throughout Europe and America, writing humorous and somewhat academic essays. Along the way, she slowly became a convert, discovering the significance of sport, and how it affected her own life and relationships. Get Her Off The Pitch was never published in the U.S., but Goodloe discovered it in a bookstore while on a trip to Sydney. He transplanted Truss’ story to an American sport.
This seems like a good fit for Witherspoon, who has done well with fish-out-of-water pics from Legally Blonde to Sweet Home Alabama. It becomes another strong project she and Papandrea have set up to produce under their Pacific Standard banner at Fox. They include Gone Girl, the Gillian Flynn bestseller that I keep hearing will be David Fincher’s next film. Witherspoon just opened opposite Matthew McConaughey in the Jeff Nichols-directed Mud. Goodloe most recently adapted the Nicholas Sparks novel The Best Of Me for Warner Bros and director Michael Hoffman. Witherspoon is repped by CAA and Evelyn O’Neill at Management 360. Goodloe is repped by UTA and Eryn Brown at Management 360.
The recently brunette star was spotted on the Atlanta set of her latest movie, The Good Lie, earlier today, all dolled up in high brown boots, a denim skirt, plaid top and tan leather jacket.
And this isn't the first time we've seen Reese in this city-meets-country style.
Witherspoon was snapped on set earlier this month rocking a turquoise top and matching earrings, along with another denim skirt and the same pair of brown boots, which may just be her character's go-to wardrobe staple.
The Good Lie is based on a true story about a young refugee of the civil war in Sudan and, per IMDb, the "straight-talking Americanc woman" (Witherspoon) who gives him a new home in the U.S.
Ugandan-born Brit Arnold Oceng from My Brother The Devil stars opposite the Oscar winner.
After attending the premiere of her latest film, Mud, last weekend in New York, Witherspoon jetted back to L.A. for family time before she had to head east again to Atlanta.
Although her shocking arrest last week may already be a hint that the sweet Southern belle has her moments, the actress opened up about multiple aspects of her life in an interview with the U.K.'s June issue of Red magazine (which was conducted prior to her run-in with the law), in which she gives thanks to those who help her through them.
"I don't know what I would have done so many times in my life if I hadn't had my girlfriends," Witherspoon says of the support from her closest pals.
"They have literally gotten me up out of bed, taken my clothes off, put me in the shower, dressed me, said, ‘Hey, you can do this,' put my high heels on and pushed me out the door! But you do have to work at friendships as much as you would any relationship."
Reese's loss of memory since giving birth to her third child, Tennessee, also contributes to experiencing some rough patches here and there.
"Ever since I had the baby, I can't remember anything. Serious, this child stole my brain. I'm losing friendships over forgetting to get back to people. But you can't keep up with everything. I've got a 13-year-old, a nine-year-old and a baby," notes the thesp.
"It's like CNN ticker tape running through my mind at all times [puts on robotic voice]: ‘Where is Ava? She's okay. Good. Where is Deacon? He's okay. Good. Where is Tennessee? Is he okay? Yes. Great. Back to Ava...' It doesn't stop."
But regardless of the troubles that she might run into, Witherspoon has proved that she knows what she's doing, which is evident through her continuing success—something Reese is just now beginning to take pride in, and is urging other women to do the same.
"As women, we shrug and smile and say, ‘Oh...me?' because it makes it socially acceptable for us to be successful," she says. "But there is a balance between being an arrogant jerk and being someone who is proud of their accomplishments. We need to let successful women show off and support them.
"Because men don't spend any time putting themselves down. They don't waste their breath. You have to be the best version of yourself and, if that means you have to be a bit self-promoting, then it's OK. It really is. Because who's going to believe in you more than yourself? Other than, maybe, your mother."
You tell 'em, Reese.
1. Magic Mac: Mud continues McConaughey's recent acting renaissance, as he's abandoned formulaic rom-coms for challenging roles in smaller films helmed by steven soderbergh (Magic Mike) and William Friedkin (Killer Joe). Here he teams with relative newcomer Jeff Nichols, who started writing Mud for McConaughey more than a decade ago, after seeing the actor in Lone Star. The lengthy gamble paid off—charismatic McConaughey is terrific as gritty, slippery Mud and gives this slow boil of a story the real Southern simmer it needs.
2. Illegally Blonde: Witherspoon's Juniper is a hard-livin', Daisy Dukes-wearin' Dixie darlin'—and the object of Mud's obsession, though the two actors only appear in one scene together. The film marked Witherspoon's first trip back to Arkansas since starring in Walk the Line, for which she won a Best Actress Oscar. To prep for her Juniper role, she studied photos of women at motocross events, noting their clothes, hair, makeup, tattoos and 'tudes.
3. Casting a Wide Net: Mud is writer-director Jeff Nichols' third feature, after Shotgun Stories and his Cannes Grand Prize winner, Take Shelter. He has assembled a talented and diverse cast, from total newbie Jacob Lofland (an Arkansan chosen from over 2,000 boys who auditioned) to acclaimed actor-writer Sam Shepard as a mysterious, reclusive neighbor. Tye Sheridan (The Tree of Life) more than holds his own as Ellis, while Sarah Paulson jumps from American Horror Story to Southern Gothic as Ellis' long-suffering ma.
4. Hope You Don't Have Ophidiophobia! A fear of snakes, that is. Because scaly serpents—the literal and figurative kind—play important roles in the film. There's the snake tattoo that winds around Mud's arm, which serves as reminder of his near-fatal snakebite, and the cottonmouths that slither through swamps on his island. This pit of venomous vipers also includes the cold-blooded assassins hunting Mud, adding to the movie's coiling tension before the final strike. Eek.
5. Deep Southern-Fried Charm: Mud filmed on location in Arkansas for 39 days, the largest production to ever shoot in "The Natural State." Thanks to the locale and a native-born writer/director (Nichols grew up in Little Rock), the film captures an authentic Southern voice and storytelling sensibility. It also evokes Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (required reading for Sheridan and Lofland while on set) with its Mississippi River setting, young male protagonists, and themes of friendship and sacrifice.
He's helped along the way by two teenage boys who discover Mud living on an abandoned boat they claimed as a clubhouse. The movie screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, and at Sundance in January.
Written and directed by Jeff Nichols ("Take Shelter"), "Mud" also stars Michael Shannon, Sarah Paulson and Sam Shepard. The movie's premiere was held Sunday (April 21). Witherspoon was among the cast members to attend, two days after she was arrested for disorderly conduct.
"She is happy to be home with her kids again," a source says of the actress, 37, who returned to L.A. on Monday after her April 19 arrest in Atlanta for disorderly conduct and her husband Jim Toth's DUI arrest the same night.
Her older children, 13-year-old Ava and 9-year-old Deacon, had been staying with their father, actor Ryan Phillippe, while Witherspoon was on location in Atlanta shooting the drama The Good Lie.
"She didn't feel good about being away from them after the news of her arrest broke," says the source. "Her kids are everything to her." As PEOPLE reports in this week's issue, a worried Witherspoon called her kids to tell them what had happened after the arrests.
Another source close to Witherspoon says she remains "mortified" by the incident, and several who know her well say they are surprised she let the situation get so out of hand.
"She's a fun girl who likes to have a good time and let loose every now and then," says another source. "What's shocking is she didn't rein it in enough to keep herself out of trouble. It was a really bad decision on both their parts and trust me, they're evaluating that and they will make damn sure it doesn't happen again."
As for Toth, 42, the high-powered CAA talent agent is widely known as "a big social drinker," as an insider tells PEOPLE in this week's issue.
But the couple, who are parents to 7-month-old son Tennessee, "are seen as very solid," says an industry insider. "They’re very well-liked."
On Wednesday, Witherspoon sipped water with her salad at a business lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel, while Toth returned to work at CAA.
The pair are due to appear in court on May 22 in Atlanta, where a typical plea deal in a DUI case such as Toth's would involve fines, 40 hours of community service and 12 months of probation, says Ben Alper, an Atlanta criminal defense attorney who is not affiliated with the case.
Witherspoon, who has wrapped the Atlanta portion of The Good Lie, would most likely face community service and a small fine, says Alper.
She has already issued an apology, admitting, "I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said" to officers.
A beautifully shot, deliberately paced adventure saga (*** out of four; rated PG-13; opens Friday in select cities), it explores romantic love from the perspective of an idealistic adolescent.
Set along the Mississippi River in Arkansas, the film examines strained relationships and looks at a boy's loss of innocence as he watches his parents' marriage dissolve.
Fourteen-year-old Ellis (Tye Sheridan) is best pals with a boy named Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), who lives with his uncle Galen (Michael Shannon). Growing up along the river, they ride motorbikes and sneak off in motorboats when they're not put to work helping relatives.
Wanting to escape the tension between his parents (Sarah Paulson and Ray McKinnon), Ellis sneaks off with Neckbone to a forbidden island across the river. What they encounter fascinates them: an old boat stuck high in a tree, presumably deposited there during a flood. The boys instantly resolve to make it a kind of clubhouse/fort. But they learn that someone has gotten there before them. Enter Mud.
Mud (Matthew McConaughey) is a mysterious fugitive whom Neckbone immediately brands as a bum. Mud prefers being labeled a hobo or even homeless. Call him a bum and his hackles shoot up.
The boys are drawn by Mud's story of chivalry in defense of his lady love, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon). He's hiding out on the island, he says, waiting for her to join him. A small sticking point: He's also wanted for murder. Both police and bounty hunters are hot on his trail.
McConaughey is terrific as the enigmatic Mud. It's easy to see how this charming, unkempt fellow could enrapture a pair of impressionable kids.
Witherspoon's character is not as well-developed, though perhaps Juniper's vague persona is partly the point. Her womanly ways are a mystery to the boys.
While Ellis is intent on helping Mud tilt at windmills, Neckbone is the comic relief and occasional voice of reason. But he can't resist the adventure of assisting Mud in his quest to restore the battered boat to shipshape condition.
Sam Shepard plays Tom Blankenship, a close-lipped guy with deep emotional reserves beneath his gruff exterior. He may or may not be Mud's father. The film examines father-son bonds, and it's particularly moving when Ellis and his loving but taciturn dad make tentative stabs to connect.
In its blend of languorous pacing, wide vistas and memorable portrayals, Mud is similar to director Jeff Nichols' last film, Take Shelter. But it's not as unsettling.
Endearing and believable, the two actors playing Ellis and Neckbone are pitch-perfect.
The film is about 15 minutes too long and hampered by climactic violence that doesn't quite ring true. But the boys ground the film, helping us suspend disbelief and tag along on their emotional, but never sentimental, journey.
Reese was all smiles today in L.A. getting out of her car ... and Jim was back to work as usual at CAA, where he's one of Hollywood's bigwig agents.
You'll recall, Reese and Jim were both arrested in Atlanta on Friday -- Jim was popped for DUI ... and Reese was busted for disorderly conduct, after getting a little too worked up in her husband's defense.
According to police, Reese told one officer, "You're about to find out who I am ... You are going to be on national news."
Reese later released a statement, saying she was "deeply embarrassed" by what she had said.
"She was wobbly," explains a police source within the Atlanta Department of Corrections. "She didn't need help walking, but she wasn't at a point where we could get a really clear picture."
The actress and husband Jim Toth were arrested early Friday morning after he was pulled over under suspicion of driving while intoxicated in Atlanta. In her apology for her behavior, she said she "clearly had one drink too many."
According to the source, police took more than one photograph and chose the best one.
"On another picture, she sort of bent down at the waist and we got the top of her head," says the source. "She wasn't being difficult or rude, but her motor skills weren't what they needed to be."
The unorthodox picture has the Atlanta police and legal communities talking – and wondering if Witherspoon got preferential treatment.
"You can't look down in the photograph," says Atlanta criminal defense attorney Peter Odom. "The whole point of a mugshot is for identification purposes. To my knowledge, there is no exception to this rule."
"When someone is in custody, there isn't a lot of personal space," Odom continues. "They will grab your head and move it into the right position to get the right mugshot. But in this case, protocol was definitely not followed."
The charges against Witherspoon were minor, says the source, so there was no need to force the issue and make the star stare dead ahead.
"This isn't a big case and there's not much more investigation that has to be done," says the source, "so getting a clear picture of the suspect looking at the camera wasn't absolutely necessary."
The video shows Reese being led out of an Atlanta police cruiser in cuffs, then uncuffed and taken inside the police station for booking. She appears calm and cooperative. FOX5 in Atlanta published the video first.
As we reported, Reese was arrested early Friday morning for disorderly conduct ... while her husband Jim Toth was being arrested for DUI. According to police, Reese had gotten worked up while trying to defend her husband.
According to the police report Reese told the officer, "You're about to find out who I am ... You are going to be on national news."
She released a statement Sunday saying she was "deeply embarrassed" by what she had said and had one drink too many.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Witherspoon was set to appear on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday to promote her upcoming film Mud, but decided to cancel that appearance, as well as promoting Mud at the film's New York press junket Monday. Additionally, The Washington Post reports that she also pulled out of taping a segment Monday for Good Morning America that would air Wednesday.
Witherspoon and her husband Jim Toth were pulled over in Atlanta Friday night after an officer noticed Toth weaving in and out of lanes, according to reports. Witherspoon allegedly ignored the arresting officer's instructions for her to stay in the car and told him, "Do you know my name? You're about to find out who I am. ... You are going to be on national news." She was then arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. The Oscar-winning actress released a statement Monday expressing her embarrassment and apologizing for her behavior.
Do you think Witherspoon made the right decision in canceling her appearances?
But she's certainly not the only one feeling regretful.
Toth "feels awful that he involved Reese in the situation," a source close to the CAA agent tells PEOPLE. "He made a bad decision and it certainly made things worse that he dragged her into it."
Toth, 42, and Witherspoon, 37, were arrested and briefly jailed early Friday morning – he for DUI, she for disorderly conduct after verbally sparring with a police officer.
Now, says the source, Toth, "has to pay the consequences, bottom line. He gets that."
Adds a second source: "It's embarrassing for him. He'll have to explain himself to his bosses."
As for his drinking (Toth blew a .139 on his sobriety test; the legal limit in Georgia is .08), the source says that the couple will reflect on the events of last week.
"Jim has always been a big social drinker," adds the first source. "A lot of his job is being social. He's out to lunch or dinner almost every day of the week, schmoozing clients and taking business meetings."
"[The arrest is] just going to make the two of them stop and pause, and think about maybe how much Jim's drinking plays a role in their lives – if it does or not," the source says.
But as Toth and Witherspoon consider their next steps and the effects of the arrest on their family and their careers, they may take further action. "No one would be surprised," a third source tells PEOPLE, "if Jim goes to rehab."
The couple's court hearing was originally set for Monday morning but has been rescheduled for May 22.
________
Reese Witherspoon could certainly use Elle Woods' plucky legal smarts right about now.
The Legally Blonde actress and her husband, Jim Toth, were arrested and briefly jailed Friday in Atlanta—Witherspoon for alleged disorderly conduct, Toth for an alleged DUI—following a traffic stop during which the actress reportedly disobeyed an officer's repeated instructions to remain inside the vehicle.
The 37-year-old Oscar winner released a statement Sunday saying she was "deeply embarrassed" by the incident, and a hearing is scheduled for Monday at 8 a.m. in Atlanta Municipal Court.
Both the actress and her husband are not expected to be present at the hearing, where their attorney is expected to request that the court date be postponed. But what could lie ahead for the duo in their legal odyssey?
Raymond Guidice, a criminal DUI attorney who has been practicing in Atlanta for 28 years and who is not connected with the couple's case, exclusively tells E! News that individuals arrested over the weekend—many of whom likely remained in custody—get a first court date on Monday morning at 8 a.m., and that typically, anywhere from 75 to 100 people will be in brought to court on Monday morning.
The legal eagle maintains that if represented by counsel—which he believes the couple likely do because they've already bonded out of custody—neither Witherspoon nor Toth need to appear at the arraignment.
This first hearing, Guidice explains, is an initial appearance where the charges are read against them and dates for discovery are set. A client can enter pleas at this hearing, though they are not required to.
After Monday's hearing, the next court date will be set for within the next 30 to 60 days. Guidice claims that Witherspoon may never have to appear in court if she does not want to fight the charge and would rather just pay a fine.
According to Guidice, the maximum charge for her would depend on whether she is charged under the city ordinance—a $1,000 fine and up to 60 days in custody—or under the state ordinance, which would carry a $1,000 fine and a sentence of up to a year in custody. However, he reiterates, these are maximum numbers, and he claims that most clients receive less severe sentences.
As for disorderly conduct, Guidice says that "it happens a lot on DUI arrest when the passenger gets out of the car yelling" and notes that the officer is "just trying to get control" of the situation.
As for Toth, Guidice says that if convicted, the maximum DUI penalty in Atlanta is a year in jail, a $1,000 fine, 40 hours of community service, a defensive driving class and a license suspension. As with Witherpoon's situation, Guidice maintains that these are maximum penalties, and that clients typically get far less.
Witherspoon's legal woes, however, didn't hold her back from fulfilling her professional duties: On Sunday night, she attended the premiere of her new film, Mud, in New York City, although she didn't speak to reporters as she entered the theater.
"Out of respect for the ongoing legal situation, I cannot comment on everything that is being reported right now," she said. "But I do want to say, I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said.
"It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse."
The 37-year-old and her agent hubby Jim Toth were both arrested early Friday, Toth for an alleged DUI and Witherspoon for allegedly disobeying instruction from a police officer to remain in her vehicle during the traffic stop.
"I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job," she continued. "I have nothing but respect for the police and I'm very sorry for my behavior."
A court hearing on the matter has been set for Monday at 8 a.m. in Atlanta Municipal Court, though neither the actress—who proved herself a consummate pro by attending tonight's New York premiere of her new film Mud despite her newsmaking—nor her husband are expected to be present.
According to the police report, "Mrs. Witherspoon asked, 'Do you know my name?' I answered, 'No, I don't need to know your name.' I then added, 'Right now.' Mrs. Witherspoon stated, 'You're about to find out who I am'."
But a source tells E! News that the star insists it didn't go down like that.
"It wasn't like that," the source said, and explained that when the officer was handcuffing her, Witherspoon simply asked, "Don't you need to know my name?"
The source also added that there was no screaming or any sort of physical altercation between Witherspoon and the officer. "She was being protective of her husband and was fearful of the situation," they tell us.
Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth were arrested and jailed early Friday morning in Atlanta for an alleged DUI and disorderly conduct, after getting pulled over under suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Around 3:30 a.m. the same day, the couple were released on bond. A court date has been scheduled for Monday at 8 a.m. in Atlanta Municipal Court.
But you wouldn't know the duo had any trouble this weekend by looking at them. The couple seemed more than fine, as witnessed by this photograph of them leaving their New York City hotel earlier today to attend Reese's premiere for Mud.
After news broke that the actress was arrested and briefly jailed early Friday morning for disorderly conduct (while hubby Jim Toth was detained briefly for suspicion of DUI), sources confirm to E! News that the star appeared on the red carpet tonight for the New York City premiere of Mud.
Reese hit the carpet in a black Yves Saint Laurent dress with matching heels, posing with costar McConaughey and greeting all the photographers but not taking any questions.
The actress' indie drama (out in theaters April 26) costars Matthew McConaughey, who plays a fugitive who forms a pact with two teenage who try to help him evade the bounty hunters on his trail so he can reunite with his true love (Witherspoon).
Meanwhile, of course, Reese is dealing with her own legal woes. The celeb was handcuffed and put behind bars after allegedly disobeying Atlanta police's orders to remain in the vehicle when they pulled her husband over for weaving across a double line.
The pair was released on bond around 3:30 a.m. on Friday, and a court appearance is currently scheduled for Monday at 8 a.m. in Atlanta Municipal Court.
Hollywood couple Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth were arrested and jailed early Friday morning in Atlanta for an alleged DUI and disorderly conduct, E! News confirms.
According to the police report, Witherspoon's agent husband was pulled over under suspicion of driving while intoxicated after weaving across a double line. Meanwhile, the actress was arrested for disorderly conduct (Variety first broke the story).
Witherspoon was handcuffed after disobeying repeated instruction from the arresting officer to stay inside the vehicle.
"Mrs. Witherspoon began to hang out the window and say that she did not believe that I was a real police officer," according to the report. "I told Mrs. Witherspoon to sit on her butt and be quiet."
The report went on to state, "Mrs. Witherspoon asked, 'Do you know my name?' I answered, 'No, I don't need to know your name.' I then added, 'Right now.' Mrs. Witherspoon stated, 'You're about to find out who I am'."
The pair was released on bond around 3:30 a.m. on Friday, and a court appearance is scheduled for Monday at 8 a.m. in Atlanta Municipal Court, but Witherspoon and Toth reportedly aren't expected to appear, and their attorney is expected to request that the court date be postponed.
Their camp was not immediately available for comment.
Reese Witherspoon was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in Atlanta, Ga. early Friday morning after her husband, Jim Toth, was pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence, Variety reports. The couple was jailed briefly after the incident before being released on bond.
Toth was pulled over after driving in the wrong lane and was given a field sobriety test after the officer noticed that he appeared disheveled and smelled of alcohol, according to Variety. Witherspoon got into a verbal altercation with the arresting officer and was reportedly handcuffed after repeatedly ignoring instructions to stay in the vehicle.
After Toth was arrested, Witherspoon exited the vehicle and said to the arresting officer, "Do you know my name? You're about to find out who I am. ... You are going to be on national news," according to Variety.
Witherspoon was in Atlanta filming upcoming indie drama The Good Lie, Variety reports. Toth reportedly blew a .139 on a Breathalyzer test; the legal limit for driving is .08.
Despite being a fan of the 37-year-old Oscar winner, Nicks says Witherspoon's years to play her in a biopic are numbered.
"I've already told her she's almost too old," the Fleetwood Mac frontwoman, 64, told ET Canada at the Toronto premiere of her new documentary In Your Dreams.
"I love her, but she's like, ‘I could play your mother,'" Nicks added. "I'm like, ‘OK.'"
While Witherspoon may never play Nicks in a flick, it's not like she's hurting for the work.
Witherspoon was snapped on the set of her new movie The Good Lie in Atlanta this week channeling her inner country girl. Wearing the exact same boots, jean skirt and teal top she was snapped in last week, the currently brunette beauty was photographed getting out of a truck.
What do you think? Is Witherspoon too old to play Nicks?
Decked out in a turquoise top (and matching earrings!), along with a miniskirt and a pair of tall brown boots, Reese Witherspoon was spotted on Thursday shooting her upcoming movie, The Good Lie, in Atlanta.
Of course, the 37-year-old actress topped off the look with the same dark 'do she debuted late last month while out and about with husband Jim Toth and their baby, Tennessee.
The Good Lie follows a young refugee of the Sudanese Civil War and his encounters with a "brash American woman" as he adapts to the modern world.
Of course, when it comes to Reese, we'll take her blond, brunette and, yes, even brash!
The actress debuted a new, darker 'do in Nashville yesterday when she was spotted rocking a brunette look instead of her usual blonde tresses while out to lunch with hubby Jim Toth and their baby, Tennessee (so cute!).
So what prompted Reese to switch to the dark side?
Usually, a new movie role is behind a drastic switch with the 'do (unless you're Rihanna), but there's no word on a specific project causing the change, so maybe her recent birthday celebration inspired the new hair (regardless, who doesn't like to mix things up a bit from time to time?).
Witherspoon kicked off her 37th birthday by heading to Cabo San Lucas with her hubby for a romantic, kids-free vacay last week. The couple stayed right on the beach in a one bedroom suite that had a private pool, a source told E! News, with the birthday girl spending her days laying by the pool, tanning and relaxing.
Ah, the life.
What do you think of Reese's new look?
Hot mama Reese Witherspoon soaked up some sun Friday in a sizzling red-and-black-striped swimsuit during her getaway to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico—the same one-piece, eagle-eyed fans might notice, that the star wore during her other recent Mexico vacay with pals Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz.
This time, however, the Oscar winner traded her bonding time with the gals for a romantic vacay with her hubby: The actress and baby daddy Jim Toth jetted to the Mexican resort town on Thursday—sans kids—to celebrate her 37th birthday.
And what a birthday trip it was: A source told E! News that the couple enjoyed their getaway in grand style, unwinding by the pool and savoring the local cuisine. The actress also reportedly indulged in luxury spa treatments one afternoon.
At one point, her hubby set up a private seafood dinner by the pool, as they noshed by a bonfire and sipped some wine.
"Reese seemed very happy and appreciative," our insider told us. "There were candles and flowers everywhere, and she was very impressed with everything that Jim had put together."
With a swoon-worthy gesture like that, it ain't hard to see why.
Reese Witherspoon kicked off her 37th birthday with a bang Thursday, heading to Cabo San Lucas with her hubby Jim Toth for a romantic, kids-free vacay.
The This Means War star, who rang in her big 3-7 Friday, and Toth were whisked away from the airport in a chauffeured car to Capella Pedregal, where they were set to enjoy a four-day stay.
And enjoy they did.
The couple stayed right on the beach in a one bedroom suite that had a private pool, a source tells E! News, with Witherspoon spending her birthday laying by the pool, tanning and relaxing. She later hopped in the pool with her hubby for a swim, and then headed to the hot tub to warm up.
For lunch, the couple dined on Mexican food by the pool, including chips and tacos, and shared a bottle of wine.
"At the end of the meal, Reese laid back in her chair and stretched with a big smile on her face," a source said. "Jim put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. They walked back to their room holding hands and enjoying the afternoon."
After some fun in the sun, the Oscar-winning actress enjoyed spa treatments all afternoon while Toth stepped away to take care of some business and set up a private seafood dinner for the duo by the pool.
"They ate by a bonfire and toasted with another bottle of wine," the source continued. "Reese seemed very happy and appreciative. There were candles and flowers everywhere and she was very impressed with everything that Jim had put together."
How romantic!
This is the superstar thesp's second trip to Mexico this month, after she headed to Tulum, showing off her beach body with BFFs Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore.
Witherspoon and her partner Bruna Papandrea found the project through the actress' production company, Pacific Standard, and brought it to the studio's attention, her manager said.
A person with knowledge of the production, however, told TheWrap that Witherspoon may have a role if the film gets made, but no decision has been made yet.
The film is an ensemble piece and an adaptation of J. Courtney Sullivan's romance book, which follows a diamond engagement ring from the 1930s to the present day. That bauble forms the connective tissue, allowing the story to explore five very different relationships throughout the decades.
It has yet to be published, but it hits stores on June 11.
Fox 2000 closed the deal for the book before it closed a deal to bring on Witherspoon's production company.
If Witherspoon joins the picture, she will play a supporting role, not a lead, according to the individual with knowledge of the production.
The Oscar winner has been busy of late with a number of roles lined up, including a supporting turn in the coming-of-age story "Mud," a part in Atom Egoyan's dramatization of the West Memphis Three trial, "Devil's Knot," and a star turn in "Wish List" from "Bridesmaids" director Paul Feig.
Variety first reported that Fox 2000 had acquired rights to the book.
The Devil's Knot star and husband Jim Toth spent date night at the Lakers game in Los Angeles on Friday, cheering on their home team against the Toronto Raptors. The suspenseful hoops match, which resulted in a dangerously close Lakers win (118-116), got the couple on the edge of their courtside seats—literally.
At one buzzer-beating moment, Reese broke out in cheer while her hubby threw his arms and feet in the air.
The actress was recently reunited with her man after spending a weekend in Mexico with her Hollywood girlfriends Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore.
The trio reportedly stayed at an eco-friendly resort with no electricity. But fret not—the celebs got the A-list treatment, as the resort was decked with 24 cabanas, a huge lounging terrace, yoga shalas and massage rooms.
Attagirls.
Reese Witherspoon, 36, and Drew Barrymore, 38, left babies Tennessee and Olive, both 5 months, at home, and joined pal Cameron Diaz, 40, and five other friends for fitness retreat Bikini Boot Camp at the Amansala Resort in Tulum earlier this month.
"It was a girls trip," says a fellow guest. "They all seemed like great friends who were there to relax and have a good time."
A good time, and a little hard work too.
"They participated in tons of fitness classes," says the source. "None of them wore makeup – they were fresh-faced and natural."
During free time, the girls lounged on the beach. "Drew and Reese looked great for just having given birth," says the onlooker. "And Cameron is so ripped! She's incredibly fit."
At night, the girls bonded over meals of fresh fish and vegetable soup. "Drew was showing off pictures of her baby on her phone. Everyone was in great spirits the whole time."
Whille chatting with Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio morning program, the Canadian crooner explained how his manager came up with the idea of collaborating with the Oscar winner.
"We loved Walk the Line and her voice was so smooth and wonderful," Bublé said. "So my manager said 'Call her.' And I said, 'I don't want to put her in that position.' Then my wife came home and told me, 'Mike, we're pregnant.' And I was so happy I was like, 'Today's the day, I'm going to call her.'"
Sure enough, Bublé picked up the phone to give Witherspoon a ring.
But not only did he ask her about recording a song with him for his upcoming album, he also shared with the actress the happy news about becoming a father.
"It felt so good to get it off my chest, and she was so cute and excited [for us]," Bublé said.
After Witherspoon agreed to come into the studio, he assured her that if it wasn't any good, they would scrap it.
"[But] she was so prepared. In one take, she nailed it," Bublé told Seacrest.
Asked about the letter she wrote to Best Actress nominee Naomi Watts praising her gripping performance in The Impossible, she reiterated her love for the Australian star tonight on the red carpet at the Academy Awards.
"Not since I've seen Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice had I seen such a performance that moved me so much," Witherspoon, herself a Best Actress winner for Walk the Line, gushed to E!'s Ryan Seacrest.
"It's so hopeful and it's about family spirit and how you'll do anything for your children and they'll do anything for you. It's such a beautiful film, I hope more people go out and see it," she said.
On hand to present tonight, Witherspoon wore a royal blue strapless gown with black trim and a fishtail train by Louis Vuitton, which also provided the jewels. But only after her 13-year-old mini-me, Ava, signed off on them!
"My daughter and I picked it out," she said of her glamorous ensemble. "This is a winner. She makes sure she likes everything, she helps me pick the jewelry and makeup."
The Hollywood star was spotted leaving an L.A. gym on Thursday, and it just so happens the smartphone she was carrying showed off an adorable screensaver of her infant son, whom she and her CAA agent-hubby Jim Toth welcomed in September.
Sporting bright-colored trainers and sweats, the 36-year-old Witherspoon looked fit and healthy as she chatted with a friend following an early morning workout class. No doubt that baby weight is coming off fast!
The Devil's Knot star and hubby Jim Toth stepped out with baby Tennessee Wednesday in Santa Monica, Calif.
Reese, 36, bundled up in a black-and-gray ensemble. Toth, a CAA agent, looked handsome in a suit and tie. Unfortunately, we couldn't catch a glimpse of baby T's outfit, but we're sure it was precious.
After all, the adorable 4-month-old has awesome parents and two stylish older siblings (Ava, 13 and Deacon, 9) to look up to!
Philippe Falardeau will direct the film from a screenplay by "Warm Springs" scribe Margarent Nagle. Nagle developed the screenplay in the Imagine Writer's Lab, reviving a project that had stalled at Paramount years ago.
The story follows four boys who fled Sudan as violence tore the country apart. After spending years in a refugee camp, they were selected to come to the United States and got a new lease on life with a brash American woman (Witherspoon). It will explore a boy's interaction with the community in America and his struggles to adjust, raising the question of who rescued whom.
Casting for the boys has not been announced.
Smith, who launched Black Label with Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill, came aboard to finance and produce the film months ago. Black Label will produce with Imagine's Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Karen Kehela Sherwood. Imagine's Kim Roth and Reliance's Deepak Nayar will be executive producers.
The Lost Boys of Sudan is a group of tens of thousands of young men who were displaced by the Second Sudanese Civil War during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. The war was resolved by a cease-fire that granted South Sudan autonomy and scheduled a referendum for its independence, which has since occurred.
The issue of orphans and civilian displacement surfaced again during the genocide in Darfur and the secession of South Sudan, which has stoked conflict between the north and south over land and valuable natural resources.
The subject has inspired numerous books, plays and films, including documentaries "God Grew Tired of Us," "War Child" and 'Rebuilding Hope."
Witherspoon is represented by Management 360 and CAA.
In the new indie drama Mud, Matthew McConaughey plays a fugitive who enlists two young boys in to help him look for his ex-girlfriend (Witherspoon). "At the end of our first meeting for coffee, I gave Reese a reality check," Mud director Jeff Nichols told me at the Sundance Film Festival during the Grey Goose dinner for the movie. "I said, 'Just so you know, we are going to Arkansas. You are going to be smoking and I want you to not look very good.' And she was like, 'Of course.' That was her attitude through the whole thing.'
Not long before shooting began, Nichols had a brief scare that Witherspoon was going to drop out of the project after she was hit by a car while jogging.
Ironically, Nichols thought her bruises were right for her character. "I was sitting there thinking, how do you break up that thing that she is, which is beautiful and amazing and Legally Blonde," Nichols remembered. "I was like, do we need to put a tattoo on her neck or something? But then I said, would you be willing to have a black eye, because that's exactly what we needed. She was totally game."
At least that's what we thought was happening when Reese Witherspoon was spotted strolling with her kids, Ava and Deacon, in Beverly Hills on Wednesday.
Of course, we're specifically referring to the Oscar winner's 13-year-old offspring, who is quite the lookalike of the actress.
Seriously. Between the blond hair, the dark shades and the black tops, these two could practically pass for twins here.
Definitely gives new meaning to "Like Mother, Like Daughter."
The actress was spotted in Hawaii with husband Jim Toth, their newborn son Tennessee James, 3 months, and her elder children Deacon, 9, and Ava, 13.
Witherspoon, who recently said she was “crawling back” to her pre-baby body, topped her ruched navy one-piece with a cover-up for the day in the sun.
Lending a helping hand was big sister Ava, whom Witherspoon calls “so awesome” with the baby. The teen carried her little brother around the beach while Witherspoon, 36, snapped photos of the pair. (Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3)
Reese Witherspoon paid homage to her Tennessee upbringing by naming her and Jim Toth's baby boy after the Volunteer State. On Tuesday, the 36-year-old Oscar winner dropped by Chelsea Lately to gab with her good friend Chelsea Handler about her super-secretive third pregnancy.
Chelsea, 37, asked her This Means War costar point-blank, "How did you get pregnant?"
Reese laughed and made a funny face. "Um...I don't know! How do you think I got pregnant?" she quipped. "Do you want to talk about this later? We don't have to talk about it right now."
"We don't have to talk about it now, but I would prefer to," Chelsea fired back.
She went on to say that Reese "wouldn't tell me if she was having a boy or a girl."
"Then you said, 'I'm pretty sure someone's reading our texts,' and I said, 'Please don't text me again because I don't want to be blamed," Chelsea added. "Then you had the baby and you named it Tennessee and I still couldn't figure out if it was a boy or a girl."
"Or just a redneck," Reese said laughingly.
She went on to say little Tennessee is "super cute" and her daughter Ava is "so awesome" and like a second mom. Reese also has an 8-year-old son, Deacon, from her marriage to Ryan Phillippe.
We're willing to bet all three of Reese's kids are raised right with some proper Southern manners!
"It's so fun," she gushed. "It's chaos with three kids, but it's so fun, you know? It's great to have all those experiences, to be able to share them with the baby. The kids are super excited."
The actress was spotted driving a car that would make her the envy of any Christmas fanatic. Witherspoon tricked out her Land Rover with reindeer antlers flanking each side and a red Rudolph nose on the front.
The silly decorations might not illicit giggles from baby Tennessee just yet, but Witherspoon's cute car surely cheered up other drivers lucky enough to catch a glimpse.
The actress, 36, recently joked that she's working on getting her pre-baby brain back. "I couldn't remember, the other day, what you call that thing that keeps the food cold. It was the refrigerator," said Witherspoon. "I couldn't remember the name of it!"
"I don't know if I'm bouncing back. I'm slowly crawling back," she joked to Extra at the March of Dimes Celebrates Babies event in Beverly Hills on Dec. 7.
She's also still fighting a case of "baby brain."
"I couldn't remember, the other day, what you call that thing that keeps the food cold. It was the refrigerator," said Witherspoon, 36, who's also mom to Ava, 13, and Deacon, 8½. "I couldn't remember the name of it!"
But the Oscar winning actress is not worrying too much about any of it.
"You just have to be gentle and patient with yourself," she adds, "and slowly get back to your health."
As for the reason behind all of this, Witherspoon says her newborn son is "great. He's wonderful, healthy, happy."
The new mom (who welcomed a son, Tennessee, with husband Jim Toth in September) was honored this afternoon at the 7th Annual March of Dimes Celebration of Babies, a Hollywood Luncheon, at the Beverly Hills Hotel and she happily shared some plans for baby's first Christmas.
"I don't know! We're going to do fun things," she explained to us when asked if there were any special plans this year. "We already bought him a cute little Santa's helper outfit and we're excited about that. That's going to be lots of fun!"
Too cute! During the ceremony, Witherspoon was presented with the Grace Kelly Award, which recognizes role-model celebrity parents who share the March of Dimes commitment to healthy pregnancies and families. And Reese got an intro courtesy of pal Elizabeth Banks, complete with some playful ribbing.
"I am here to talk about Reese Witherspoon. When I first heard Grace Kelly and Reese Witherspoon in the same sentence, I thought, 'Awesome. Another female biopic nobody bothered to offer me,'" Banks (who also just recently welcomed a new son) joked. "Reese is carrying on the tradition that Grace Kelly had of keepin' it classy. She is a tabloids worst nightmare: She does not go clubbing. She does not release sex tapes. And apparently she hid Robert Pattinson for a week."
"Both are worthy, of course of our admiration and respect, but something tells me that Grace Kelly never worried about side boob," Elizabeth continued. "Or Mr. Skin. And when she got married I'm pretty sure there wasn't a Just Jared poll asking Love It or Hate It! Grace Kelly worked with Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart. Reese Witherspoon survived Vince Vaughn."
Reese then took the stage, cheerfully quipping, "Thank you so much, Elizabeth! That was like standup comedy!" She then began telling a story about a friend who called her as the friend was about to give birth. "She wanted to know how she was going to feel in that moment and what it would be like when you meet your baby for the very first time," Reese recalled. "And I was talking to Jim, my husband, and I said, 'Can you imagine describing that moment of pure joy that happens when your child is in your arms for the very first time.' What are the words?!
"We are parents that know the joy of having a beautiful, brilliant, joyful, perfect baby," she continued. "That somehow heaven has opened up and delivered us an angel, that looks adorable in every angle of an iPhone photo. And, in my case, looks gorgeous printed on a bag or a pillow or an iPhone cover."
And we're sure that little Tennessee is going to look even more adorable on those pillows in his Santa suit!
Though the classic crooner seemed to confirm that the collaboration was in the works for his next album, we're hearing otherwise.
"It's not happening," a source confirmed us.
Bublé, who first broke word of a duet with the Walk the Line actress, told U.K.'s Daybreak, "I just really am a big fan...We wanted to do this with her and we were thrilled that she was excited about it too."
And it was an idea that was discussed, our source reveals, but ultimately it's not happening.
At least, not yet. The holidays are nearing, after all, so now we all have something to ask for from Santa!
The Oscar-winner showed off her post-baby bod (she gave birth to her and hubby Jim Toth's son, Tennessee, 10 weeks ago) last night at the Children's Defense Fund's Beat the Odds gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Witherspoon stunned in a tight, lacy black Elie Saab cocktail dress and Christian Louboutin heels. She hit the red carpet for photos and quickly joined her mother, Betty, and daughter, Ava, in the ballroom.
Ava, it must be noted, looks exactly like her actress mom. (FYI: Photographers were not allowed to take any pics of Witherspoon's 13-year-old mini-me.)
Witherspoon, who we're hoping to see out of control one day on Mindy Kaling's sitcom The Mindy Project, was not only one of the cohosts of the annual benefit but also presented a Beat the Odds award to one of the night's six high school honorees.
Can't wait to see what she's wearing today when she is the one bring honored at a March of Dimes luncheon.
Also at Beat the Odds were Star Trek Into the Darkness stars Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch and Alice Eve and their director J.J. Abrams, Holly Robinson Peete, Alexis Bledel, Conan O'Brien, Teen Wolf hotties Colton Haynes and Holland Roden, Miranda Cosgrove, Elisabeth Shue, Mary McCormack, Michelle Monaghan and Trey Thompkins of the L.A. Clippers.
While Kaling won't say if her lunch date with Witherspoon the other day was a business meeting, she does tell me that the Oscar winner is her dream guest for her new Fox comedy, The Mindy Project.
"Because she's so sweet and so articulate and well raised, to me it would be really fun to have her play somebody out of control," Kaling said at The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Power 100 breakfast. "That would be really fun for me."
Like Claire Danes' Carrie on Homeland out of control?
Yes!
"Listen, if she can cry as well as Claire Danes can on command like that, I would love to see her do that," Kaling said. "Reese Witherspoon bawling out of control on my show would be great."
Sounds like a lot of fun to us.
As if Canadian singer Michael Bublé's beautiful voice wasn't enough to please his fans, the crooner recently confirmed to U.K. TV show Daybreak that he will be working with Reese Witherspoon on a duet for his upcoming album, expected to release next year.
Um, yes please!
"By all accounts it would be true," he said of working with Witherspoon. "I just really am a big fan, and so myself and my camp, we wanted to do this with her, and we were thrilled that she was excited about it too."
The actress showed off a bit of her vocal chops when she starred as country singer June Carter in the 2005 film Walk the Line, and told MTV News it was "the most challenging, horrifying experience of my life."
Well, it couldn't have been that bad if she's willing to do it again (yay for us!).
Forbes has just released its list of Hollywood's most overpaid actors, and the star of such films (read: flops) as Imagine That, A Thousand Words, Meet Dave and Tower Heist landed in the top spot.
The magazine based its selections on how much a celeb was paid for his or her recent projects and compared it to what the movies actually made in ticket sales.
So, with Murphy, it was calculated that for every dollar Murphy was paid for his last three films, they only returned an average of $2.30 at the box office.
Coming in second was One for the Money star Katherine Heigl. Her recent flicks only generated an average of $3.40 for every dollar she was paid.
Meanwhile, Reese Witherspoon placed third with an average $3.90 return for every dollar she was paid, stemming from such movies as 2010's How Do You Know and the recent This Means War.
Rounding out the list?
Sandra Bullock, Jack Black, Nicolas Cage, Adam Sandler, Denzel Washington, Ben Stiller and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The Mindy Project star and her gal pal were snapped together Saturday after they dined at Tavern restaurant in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Both ladies looked casual as they lunched, wearing jeans, boots and sweaters for the outing, as they strolled together and made one super cool Hollywood pair.
Reese has been keeping a low-profile since the birth of her son Tennessee James while Kaling's been busy with her hit television sitcom.
It's unclear whether the girls were catching up as friends or discussing a future collaboration, but we would love to see the funny twosome work together!
Are you a fan of a Kaling-Witherspoon collabo?
Reese Witherspoon smiled as she hoisted 8-week-old son Tennessee James onto her shoulder during an errand run Tuesday in Los Angeles.
“Reese has been in the best mood since she gave birth,” a source tells PEOPLE. “She recovered very quickly and has been feeling great.”
The actress has been spotted out with husband Jim Toth and ex Ryan Philippe at 9-year-old son Deacon‘s soccer games, and daughter Ava, 13, is enjoying family time as well.
“Tennessee is now smiling at the kids, and Ava especially likes to help Reese with him,” a pal tells PEOPLE. “Ava likes to dress Tennessee and Deacon likes to play with him.”
Favorite Comedic Movie Actress
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Emily Blunt
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Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon gave us a peek at her 6-week-old son while out and about in California on Wednesday.
The actress’s third child — her first with husband Jim Toth — arrived Sept. 27 in Santa Monica, her rep told PEOPLE exclusively at the time.
Although Witherspoon, 36, has stepped out solo since the arrival of her baby boy, this is the first time she’s been spotted with her new son.
“Everyone is bonding with the baby,” a source tells PEOPLE of the relationship Witherspoon’s elder children — Deacon, 9, and Ava, 13 — have with their new little brother. “And Jim has had a lighter workload and has been spending a lot of time at home with the baby as well.”
Adds a Witherspoon pal: “She’s so content. Tennessee is a great little guy and he’s fitting right into their family. Jim’s been incredibly supportive, pitching in with Ava and Deacon and generally just being someone for Reese to lean on. They’re all very happy.”
The actress welcomed the bundle of joy with hubby Jim Toth over one month ago, but we have yet to sneak of peek of the baby boy's undoubtedly adorable face.
But Monday, we came thismuch closer to spotting that mystery mug as the mother of three stepped out with her son for the very first time since giving birth.
The This Means War star was snapped in her Land Rover taking Tennessee to the doctor for a checkup yesterday afternoon. The infant's nanny also accompanied the twosome on their Los Angeles outing.
Unfortunately, little Tennessee kept his sweet face under wraps as he remained tucked away under a powder blue blanket in the back set.
Here's hoping for a close-up shot of the next mother-son outing!
The Oscar winner made her first red carpet appearance Friday since giving birth to son Tennessee a month ago. She was one of the many celebs to hit the the opening of the Rag & Bone store in West Hollywood.
And this mom of three was all smiles.
Wearing Rag & Bone's blue Harlow dress and black ankle boots, Witherspoon was one of the last guests to arrive to the soiree at about 9 p.m. She was quickly led through a side entrance directly into an outdoor area in the back of the shop.
She chatted briefly with Cameron Diaz while photographers clamored to get a pic, and then huddled in a corner where she greeted friends with big hugs.
Witherspoon's husband, Jim Toth, wore a gray Rag & Bone suit for their wedding and the design team behind the line—David Neville and Marcus Wainwright—made a matching outfit for Witherspoon's son Deacon.
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, whose daughter Bee Shaffer cohosted the opening, raved that Rag & Bone has always reminded her of Ralph Lauren. She's been following them since they began 10 years ago in NYC.
Also at the party were Pitch Perfect star Brittany Snow, Aziz Ansari, Argo actor Scoot McNairy, Kiernan Shipka, Mandy Moore, Quinton Aaron, Carly Chaikin and Shiva Rose.
The new mom, who just three weeks ago gave birth to Tennessee James – her son with hubby Jim Toth – was spotted out and about on Saturday to support her eldest son, Deacon.
Appearing all smiles at an L.A. soccer field near her Brentwood, Calif., home, the star, 36, looked casual in a baseball cap, jacket and rolled-up pants.
Witherspoon's little athlete, who turns 9 this week, sported an orange uniform while munching on a snack.
Becoming a mom for the third time doesn't seem to have slowed Witherspoon down. The actress, who also has a daughter, Ava, 13, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, was spotted out earlier this month running errands in Santa Monica, Calif.
The actress and Toth, 42, have been reveling in their family time together. "Everyone is bonding with the baby," a source told PEOPLE after baby Tennessee's birth. "Jim has had a lighter workload and has been spending a lot of time at home with the baby as well."
Reese Witherspoon was photographed for the first time since giving birth at the beginning of the month to Tennessee James, her first child with husband Jim Toth.
Witherspoon – who is also mom to Ava, 13, and Deacon, who turns 9 this month – looked casual and comfortable in a black top, jeans and sunglasses as she stepped out on Monday in Santa Monica, Calif.
Toth, 42, and Witherspoon, 36, couldn't be happier to welcome the new addition home.
"Everyone is bonding with the baby," a source told PEOPLE earlier this month.
Especially first-time father, Toth: "Jim has had a lighter workload and has been spending a lot of time at home with the baby at well," the source adds.
Says a family friend: "He was just over the moon and really excited to become a dad."
The network has given a script order for a modern-day reimagining of the classic Charles Dickens novel to be executive-produced by Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon, TVGuide.com has confirmed.
Expectations tells the story of a small-town girl with dreams of making it in the city. She quickly becomes disillusioned by the harsh reality of living in San Francisco until her fortunes unexpectedly turns thanks to an anonymous benefactor.
Lethal Weapon 4 producer J. Mills Goodloe will write and executive-produce alongside Witherspoon, Bruna Papandrea, Meghan Lyvers and Evelyn O'Neill.
Witherspoon, 36, and husband Jim Toth, 42, who is a first-time father, are settling into their roles just fine.
"Everyone is bonding with the baby," explains the source. "And Jim has had a lighter workload and has been spending a lot of time at home with the baby as well."
Adds a family friend, there were minimal nerves for Toth. "He was just over the moon and really excited to become a dad."
Already up on her feet, Witherspoon was out and about Wednesday in Santa Monica, Calif., stopping into local eatery Huckleberry with her newborn.
Soaking up every minute with her new family is number one on Witherspoon's priority list. "She definitely feels settled in her family life with Jim and her kids [Deacon, who turns 9 this month, and Ava, 13]," says the pal. "They can't wait to start life with their new baby."
The actress gave birth to a son, Tennessee James Toth, on Thursday, Sept. 27, her rep tells PEOPLE exclusively.
“Reese Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth welcomed Tennessee James into their family today,” the rep says. “Both mom and baby are healthy and the entire family is thrilled.”
The baby is Witherspoon’s first child with her husband, whom she married in March 2011. She is already mom to Ava, 13, and Deacon, 8½, from her prior marriage.
In March, a source told PEOPLE that the actress, 36, was eager to have another child. “Right after the wedding, Reese expressed a desire to have a baby with Jim,” said the source. “Reese has been very open with her kids about her plans to expand the family.”
Witherspoon, who initially kept her pregnancy under wraps, subsequently showed off her baby bump all around the world over the spring and summer — from appearances at the Cannes Film Festival to lunches and errands at home in Los Angeles. “Frankly, I’m feeling very round,” she told reporters in June.
Witherspoon visited Bellacures in Brentwood on Tuesday to pamper herself with a manicure and pedicure.
Wearing a gray dress and a denim button-down shirt, Witherspoon – who recently put her Ojai, Calif., home on the market for $10 million – asked for help picking out the "coolest colors" an onlooker tells PEOPLE.
Staffers suggested Essie's beige Chinchilly for her hands, while Witherspoon chose OPI's bright red, The Thrill of Brazil, for her toes.
As the Mud star relaxed, she talked babies with the manicurist, who told Witherspoon the shape of her belly looked like she was expecting a boy.
After sharing a few laughs, Witherspoon read on her iPad before dozing off in the chair.
Earlier this week, the actress and mom of two (for now!) was spotted cheering on her son, Deacon at his soccer game in Los Angeles on Sunday.
"She is pretty pregnant. It was really hot outside but she was a trooper," a different source says.
"She had a great time watching Deacon," the source adds. "She is a very devoted mom."
Witherspoon's ranch, which is selling for $10 million, is also full of happy memories – for Witherspoon. It's where the actress tied the knot with her husband Jim Toth in front of family and friends, including Robert Downey Jr., Sean Penn, Renée Zellweger and Scarlett Johansson.
The house sits on 7 acres of land and includes 4 bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms, a pool, stables, an organic garden and a carriage house, according to the real estate listing on Zillow.com.
The home was featured in a recent issue of Elle Decor, where Witherspoon said, "[Libbey Ranch] reminds me of growing up in Tennessee, where we spent all day outside. I wanted my children to have that experience, to get muddy and hang out with the animals."
And Witherspoon isn't the only famous person to have owned the home. According to Zillow, Ghostbusters actor and director Harold Ramis also owned the home previously, as did designer and model Kathy Ireland.
A ready-to-pop Reese Witherspoon was spotted taking her kids Deacon and Ava (and her soon-to-arrive baby) out to dinner at Gjelina with her husband Jim Toth in Venice, Calif., today.
Reese donned a black, form-fitting dress revealing her growing baby bump, while Jim rocked a bright pair of pants with a polo.
And although the actress looks absolutely darling with that belly, we can't wait to see the newest addition to Reese's beautiful fam.
Witherspoon was seen leaving the doctor's office earlier this week in Los Angeles. The clock is ticking!
Wonder when the little one will decide to show up?
The more pregnant than ever Oscar winner, despite reportedly being on the verge of giving birth a few weeks ago, was spotted leaving the doctor's office today in L.A.'s Brentwood neighborhood.
Witherspoon, who was chatting on her cell phone when the paparazzi caught up with her, beat the heat in a printed red dress that showed off her expectant figure, a black brimmed hat and black shades.
And though she's appears to be pretty close to welcoming her third child and first with agent hubby Jim Toth, Witherspoon is still finding the energy to enjoy her summer.
Yesterday, she was out getting frozen yogurt at Pinkberry doing a little shopping, of the clothing and grocery variety!
Everything is fine and there's nothing to report, a source assured E! News in response to, well, a report that the Oscar winner was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital last night and again today because she was experiencing complications.
"The visit is a normal thing for a lot of pregnant women and there is no drama," the insider added. "All parties involved are healthy and fine."
Sure enough, Witherspoon looked picture-perfect yesterday at the Brentwood restaurant Tavern. The New Orleans native was the quintessential California girl, sporting shades and a form-hugging black wrap dress that showed off her tan lines.
Her third child—and first with agent hubby Jim Toth—is due early next month. So, while the little Totherspoon could arrive any day...
There's no cause for alarm in the meantime.
Immediately after learning his girlfriend of three years, Kristen Stewart, had cheated on him with her married Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders, Pattinson asked his friend and Water for Elephants costar if he could crash at her tranquil estate in Ojai, Calif.
Pattinson was utterly blindsided by the news – which a distraught Stewart delivered just before the story broke July 24 on PEOPLE.com – sources tell PEOPLE in this week's cover story.
"There was no sign that either of them was unhappy," says a source close to the 26-year-old actor. "He would have done anything for her."
While the source says Pattinson has had his "heart ripped out," a Stewart insider says the Twilight heroine, 22, is likewise devastated.
"Telling Robert was the worst thing she's ever had to do," says the insider.
For much more on Stewart's "huge mistake" – including her pleading texts and phone calls to Pattinson – and whether the actor will be able to forgive her, pick up this week's PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
Pattinson reached out to Witherspoon immediately after learning of Stewart's infidelity and asked Witherspoon if he could seek solace at her vacation ranch in Ojai, Calif., according to the magazine. The $7 million estate is where Witherspoon married Jim Toth in 2011.
Us Weekly reports that Pattinson is "a total mess" and "questioning everything" in light of Stewart's admission that she had been romantically involved with Sanders, her director on Snow White and the Huntsman and a married father of two.
Stewart, meanwhile, is reportedly "dying to save the relationship" and has been reaching out to Pattinson through texts and phone calls, according to Us Weekly.
"[Libbey Ranch] reminds me of growing up in Tennessee, where we spent all day outside," she tells Elle Décor in its new issue, on stands Aug. 7. "I wanted my children to have that experience, to get muddy and hang out with the animals."
In a photo spread, Witherspoon, 36, reveals the bedrooms of daughter Ava and son Deacon – the rooms were decorated with designer Kristen Buckingham – and says the most popular area is what she calls the "great room."
"Everyone congregates around the stone fireplace in the great room. It's cozy and warm," she explains. "In the summer, it's the coolest room, because of the stone."
But above all, the home, where she also hosted a 20-person Thanksgiving dinner last year, is her retreat from her busy life in L.A.
"[The house] is meditative and restorative. As soon as I drive through the gate, I relax," she says. "The air is fresh, the phone isn't ringing, you can't access e-mail. Time slows down. Within an hour I'm lying on that couch taking a big fat nap. It's like having a little bit of Tennessee in California."
For more photos, check out this week's issue of PEOPLE magazine, on newsstands now.
Regardless, Reese Witherspoon looks like a doll while preparing to go through Los Angeles International Airport's security and holding on to her precious baby bump.
The actress was spotted catching a flight out of LAX with husband Jim Toth today, and although we don't know where the duo are planning to go, we hope that it's somewhere the two can enjoy in some rest and relaxation before the family's newest member—and the couple's first child together—arrives.
But even after that, it won't be long before Witherspoon gets back to work.
According to Deadline, Reese is reportedly linked to the latest novel-to-film adaptation for Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.
Reese Witherspoon isn't letting a little thing like a baby bump get in the way of working.
Sporting a mid-length purple dress, the Oscar winner was spotted in Atlanta, Ga., on Monday shooting her upcoming flick, Devil's Knot.
The sighting comes just two days after the actress was honored in Chicago at the Evening With Reese Witherspoon event hosted by the Gene Siskel Film Center.
"I'm feeling very round," she told the Chicago Sun-Times that night.
Witherspoon and her husband, Jim Toth, are expecting their first child together. The Walk the Line star has two kids, 12-year-old Ava and 8-year-old Deacon, from her previous marriage to Ryan Phillippe.
Reese Witherspoon's emergency petition for her father, Dr. John Witherspoon, to be placed in a temporary conservatorship was dismissed by a Nashville judge who also ordered that his file be sealed from the public, citing privacy concerns.
The 36-year-old actress filed a request last month to take over management of her father's affairs after Witherspoon's mom, Betty, filed a bigamy lawsuit against her dad seeking to have his Jan. 14 marriage to Tricianne Taylor annulled on the grounds that the latter may be taking advantage of the fact he is suffering from depression and early-onset dementia.
News of the conservatorship bid's dismissal was first reported by Nashville's The Tennessean, whose lawyers filed suit with the court along with a local news channel demanding all legal records in the matter be unsealed in the public's interest.
However, Circuit Judge Randy Kennedy sided with Witherspoon's legal eagle that disclosure of the case's details amounted to voyeurism and tabloid journalism, noting that the release of such documents to the public would "cause undue harm and embarrassment to the parties."
Either way, the judge and lawyers for both Witherspoon and her estranged parents agreed that since there was no longer an emergency, the pregnant Oscar winner and her brother's bid for temporary guardianship should be dropped. In the meantime, Betty Witherspoon has obtained a temporary restraining order barring Taylor from using the last name Witherspoon for any purpose.
Andra Hedrick, attorney for Reese Witherspoon, could not be reached for comment. No word whether the media outlets will appeal the decision to keep the proceedings private.
Although the This Means War star—who is pregnant with her third child (her first with hubby Jim Toth)—has stayed rather mum on their baby-on-the way, she couldn't help but share how she felt on Saturday night for an Evening With Reese Witherspoon, hosted by the Gene Siskel Film Center at The Ritz-Carlton in Chicago.
"Thanks, but frankly I'm feeling very round tonight," Witherspoon told The Chicago Sun-Times when a reporter commented on how great she looked.
Although the blonde beauty is preggers for the third time (she has two kids, Ava, 12, and Deacon, 8, from her previous marriage to Ryan Phillippe), the adorable star stills fights those pesky cravings and admits to indulging in Chicago's famous treats:
"Maybe, but it's not that easy," Witherspoon admitted when the reporter suggested she was likely avoiding things like the windy city's deep dish pizza. "I'm always feeling like I'd like to eat everything in sight!"
Despite opening up about her pregnancy for the first time, the 36-year-thesp is still keeping quiet on the sex of her babe, but she did say she is "very excited" about the upcoming birth.
As for what's next? Reese is currently filming her new flick, Devil's Knot, with Colin Firth in Atlanta.
And after that?
"After I finish that, I'm going to take a little time off—and go have a baby," Witherspoon shared with a smile.
Go for it, Reese! Hardworking moms all deserve a nice break.
The expectant actress was hanging out with kids Ava, 12, and Deacon, 8, at the Kidstock Music and Arts Festival held at Beverly Hills's Greystone Mansion, which benefits the One Voice and the One Voice Scholars Program. Joined by hubby Jim Toth, her brother (and his two girls), Witherspoon rubbed her pregnant belly and smiled widely as her kids enjoyed some musical entertainment by Jim Belushi's daughter, Jamison.
Later, the whole family moved over to the Drybar Station, where the younger girls got their hair done. (Ava got pink streaks and glitter put in!)
Then it was time for some food: specifically cheeseburger sliders, chicken skewers and some French fries for Reese.
Her husband was very attentive (and affectionate), making sure she was well-fed, according to onlookers. And the two enjoyed an especially sweet – literally – moment, sharing a bite of Baskin Robbins ice cream together.
Also at the event: Victoria Beckham, who arrived early with all four of her kids in tow. (She kept daughter Harper in her arms for most of the afternoon.) Her boys hit up the Drybar station, where they got Mohawks and purple streaks in their hair.
And Pete Wentz and girlfriend Meagan Camper chaperoned his son Bronx at the event, which also drew out Kylie Jenner.
Earlier this month, Witherspoon's mother, Betty Witherspoon, said her husband of 42 years married another woman even though he remained wed to her.
A hearing in that case, which was scheduled for Thursday, has been indefinitely postponed. In the meantime, documents released from another Nashville court indicate that John Witherspoon was placed in a conservatorship at the request of the Academy Award-winning actress and her brother.
The actress appeared in a Nashville courtroom on May 11 with her father, a Nashville otolaryngologist, but a judge barred the media from covering the hearing.
The parents have been separated since 1996 but remain married and still attend family functions together, including their daughter's March 2011 wedding.
Betty Witherspoon said in court documents that she discovered that her husband married the other woman after reading a newspaper wedding announcement. She signed an affidavit saying that when she confronted her 70-year-old husband, he didn't know who the woman was or remember marrying her.
Betty Witherspoon has accused John Witherspoon's new wife, Tricianne "Patricia" Taylor, of taking out loans as Mrs. John Witherspoon and changing his will.
"She vehemently denies those allegations," said Joe Brandon Jr., an attorney who represents Taylor. "She's devastated, and we don't have any further comment."
Betty Witherspoon, a 63-year-old nurse at Vanderbilt University hospital and a retired Tennessee State professor, says in the court documents that she still loves her husband and fears for his safety. She has accused him of taking out large loans for money.
"My husband's spending practices have accelerated," her affidavit says. "I now understand that he may have borrowed $400,000 at Bank of America and either forged my name or had his girlfriend posing as his wife sign."
The documents say she no longer lives with her husband because of his "alcoholism, infidelity, overspending and hoarding."
Betty Witherspoon has asked a family court judge to annul the wedding between her husband and Taylor and to order her to leave all residences belonging to the family, return all possession she has acquired and pay all court costs.
The Tennessean newspaper and WSMV-TV have filed an emergency petition with the probate court asking that the judge to unseal the documents and open all future court hearings to the media.
The limited documents released in the probate case mostly involved filings from the media.
A hearing has been scheduled on June 25 that will decide whether the judge will unseal the files and open any future court hearings.
With snake bites, shootouts, and a happy ending, it is proudly — even blatantly — inspired by the bard of the Mississippi. Stellar performances from 15-year-old Tye Sheridan — who starred in last year's Palme d'Or winner "The Tree of Life" — and McConaughey separate it from a pack of films in competition set in the colorful American South.
Director David Nichols' third film was the culmination of his film work so far and a decade of effort. The 33-year-old managed to scrape enough money together thanks to the critical success of his previous two pictures: 2007's "Shotgun Stories," and last year's award-winning "Take Shelter."
The story of young Ellis on his search for a parental role model borrows from the sacrifice and friendship themes of Twain's classic "Huckleberry Finn," whose fatherless main character embarks on a Mississippi odyssey of self-discovery.
Nichols said Twain's bittersweet tales immortalizing the "mile-wide tide" of the Mississippi river have stayed with him since he first read them when he was young. He's frankly unapologetic about the obvious influence: "If you're going to steal from someone, steal from someone really intelligent. And I stole from Mark Twain."
Young actor Jacob Lofland, who played Ellis' best friend, Neckbone, testified to Twain's influence. Tutored on the book, Lofland recognized parts of the work in the films script. He said, only semi-jokingly, "I found out that a lot of stuff (from the novel) just wandered onto the script. We had a word with (Nichols) about that."
McConaughey plays the eponymous character, the woebegone Mud, who is hiding on a Mississippi island from vengeful bounty hunters after shooting a man in Texas. Madly in love with Witherspoon's unreliable, smoldering blond Juniper he enlists the support of Ellis and Neckbone to help win her love. McConaughey's performance has wowed critics at the festival.
The Oscar-winning Witherspoon, who spent an hour in a hot, packed room with journalists despite being heavily pregnant, was born in Louisiana and took the relatively small role because it felt like home to her.
"There are very few movies about the American South that are accurate," she said.
"Mud" — the Cannes's official competition's last entry — joins "Lawless" and "The Paperboy" on the list of Southern films at the festival. Nichols explained the phenomenon simply: "Well, Southerners are good story-tellers."
Witherspoon, who also wore dangling diamond earrings and sky-high fuchsia stilettos, flew to Cannes with her husband Jim Toth to promote her new movie, Mud, which premieres Saturday at the festival.
The actress's presence at Cannes while pregnant was all the more surprising given what a small role she has in Mud.
The new film, written and directed by 33-year-old indie darling Jeff Nichols, stars Matthew McConaughey as a fugitive hiding on an island in the Mississippi River. Two teenage boys discover him and try to reunite him with his true love, played by Witherspoon, as bounty hunters close in on him.
Witherspoon said Saturday at a press conference that she was drawn to the script because it reminded her of her own childhood in Tennessee.
"I grew up with my brother in a creek, riding dirt bikes, dirt fishing, everything you see the boys in the movie doing," she said. "When I read Jeff's script, it felt like home. It's a beautiful story about the place I'm from."
But she hesitated before taking the part because she didn't want to overshadow the rest of the cast or the movie itself.
"I like supporting roles but you have to be careful because [big stars] sometimes pull the focus away from the rest of the movie," she said. "But Jeff assured me it was an ensemble movie – and it was."
Nichols said he "needed" Witherspoon.
"Even if her screen time is limited and, bless her heart, I kept her in a motel room most of the time, she still managed to look good," he said. "I needed someone who, when she showed up, it was like, she's here! She had to be believable and stand out at the same time."
Witherspoon and Toth arrived at the festival Thursday and managed to make it to a dinner for Nicole Kidman's racy new film The Paperboy.
Walking hand-in-hand with her hubby, Jim Toth, the Oscar winner was spotted arriving at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport on Thursday.
Sporting a black dress and a pair of flats, the shades-wearing actress looked as if she was trying to keep a low profile despite being surrounded by photogs.
So what brings the 36-year-old soon-to-be mother of three to France?
Well, her new movie, Mud, costarring Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Paulson and Michael Shannon, is officially closing the film fest.
Can't wait to see her at the premiere!
The Oscar winner, 36, took her children Ava and Deacon along for what a witness says was a low-key, quiet walk together.
It has been a difficult time for the Witherspoon family, with Reese's mother Betty suing John in Tennessee, alleging that he married another woman while still married to her – though they've been separated since 1996. Betty alleged in an affidavit that John has problems with alcohol and may have early-onset dementia.
Reese, who is expecting a baby with husband Jim Toth, appeared with her parents in court in Nashville on May 11 for an emergency closed-door hearing on the matter.
A source who spoke to the actress last week tells PEOPLE: "She's doing okay. It's just not something that's easy to deal with whatever way you look at it. She wants her parents to be happy, and of course she's going to care for them – she always has – but it's a stressful situation."
Her husband has been a source of strength.. "Jim is really supportive," says the source. "It's so nice that she has him to lean on. He's quite protective and just wants to make sure she has support."
Movie Actress: Comedy
• Cameron Diaz, What to Expect When You're Expecting
• Alyson Hannigan, American Reunion
• Jennifer Lopez, What to Expect When You're Expecting
• Emma Stone, Crazy, Stupid, Love
• Reese Witherspoon, This Means War
After picking up Ava, 12, and Deacon, 8, from school, Witherspoon took a tennis lesson at the private Brentwood Country Club along with three close girlfriends.
"Reese was in a good mood," says an onlooker. "She was laughing with her girlfriends. They were all on the same side of the court and had tennis balls served at them by a trainer. It just seemed like a casual and relaxing practice game."
And the onlooker adds of the pregnant actress: "Reese's baby bump is getting bigger, and she looked very cute."
With regard to Witherspoon's fitness, the source says that she does still work out with a trainer at her house and they do strength training together. She has also been spotted hiking several times a week, and going for slow jogs around the Brentwood Country Club.
Whether she's at the beach, going to church, heading to an office building, slipping into something snug or attending a dinner at the White House, our ongoing fascination with her burgeoning belly is sure to follow.
So it shouldn't come as a complete shock that yet another shot of the pregnant Oscar winner has made its way here.
In this latest pic, Witherspoon is spotted sporting a pretty polka-dotted dress and casual flip-flops as she makes her way around her Brentwood, Calif., neighborhood.
And there you have it.
At least until tomorrow.
The actress's mother, Betty Witherspoon, has filed papers claiming her husband of 42 years – Reese's dad – tied the knot with another woman while still married to Betty.
The hearing before Probate Judge Randy Kennedy was closed to the public, but Kennedy typically handles cases involving conservatorship and determining mental capacity, The Tennesseean reports.
A video shows Witherspoon, wearing a dress and visibly pregnant, walking into the courtroom. She doesn't make any statements. Her brother also appeared at the hearing.
Betty filed a petition for annulment of what she says is John Witherspoon's wedding in January to a woman named Tricianne Taylor.
"No person in Tennessee can marry another while being married at the same time of the second marriage," says the petition, which includes a marriage certificate for John Witherspoon and Taylor.
John, 70, a physician, has suffered a number of personal problems including alcohol abuse, hoarding, compulsive spending and recently lost his medical practice, Betty alleges.
Mary Elizabeth Witherspoon, known as Betty, filed a lawsuit in Davidson County, Tennessee on Tuesday alleging the Legally Blonde star's father John Witherspoon wed another woman while still married to her.
She claims John exchanged vows with Tricianne Taylor on January 14 and she is seeking to have that union annulled, while she also states she is still in love with her husband and doesn't want a divorce, according to The Tennessean.
In an affidavit filed in court, Betty suggests her 70-year-old husband is suffering from dementia because when she confronted him about Taylor he denied knowing her and did "not remember getting married".
She also alleges he attempted to bring Taylor to their famous daughter's wedding to Jim Toth in California last March, but she wasn't allowed in: "The security officers at the wedding refused to let her in because she was not on the guest list."
Betty wants her husband's alleged second marriage to be annulled, while she is also asking the court to stop Taylor from removing any of John's assets and to return any vehicles, jewellery or other property acquired during the union.
Joined by Kate Hudson and fiancé Matt Bellamy, along with Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model Kate Upton and a talent agent, the party of six dined at Café Milano in Georgetown on Friday night for three hours.
"They seemed to be having lots of fun," an onlooker tells PEOPLE, adding that Witherspoon laughed throughout the meal and appeared to be in great spirits, while displaying her baby bump in a black dress.
On the menu for the pregnant actress? Fresh baby artichoke, salad in a lemon vinaigrette and spinach fettuccine with veal Bolognese sauce.
The Academy Award-winning actresses took in some girl talk over dinner at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, where the two "genuinely [appeared] to have fun with one another," an onlooker tells PEOPLE, adding that Theron sipped on wine, while expectant Witherspoon drank sparkling water.
Theron, who sported a white blazer and jeans with her hair pulled back, was all smiles, according to the source, who says Witherspoon was glowing in a casual short dress.
After greeting friends who approached the ladies' table throughout their meal, Theron and Witherspoon called it a night around 10:20 p.m. and headed to pick up their cars from the valet.
Witherspoon, 36, topped off the comfortable ruched dress with necklaces of turquoise beads and gold links, gold earrings, a light-brown leather purse, and, as usual when she's out and about, a pair of sunglasses.
The new addition, her first with husband Jim Toth, will join her kids Ava, 12, and Deacon, 8½, in enjoying the family's down-to-earth lifestyle.
Witherspoon "is big on the whole family eating together and talking about their day," a source tells PEOPLE.
Witherspoon joined a group of about six girlfriends for lunch on the patio, and she was seated at the head of the table.
The actress was greeted with a warm welcome of hugs, and she sat chatting with her friends for about two hours, smiling and laughing the entire time. Says the onlooker: "She seemed very relaxed and content."
The actress—who is expecting her first child with husband Jim Toth—looked pretty in pink while flaunting her growing baby bump at Easter church service in Santa Monica this morning. Her adorable kids, Ava and Deacon, were also in tow.
Just a few days ago, the entire family hit Costa Rica together where the actress displayed her growing baby bump in a black one-piece swimsuit.
Although Reese and Jim—who wed in March 2011—have stayed mum on the obvious pregnancy, sources confirm to E! News that they are due "in the fall."
Can't wait to see what classy style this mama shows off next!
The 36-year-old actress showed off her baby bump in a black one-piece swimsuit on Wednesday in Costa Rica.
Joined by her children—Ava, 12, and Deacon, 8—and hubby Jim Toth, Witherspoon looked relaxed as she dipped her feet in the ocean.
Despite the fact that she and Toth, 41, just got hitched in March 2011, the couple reportedly began trying to get pregnant right after their wedding. And while Witherspoon herself has stayed mum about her pregnancy, sources tell E! News she's due "in the fall."
Somehow we think little Witherspoon-Toth will be as genetically blessed as the star's first two kids with ex-hubby Ryan Phillippe.
While the Oscar winner herself has been mum about her pregnancy, the actress was clearly giving us a glimpse of her baby bump on Thursday.
Sporting a form-fitting gray dress complemented with a black sweater and matching boots, the soon-to-be mother-of-three was spotted making her way out of an L.A. office building.
It was just last week that E! News confirmed that Witherspoon is expecting her first child with husband Jim Toth.
The actress already has two children—12-year-old Ava and 8-year-old Deacon—with her former spouse, Ryan Phillippe.
After weeks of speculation – whipped up after the actress sported a series of loose, bump-concealing frocks – several Witherspoon pals confirm that yes, the Oscar winner and her husband of almost one year, Hollywood talent agent Jim Toth, are expecting their first child together.
"They are both thrilled," a friend tells PEOPLE.
Already a mom to daughter Ava, 12, and son Deacon, 8, whom she had with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, Witherspoon had spoken in the past of her desire to expand her family.
"I would love to have more kids," she told Britain's Closer magazine in January. "My children are the best part of my day."
Toth, whom she married last March in a country-chic ceremony at the actress's ranch in Ojai, Calif., "has always wanted kids," adds the friend. "He adores Ava and Deacon."
Now the whole family is eagerly anticipating their new addition.
"Jim and Reese are looking forward to having a bigger family at this point in life," says the friend. "They can take the time to enjoy the next stage and make sure the transition for all is easy and joyful."
The Oscar winner, 35, tells Britain’s TV show Daybreak that she’s feeling apprehensive about her daughter Ava Elizabeth‘s upcoming 13th birthday, in September.
“I don’t know anything about teenagers, so I’m on a big learning curve here,” the This Means War star says.
“This is the time where I start asking all my friends who have kids who are older, ‘What do you do about a cell phone? What are your rules about the computer? Is she allowed to go out with friends or is she not?’ So I learn a lot from other mothers.”
Also growing up fast is Witherspoon’s son Deacon Reeese, 8, her second child with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe.
“It’s great to have older children,” she says. “There’s a little sadness as they’re growing up and walking away from you, but it kind of changes the whole dynamic. We have really funny dinner conversations now, and they know more about certain topics than I ever, ever knew.”
For instance, when it comes to Ava, “I can’t keep up with her homework anymore,” explains Witherspoon. “My daughter will ask me something about famous composers, and I have no idea what she’s talking about. So that’s kind of nice. It’s like I’m learning from them.”
Having married agent Jim Toth nearly a year ago, Witherspoon hasn’t mentioned plans to have more children, but did say, “I like babies too. I hug all my girlfriends’ babies. They’re all so stinking cute!”
"We talk about domestic violence and what that means," Witherspoon, 35, told PEOPLE Tuesday at the 2nd World Conference of Women's Shelters in Washington, D.C., about educating her own family.
"Although the concept is somewhat foreign to them, they're starting to understand that this happens to families in our country and all throughout the world."
Witherspoon's two children – daughter Ava, 12, and son Deacon, 8 – have also talked with their mother about a recent public case: the felony assault by Chris Brown on then-girlfriend Rihanna in February 2009, after which he pleaded guilty.
"My daughter knows what happened. My son knows as well," says the Oscar winner. "We talk about what is abuse. I think it's important to talk to our daughters – and our sons – in order to educate them at an early age about what's appropriate and what is absolutely not acceptable."
Luckily for Witherspoon, she's found herself in a happy relationship and marriage with husband Jim Toth. The couple's first wedding anniversary is next month.
"I don't know what we're doing, but I'm very excited!" she says. "It happened so fast – it all went so quickly."
Reese stopped by Ellen (airing tomorrow) and reminisced about the day she met the Duchess of Cambridge.
"Somebody called me and said, 'We're having a really small fundraiser would you want to come over and meet the prince and princess?'" she began to explain. "I was like, 'Yes!' My husband just thought I was so dorky."
"He was like, 'Why are you so excited?' I must of tried on like six outfits. 'I'm meeting a princess. You don't understand. You have to be wearing the right outfit and the whole thing. I don't know, maybe we can be friends.' So we went and it's always funny. Whenever I am super excited about things, my husband calls it the double barrel. That's when I smile so big I look like a child."
Ellen DeGeneres proved that fact after showing a photo of Reese during that day.
Witherspoon continued, "I was so excited to meet her. Y'all, she's a princess." That was cute. And that's when Ellen laid the heavy question...
"Was she nice? Do you think y'all will hang out?"
"I mean, I would like to hang out. I'm not sure she wants to hang out with me. I could see that happening," Reese replied, and then responded to DeGeneres' question about whether or not Kate was down-to-earth with, "She was really nice. She was lovely. She's so composed. She seems like such a lady and I think it's so nice nowadays to see someone with such nice composure and carries herself so beautifully."
And then, the Oscar winner made the big move.
Reese looked at the camera and said, "Call me. Call me anytime."
Ball's in your court, Kate!
Did the studio figure that love as competition might not sit well with romance-inclined audiences? Or was it just a timing blunder? Given how it's engineered as a formulaic date movie, with a seemingly calculated blend of comedy, eye candy and fast- paced action meant to please both sexes, it's hard to imagine.
War offers a promising enough premise: A pair of top CIA operatives, Tuck (Tom Hardy) and FDR (Chris Pine), are partners and best pals who fall for the same woman. That would be Lauren (Reese Witherspoon), who evaluates consumer products for a living. While she's dithering and trying to decide between the swoon-worthy fellows, they resort to sophisticated surveillance techniques and high-tech gadgets to spy on and best the other. Let the most devious man win.
High concept is made sporadically enjoyable by the affable chemistry of Pine and Hardy. Conversely, what is meant to be convincing rapport between Lauren, a girl-next-door type, and her crass best buddy, Trish (Chelsea Handler), falls flat.
Silly action sequences grow tedious and rarely blend with the wannabe madcap comedy. Director McG (Charlie's Angels) can't seem to decide whether he's making a spy action flick with romance interspersed or a rom-com peppered with action.
The story truly falls apart during a climactic extended chase sequence involving a Russian bad guy (Til Schweiger) who shows up early on but disappears for most of the movie. And the resolution of the torn-between-two-lovers tale seems more expedient than believable.
This Means War isn't exactly hell, but it's far from heavenly.
This Means War * * out of four
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Chelsea Handler
Director: McG
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content including references, some violence and action, and for language
Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Opens Friday nationwide
The film, which opens in theaters on Friday, tucks some dating drama in between a lot of action as the two men, played by Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, find their friendship put to the test when competing for the attention of Witherspoon's character, Lauren.
Witherspoon's real life is more stable and less dramatic than Lauren's. The 35-year-old actress is nearing her one-year wedding anniversary to Jim Toth. She spoke with Reuters about the film, her hunky co-stars, her commitment to representing her southern heritage and helping female filmmakers.
Q: You won an Oscar for drama "Walk the Line," and the "Legally Blonde" comedies were big hits. This movie is all out action. Would you say it is a departure for you?
A: "It was a great opportunity to try something new, yet I felt like it had enough comedy that it felt fresh. Combining it with this very viable spy story made it feel new. But I had a few stunt doubles because there were things like driving cars, jumping off buildings, cars tumbling towards me, things on fire...(laughs)."
Q: So you didn't get to partake in all the action?
A: "I did do the trapeze work on this movie because I had been in circus training for 'Water For Elephants' and the shooting was very close between the two movies."
Q: Tell me about your two co-stars. What is Tom Hardy like?
A: "He's a very intense, focused actor. His mind races with thoughts and ideas. He was writing his own lines and helping us construct narrative. He's smart - always adding to the process."
Q: And Chris Pine?
A: "Chris is very thoughtful and earnest. What I didn't expect was this wonderful charismatic charm. He has a composure that's lovely to be around. He's really grateful for everything he has in his life."
Q: In a fictional world, how does one choose between them?
A: "Women on the set were going crazy about both. It actually was very interesting because it was 50/50. They couldn't decide. It was a constant, 'Who would you choose?' We were trying to decide if we should have done alternate endings."
Q: This is not the first film where you played a character in a love triangle. Your last two films before this - "Water For Elephants," "How Do You Know" - had those elements. Coincidence?
A: "It seems to be happenstance. I'm making movies that I would want to see. There is a part of it that's a female fantasy of having two men fight over you, but at no point do I think these guys are really interested in fighting over me. I know all of their girlfriends and wives and we're all very close - those women approved of me! That's how I managed to pull it off."
Q: Next you'll be working with filmmaker Atom Egoyan on "The Devil's Knot," based on the true story about the West Memphis Three, who were convicted of murdering three 8-year-old boys. What made you take on such a serious project?
A: "It happened in an area very close to where I grew up so I understand the cultural idea of who these people are. I want to always represent that area with dignity. It's part of the privilege that I have being southern. One of the things that really touched me is that there are three little boys who are gone and they're not coming home and we don't know who did it. I would want people to have as much awareness of the case and keep looking. I have an 8-year-old son at home and the emotional connection I have to the story is profound. It's a horror you cannot imagine as a parent."
Q: You have an Oscar and are a viable commodity at the box office. What else do you want to accomplish in your career?
A: "I'm starting a new company with (producer) Bruna Papandrea, and we will be producing some films with a very clear female voice. I've been acting since I was 14, and I know every aspect of filmmaking at this point. I think it's important for women who have attained a certain amount of success in this business to give back to other female writers and filmmakers and try and help facilitate their dreams."
Q: Your daughter is 12 - two years shy of when you first began working as an actress. Does she hold any of that same interest in acting that you did at that age?
A: "No. She's a different person with her own personality. I didn't expect when I had a child to have a clone (laughs). She's an individual and that's all you can hope for in life - that you encourage their individuality."
That's what most moviegoers will likely think mere minutes into This Means War, as Bond-like CIA hunks Tom Hardy, 34, and Chris Pine, 31, spend an hour and a half battling (not quite to the death) for a sassy, svelte Reese Witherspoon, 35.
But back on the chilly Vancouver set, the cast says it was more of a battle of the wits. Especially with Chelsea Handler on hand playing Trish, Witherspoon's best friend.
The bawdy Handler "never even stayed on the script, I didn't even know what she was saying," grins Witherspoon, who plays Lauren Scott, a consumer products watchdog.
Today at the Four Seasons hotel, Witherspoon is sandwiched between Hardy and Pine in a little black dress, kicking up her red-soled Louboutins as she talks. As Handler ad-libbed, "I would try not to laugh, but they'd usually put me off-screen so they couldn't see my face. I was crying I was laughing so hard."
The guys, whose characters spend most of War wooing Witherspoon, engaging in hand-to-hand-combat over her and pranking each other in her name, were always late to the best jokes.
"It was inevitable that Tom and I would come to set, and Reese and (Chelsea) would have shot a scene the day before and everybody was talking about what they'd shot yesterday," says Pine, who plays emotionally detached lady killer FDR. "We'd watch playback and from poltergeist (jokes) … to urethra (jokes) … it was just incredible."
To score a PG-13 rating, War's dirtiest lines were cut at the request of the MPAA, but they "did make it into the U.K. one," says Hardy, whose cheeky bromance with FDR crumbles after his character, Tuck, stumbles upon Lauren's picture on an online dating website. In time, both are desperate to win her over.
Eye candy is abundant in the action-meets-rom-com, and audiences are treated to a sexier look from Witherspoon, one that director McG (Charlie's Angels, Terminator: Salvation) terms "a little more Brigitte Bardot and Raquel Welch."
"That's really her on the countertop in her Agent Provocateur underwear, making out with a shirtless Chris Pine and then doing it again with Tom Hardy," he says.
And owning it.
"She's super-foxy, and she always plays that down," says the director. But this time around, "she wanted to go for it. You see her dancing around in a sweatshirt and her butt's peeking out, and it's adorable. Those are the moments that you say, 'Wow, she's really sexy, and I would fight for that.' "
"It's all McG's fault," Witherspoon says of those femme fatale shots and her new wardrobe of body-conscious dresses. But that's not to say she couldn't relate to her character's predicament: Witherspoon shot the movie three months after completing Water for Elephants, long before she married agent Jim Toth of the Creative Artists Agency in March. "I was a single girl when I made the movie. It wasn't much of a stretch. This wasn't a hard job."
But it was a physical one. War is Witherspoon's first action movie, and she makes the most of it, swinging on a trapeze with Hardy, gamely climbing up a dangling car, and even, McG says, ripping her finger wide open on a broken headlight during an adrenaline-racing stunt.
For this trio, getting into action shape took on different forms.
Before filming, "I was getting really into yoga," says Pine, who's busy these days reprising his role of Captain Kirk with the new Star Trek movie back in production. Playing FDR, "a complete hedonist and lover of life," Pine "stopped lifting weights and I lost a bunch of weight and I was feeling really healthy."
Hardy, sporting a longish beard in preparation for his upcoming 7-month-long Mad Max shoot, had a different tactic. "Cake, sugar, cigarettes," says the English actor, whose tattooed torso, ripped underneath a tight black T-shirt, is decidedly void of pastry evidence.
Hardy says there was a method to the caloric madness — he was in the process of losing some of his cage-fighting Warrior bulk when he signed onto War. (He has since quit smoking out of necessity, to train as the villain Bane for The Dark Knight, due this summer.)
Witherspoon says that as an actor, "you never know what your next thing is going to be. Somebody could ask (Hardy) to gain 40 pounds or be completely emaciated. You have to figure it out pretty fast. For me, I just try to stay healthy all the time. It's important. I run a lot."
Assembling the right dynamic for this Mr. and Mrs. Smith-style spy movie meant that after Witherspoon signed on, McG went on a veritable alpha manhunt.
McG first showed up at Chateau Marmont to meet Pine with a paper bag under his arm. As Pine and screenwriter Simon Kinberg spit-balled ideas, "McG was silently picking up out of the bag different pictures that were the archetypes of the film," recalls Pine, including shots of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours, and Maverick and Goose from Top Gun. "He really wanted to make a great buddy picture."
McG then flew to London to persuade Hardy to try on his "decidedly Americana, pop film," and showed Hardy initial scenes of the movie on his iPad at the Soho House. "The guy's a monster. We know what he can do with his acting," he says. Plus, "he looks like the love child of Marlon Brando and Paul Newman."
Hardy liked what he saw. "I really liked to play against the fact that we're doing a spy movie in a rom-com," says Hardy, who's known for a far more serious on-screen persona, thanks to his work in films such as Inception, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Warrior.
Casting Lauren's brash best friend was Witherspoon's job. She says there was no one better for the mouthy role than Handler, whom she befriended two years ago at a party. Witherspoon asked Handler to take the role over breakfast.
Lauren is "a very decisive person within her work, but then romantically, she's sort of a disaster and she can't decide anything," says Witherspoon, "so she goes to Chelsea Handler for advice."
Some very salty advice.
"Sex tie-breaker!" hoots Handler in the film, when Lauren admits she's torn between the chiseled undercover agents.
Handler admits that some of her jokes would stop Witherspoon in her tracks. "Reese is very professional, and I'm completely unprofessional, so the two of us working together was perfect," Handler says. "Sometimes she'd just look at me and go, 'You're so weird.' She still does that. Because I always grab her boobs and butt and she goes, 'Get off of me! What's wrong with you?' "
Off-set, Witherspoon spends far more time playing her favorite role: mom. But it's not always easy being a movie star, a mom and a wife. "I think it's always sort of a hustle. But any woman that works who has kids knows what that hustle is and you sort of weigh the guilt meter and how you feel about working on location."
She plans to go on location this summer to shoot new film Big Eyes, which means "a lot of airplanes traveling back and forth," to maintain mom's presence at home. Her children don't watch her movies, and she's extra-protective about social media.
"When you have kids, too, you get very protective. I think about what the Internet is and the repercussions of that expanse of people having your personal information," Witherspoon says. "I get very protective of my own kids in that capacity. They're not on any of it."
And Witherspoon is beginning to experience a new chapter of motherhood: Daughter Ava, 12, is almost a teenager. "I actually have a great relationship with my daughter, and it's exciting to see her grow up. She's a wonderful young lady." Son Deacon is 8. Their dad is Witherspoon's ex, Ryan Phillippe.
The newlywed says romance in her new marriage is in bloom. "Hopefully you always have romance in your life," Witherspoon says. "I think that's part of keeping life interesting."
Pine and Hardy have their own fail-proof advice for the romance-challenged on key holidays and birthdays.
"I think simple is better," says Pine. "I don't think you can go wrong with flowers. That's bottom line."
"I think 101 is not to forget," adds Hardy.
Witherspoon seconds that. Guys: "Don't go to Siberia," she warns.
She did some major lip-locking with her ridiculously hunky costars Chris Pine and Tom Hardy.
With that in mind, we hit the Hollywood premiere of the flick to find out which of the guys was the better kisser...
"Oh my gosh, that's hard to say," Witherspoon told us. "I mean everybody's got their own thing going on. Tom is super sexy and handsome and Chris is super sexy and handsome. All the women on the set were just like 50-50 either way, so I couldn't really pick."
This Means War director McG dished that between the three stars, Witherspoon was the one who suffered the most pain.
"There were plenty of real injuries, particularly Reese, who cut her hand wide open on a piece of glass reaching over a car that had been smashed up," McG said. "She didn't chicken out at all. She goes for it. She has no fear. She's given birth twice, she can do anything."
Witherspoon played down the incident. She said with a grin, "It took like four Band-Aids."
Tough mama, indeed.
In fact, we're convinced that the impeccably stylish Legally Blonde star could rock any 'do—just look at those fab tresses! (They deserve their own agent, no?)
But there's actually a strategic reason why the actress opted for the cut…
While appearing on an upcoming episode of Britain's The Graham Norton Show, Witherspoon reveals that the new 'do hides a cut on her forehead.
If you'll recall, the star was involved in an accident last September in which she was struck by a car while jogging.
The accident left her with a massive black eye, bruises and a bandaged forehead, and she's now got a sad and permanent mark on her gorgeous mug.
"They said I am very hard-headed because I landed right on my head and I have a scar," she said on the show. "Hence, my new hairdo."
Consider it an attractive way to emerge from an ugly situation.
"That'd be cool," Witherspoon tells MTV News. "Would he be playing me, or is he playing Mark Wahlberg? Is it like a girl who harasses the family, like a stalker who can't leave him alone? That would be good, right? I mean girls get crazy about him. Yeah, he's very talented."
She actually may be on to something. We could definitely see the Bieb's fans being crazy stalkers. Maybe not so much with the beheading of the family dog, but we're sure the writers could come up with something equally disturbing. We're not sure about the infamous rollercoaster scene, though.
Fresh off her sultry turn at the Golden Globes, Reese's style is once again making headlines, as the movie star touched down in Paris today with a banging new look. Literally.
Witherspoon stepped off the airplane with a chic new 'do, reverting back to some fashionable eye-skimming bangs—a look she's flirted with over the years, most notably after her split from Ryan Phillippe.
Hey, men may come and go, but you can always rely on a quality haircut. Especially during as important a time as this: the 35-year-old fashionista is putting her best face (and hair and clothes) forward, having landed in Paris in advance of the city's Fashion Week.
So, what do you think of Reese's (old) new look? Is it ooh la la or ooh la naw?
Fox had asked the Motion Picture Association of America's Classification and Rating Appeals Board to give McG's movie a less-restrictive rating.
After hearing statements from Ted Gagliano, president of feature post production for Twentieth Century Fox and from Joan Graves, who chairs the Classification and Rating Administration, the board upheld the R.
The board ruled that the movie has "some sexual content" -- enough to give it an R.
For an appeal to be successful, two-thirds of the board must vote that the rating is "clearly erroneous."
The board reviews between 800 and 900 movies each year. Usually, fewer than 12 are appealed.
Fox did not immediately return a call and email seeking comment.
"This Means War" is about two CIA operatives who become enemies when they find out they're both dating the same woman.
The movie is set for a February 14 release.
While their art was reproduced and marketed around the country, their home life was unhappy: Margaret Keane was the artist, but her husband took credit. In fact, it carried Walter Keane's name, rather than the shy Margaret's.
When the two divorced, both claimed rights to the paintings. Ultimately -- in federal court -- Margaret Keane painted a picture to prove that she was, in fact the artist. When the judge asked Walter Keane to paint, he declined, saying his sore shoulder prevented him from painting.
The judge found for Margaret Keane.
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote and will direct the film. Tim Burton is producing through his Tim Burton Productions. Lynette Howell and Jamie Patricof are producing through their Electric City Entertainment.
"We are ecstatic to have this dream cast for our dream project," the directors said in a written statement. "Walter is a larger-than-life antihero -- charming, funny, dangerous and a little crazy. Ryan will knock it out of the park. As for Reese, she will be perfect as Margaret -- soulful, decent, transforming from vulnerability to learning to fight for herself."
Alexander and Karaszewski know their biopics: They wrote "Ed Wood," "The People vs. Larry Flint" and the Andy Kaufman biopic "Man on the Moon."
With Burton, they're working on a new version of "The Addams Family."
"Big Eyes" has been on Alexander and Karaszewski's to-do list since at least 2009.
But it was, in fact, Jim Toth who rescued the actress.
"Jim came over and said, 'Please excuse my friend, he's just broken up with someone,' " Witherspoon, 35, recalls to Elle magazine of her first encounter with the man she went on to marry last March.
"I remember thinking ... Jim was a really good friend, pulling [his drunk pal] out of that situation. That's just kind of who he is, a really good person."
Before meeting her CAA talent agent hubby, Witherspoon admits she was a "totally different person," explaining that she lived a life of fear and sadness, following her 2006 divorce filing from ex-husband Ryan Phillippe.
"I used to be afraid to travel and afraid to leave my house, afraid to leave my kids – that something horrible was going to happen," she says. And her past emotional hardships have only made her appreciate the present that much more.
[Jim] really surprised me," she says. "You don't know who you're going to end up with. When I was 20, if you'd asked me ... I wouldn't have said Jim."
Among Toth's qualities, Witherspoon admires his caring soul.
"Jim's like, 'I'm gonna show you every day what a good partner is, what a good person is,' " she says. " 'I'm going to take care of you. I'm going to do it so much that you're gonna get used to it.' I was like, 'What are you talking about? I've never had anybody like that in my life.' "
The Weinstein Co.'s Dimension Films has been developing the "Devil's Knot" project for years. The West Memphis Three were also the subjects of a three-part HBO documentary, "Paradise Lost."
In the new film, Witherspoon will play Pam Hobbs, the mother of three 8-year-old boys who were brutally murdered in West Memphis, Ark., in May 1993.
Hobbs had been among those who accused Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin of committing the infamous murders. In November 2007, she said new evidence had changed her mind.
"Did I really believe it, no, not 100 percent that they did it," she told Jonesboro, Ark.-based KAIT-TV. "I didn't believe they were capable enough or smart enough to have committed the crime, cleaned the scene up and be guilty for it."
After spending 17 years in prison, Echols, Misskelley and Baldwin were released from prison in August as part of a plea deal.
Over the years, Eddie Vedder, Henry Rollins and other prominent musicians had raised money in support of the West Memphis Three, who had maintained their innocence all along.
Dimension acquired the rights to journalist Mara Leveritt's book "Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three" in 2006, and hired Scott Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman to write the script.
Richard Saperstein, Elizabeth Fowler, Boardman and Clark Peterson will produce Dimension's movie.
Just a couple of days after a fun-filled outing with her family at Disneyland, the Oscar winner was spotted in L.A. on Monday wearing a small splint on her pinky finger.
While there's been no word yet on how or where the actress actually injured herself, we can't help but feel bad for the gal.
After all, it was just a couple of months ago that Reese found herself pretty banged up after being hit by a car while jogging.
Although, seeing the slight smile on her face here is certainly a good sign that it's not as painful as it appears.
But a speedy recovery nevertheless, Reese!
Reese Witherspoon took kids Ava, 12, and Deacon, 7, husband Jim Toth and members of her extended family to the iconic theme park in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday.
The actress, 35, and her kids wore mouse ears as they navigated the park with the help of a special escort.
Witherspoon, Toth and her kids also took the plunge on Splash Mountain (pictured) and rode the Matterhorn Bobsleds, and she and son Deacon also went for a spin on the Mad Tea Party attraction, as Toth and Ava watched from the sidelines.
Favorite Movie Actress:
Anne Hathaway
Emma Stone
Jennifer Aniston
Julia Roberts
Reese Witherspoon
We are.
But will it ever happen?
Reports last week claimed that the Oscar-winning actress and the How I Met You Mother were Sony's top picks to costar in a new comedy about a couple's search to track down their homemade X-rated video.
"That would be our dream cast but it's just very, very early in the process," the Muppets star told us last night at the Fulfillment Fund Stars Gala honoring Disney boss Rich Ross and Madeline and Tom Sherak in Beverly Hills. "You know how Hollywood goes. They report things very early. Right now, Nick [Stoller] and I are just working on a script."
Segel also dismissed reports that Muppets veterans were unhappy with his upcoming take on the legendary puppet franchise.
"I actually think that those comments were made before they'd seen the film," he said. "And they've since seen the movie and everyone's walked out happy.
"We just did our first few test screenings and a few people said it was their favorite Muppet movie they've ever seen," Segel continued. "I don't aim for that but my goal was for it to be something that honored the legacy of those first three Muppet movies and The Muppet Show.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals unloaded on the Oscar winner today after she was photographed toting a designer bag made with genuine python skin.
"No matter how much Reese paid for that bag, the animals paid a much higher price," the animal-rights group said in a statement. (For the record, Witherspoon's Chloe Paraty purse costs $3,820.)
And PETA didn't hold back in detailing what, exactly, that higher price entails.
"Every year, millions of snakes are impaled on hooks or nailed to trees by their heads and skinned alive," the statement continued. "Hoses are inserted into the mouths of large snakes—like pythons—and their bodies are pumped full of water to loosen their skin so that it will cut away more easily. The animals' peeled, writhing bodies are then discarded, and it often takes days for the animals to die from the effects of shock and dehydration. We can't imagine that she'd wish to contribute to this hidden suffering, especially for something as frivolous as a fashion accessory that can be replicated with no bloodshed.
"These days, it's easy to have a look that kills without killing—with fake snake, mock croc, python pleather, and other designer items that pay tribute to the beauty of these animals without massacring them."
PETA spokeswoman Jane Dollinger tells E! News that they plan on sending Witherspoon—deemed one of PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities in 2006—a video, narrated by Witherspoon's Walk the Line costar Joaquin Phoenix, about cruelty within the exotic skins industry.
And though Phoenix is involved, it's the real deal.
According to the Web site Deadline, offers are out to Witherspoon and Segel to star in the movie about a married couple who spice up their sex life by making a dirty home video, only for the tape to disappear. The duo attempts to chase down the tape before it goes public and embarasses them or their kids. It's a plot that sounds like it could be pitched as "Date Night" meets "Zack and Miri Make a Porno."
Ironically, Witherspoon had some harsh words at the MTV Movie Awards in June for actresses who strip down for sexy videos and photos.
"I know it's cool to be bad, I get it. But it's also possible to make it in Hollywood without a reality show," she said. "When I came up in this business you made a sex tape and you were embarrassed and hid it under your bed, and like if you took naked pictures of yourself on your cell phone, you hid your face."
Many assumed her words were directed at Blake Lively, the “Gossip Girl” star who’d had what were allegedly nude photos leaked at the time by a hacker.
Sony apparently paid seven figures to acquire "Sex Tape," which was written by Kate Angelo, the writer of "The Back-Up Plan." The studio is eyeing Nicholas Stoller to direct, according to Deadline. Stoller worked with Segel on "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," a movie in which the actor infamously stripped down for a full-frontal scene. Perhaps he’ll get a chance for a repeat performance in this new movie.
Reese Witherspoon was.
Oh, yeah?
While presenting Aniston with one of the night's many awards, Witherspoon recalled how excited she was to play Aniston's sister on Friends back in 1999. The Oscar winner admitted she was, like most of the world, "obsessed" with the hit sitcom. She had just had her first baby, so "I would not stop watching Friends. They were my friends and there was no taking me away from my friends."
But then Witherspoon showed up for work. "In all my enthusiasm I completely forgot something very crucial—that I had never been on television ever before in my entire life and I never really had been in front of a live audience before ever in my entire life," she said to laughs in the packed ballroom at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. "I panicked. I totally froze. It became immediately clear to me that I had no idea what I was doing and I was completely out of my league."
Fortunately, Aniston was able to calm her down by assuring her that it was OK if she messed up. "Don't try to be perfect," Aniston advised. "Just be yourself."
They became fast friends.
"There are not that many people actually who have this incredible combination of sex appeal and complete lovability," Witherspoon said. "You just want to get your nails done with her and you want to make out with her—at least I do.
"And that's what we do sometimes on Saturdays. First we get our nails done—so cute!—and then we make out. It's totally awesome."
Sounds like the perfect pitch for a romantic comedy. If only!
The Oscar winner continued to take steps in the fight against breast cancer by strolling alongside about 3,500 other participants in the 2011 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in New York City on Sunday.
Not only did the event help raise more than $8.4 million, but Witherspoon, who has been the honorary chair for the Avon Foundation for Women since 2007, also presented $9.1 million in grants this morning to breast cancer organizations in the New York-area on behalf of the foundation.
The presentation came during the final session of the 2011 Breast Cancer Global Congress.
The big screen will soon be featuring This Means War, a romantic comedy set for February release, which is also jam-packed with action as two CIA agents (and best friends), played by Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, go at it after finding out they're dating the same woman, Reese Witherspoon.
Gasp!
The trailer—which we've so kindly provided for your viewing pleasure—makes you initially think that this is some hardcore action movie, which will involve blowing stuff up and killing bad guys. Which isn't all bad since Pine and Hardy look good being badass in well-tailored suits.
But then, the real plot of the film, a love triangle, unfolds. And the two hunks start meddling with the other's relationship in ways that make the story a lot more interesting.
Watch the trailer to see what you can expect in This Means War, and to find out which E! star is also cast in the film!
The Oscar winner was one the many celebs at the Toth-hosted Art Mère/Art Père art auction benefit for Livestrong.
But it almost turned into a loveless evening for Ms. Witherspoon...
Don't worry, all is good on the home front. Witherspoon got into a bidding war for a photo of signage from the Loveless Motel, a famed landmark in her native Nashville.
While she lost on that item, she did go pick up a painting of multiple American flags by artist Jeff Cahill for $1,600.
Also at the event were Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves, enjoying the Fatburger truck and drinks from Corzo tequila; Johnny Galecki, checking out the bright yellow Ferrari Italia 458 on display next to the red carpet; and Sanaa Lathan, hitting the JetBlue kiosk.
Eli Roth was there. The Inglourious Basterds star's artist mom, Cora Roth, donated a mixed media work called Pink Light to the auction. "I'm her plus-one tonight," Eli smiled.
She's a fighter.
Reese was out in L.A. yesterday, smiling on her way to a birthday party -- despite the big band-aid on her forehead.
A different photo that we quickly learned had been taken BEFORE the accident had made the rounds last week showing Reese looking fine ... but the fact is, that photo was taken before Reese was hit by a car in Santa Monica.
As TMZ previously reported, Reese was hospitalized after the accident on Wednesday, but she was soon released after doctors determined her injuries were only minor.
The actress is not pressing charges against the 84-year-old driver who struck her as she was jogging Wednesday in Santa Monica, Calif., her rep tells PEOPLE.
The actress, 35, suffered minor injuries and went home to recover, her rep said at the time.
The driver, meanwhile, was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Santa Monica police have asked the DMV to haul in the elderly driver for a full re-examination within the next 30 days. In addition to the driver's test -- we're told she will have to take an eye exam, and provide a list of medications she's taking.
The woman was already cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk ... but making anyone -- much less an octogenarian -- stand in line at the DMV is a punishment that sticks with you.
Our dear Reese Witherspoon was working on her fitness by jogging around Santa Monica, when—BAM!—a car hit her!
OK, it wasn't that dramatic. Luckily, the actress only suffered minor injuries after being clipped by the 84-year-old driver, and was able to rest back at her house after being taken to the hospital.
So maybe that's why Jason Biggs felt it was appropriate to joke about the situation, by tweeting...
"I just heard the news about Reese Witherspoon doing a voice in 'Cars 3'. Wow!"
OMG, you guys. That is so funny! Except it's not.
There's no history of the two being BFF, so we really can't comprehend why Biggs would tweet something like when it could've been a tragic event.
But then again, judging by all his other posts, that just seems to be the pie-humper's steez.
Reese Witherspoon was rushed to the hospital this afternoon after being hit by a car while jogging in Santa Monica, police confirm to E! News.
The Oscar winner sustained minor injuries but her rep says she is "resting comfortably at home" after receiving treatment.
Police said that the car that hit Witherspoon was going approximately 20 miles per hour. No further details about the accident were available just yet, except that it was not a hit-and-run.
Witherspoon, 35, filed for divorce from Ryan Phillippe in 2006. She calls the break up "really traumatic" and worried about the effect it would have on their two children, Ava, 12 this month, and Deacon, 7½.
"I was hard on myself when I got divorced. And until I got remarried, I don't think I realized how stressed I was," Witherspoon says in the October issue of Marie Claire. "I don't think I recognized how anxious I was about being a single parent."
The Oscar-winner was also concerned about finding a man who would accept her kids, but says all that changed when she met agent Jim Toth, whom she married in March.
"Now I feel a great sense of relief and an incredible amount of support from my husband," Witherspoon says. "I got very lucky, and he's wonderful. And so wonderful with my children. I'm very blessed."
While Reese Witherspoon didn't give that away when she sat down with Marie Claire recently to cover the magazine's October issue (she's a lady, after all), she did reveal the worst, most hurtful piece of supposed advice that was given to her in the wake of her difficult divorce from Ryan Phillippe…
"You know, somebody close to me once said, 'Oh, no man will ever accept your children,'" she explained. "And I just thought it was the most horrifying thing someone has ever said to me in my entire life.
"I was determined to find somebody who would make that not true. And I got lucky. I did. I got very lucky, and he's wonderful. And so wonderful with the children. I'm very blessed."
The wonderful, luck-bringing man of whom she speaks? That'd be new hubby Jim Toth, of course!
Reese told Marie Claire that her agent better half has not only brought her happiness, but helped lift a burden she didn't even realize she had been carrying.
"I was hard on myself when I got divorced," she said of her split five years ago from Phillippe, the father of her two children Ava and Deacon. "And until I got remarried, I don't think I realized how stressed I was. I feel so much relief. I don't think I recognized how anxious I was about being a single parent. It was really, really stressful. It's not easy on anybody.
"I think Nora Ephron says in one of her books, 'You know, don't kid yourself, divorce is really hard on your children. It's really hard. Children will not be better for it.'"
And while Witherspoon acknowledges that that may not be the case for everyone, she personally found the ordeal "traumatic.
"I mean, there are extenuating circumstances. I'm sure everybody's life is different, so I shouldn't say that. But it's really traumatic. Now I feel a great sense of relief and an incredible amount of support from my husband."
Chalk it up to the movie star mama overcoming yet another fear.
"I'm scared to speak in public," she admitted. "I used to not ever travel. I've gotten over so many phobias. Five years ago, I was terrified to travel. I was scared to leave my kids. It's still not the best feeling."
Though judging by her recent summer vacations (with her kids! Two birds, one stone) it seems she may have overcome that fear, too.
The Water for Elephants actress strikes an adorable pose as the new face of the European fashion label Lindex...
In a statement released today, Johan Hallin, the brand's Director of Concept and Marketing, says Reese is the perfect match for their new fall concept because she is "positive, warm and full of energy" and combines "a carefree style with Hollywood glamour."
"I have always loved denim and knitted garments that can be mixed and matched," the new Mrs. Jim Toth chimed in. "Lindex' fashion suits my style perfectly."
The 35-year-old actress and mother of two does look pretty stinkin' cute in the cazh duds, right?
Ads from her fall campaign hit Lindex stores, billboards, TV and newspaper ads and the website this week.
Is Reese's new collaboration a good fit, or do you think the Legally Blonde star should keep her day job? Check out the additional pics below and then sound off in the comments!
Reese Witherspoon showed off her sexy self over the weekend by way of a two-piece bikini while vacationing in Hawaii with her two children and new hubby, Jim Toth.
But it wasn't just the Oscar winner's cute curves that were on display as she enjoyed a little fun in the sun.
Reese also offered up a much better glimpse than the one we got over the Fourth of July weekend of her new tummy tattoo.
Yup. When it comes to hot bods, this Election star definitely gets our vote!
Everest is fully financing the movie, which also stars "One Tree Hill" and "The Tree of Life's" Tye Sheridan.
"Mud" "is the powerful, redemptive tale of a charismatic fugitive named Mud and his unlikely friendship with 14-year-old Ellis. Ellis is determined to help his new friend escape from both the law and some very serious bounty hunters in order to reunite Mud with his soul mate, Juniper."
McConaughey would play Mud, Sheridan would play Ellis and Witherspoon would play Juniper.
Jeff Nichols ("Take Shelter") wrote the movie and will direct.
Everest's Lisa Marie Falcone is producing with Sarah Green -- who also produced "The Tree of Life." FilmNation Entertainment's Aaron Ryder also is producing.
"Jeff Nichols has written a beautiful story with rich characters learning valuable lessons through life-changing circumstances," Falcone said in a statement.
The newlyweds arrived Thursday in Positano, Italy, a seaside town on the Amalfi coast, where they were spotted enjoying a romantic dinner at La Caravella, a popular eatery.
"They held hands and spoon-fed each other," an observer tells PEOPLE. "Lovebirds – that's how I would describe them."
According to the restaurant's owner, "Mrs. Witherspoon ordered lemon leaf stuffed with fennel shredded fish, grilled and served with fennel, homemade cutlet pasta with ricotta cheese, buffalo ricotta cheese and pear with Aglianico wine and raw squids."
And to wash it down, "the pair drank a very serious wine," the owner says, "the type that only connoisseurs would order."
Before their meal, the honeymooners worked up an appetite by shopping and hopping on a boat ride out to sea to take in the breathtaking views of picturesque Positano.
Reese Witherspoon and hubby Jim Toth are finally enjoying some time away on their honeymoon in France.
Although the trip came four months late (but who's counting?), some snapshots of the duo suggest that certain honeymoon activities—aka making babies—might have started right after the I-dos.
Could the mom of two be pregnant with child No. 3?
Well, pull out those pacifiers, folks, because this report is...
So false!
Even though the Oscar winner was seen leaving a medical building earlier in the week, E! News confirms with Witherspoon's rep that the actress is not expecting a baby.
As exciting as it would've been to anticipate the birth of another celebutot, it looks like the couple is going to sit back and enjoy the newlywed life a little longer before bringing diapers in the picture.
Sorry!
Enjoying part-two of their honeymoon Friday, Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth linked up as they explored the Saint-Germain district, Ile St. Louis and the banks of the Seine river hand-in-hand.
Prior to their stroll, the newlyweds, who tied the knot in March, took a romantic morning jog along the Seine, sealed with a kiss from Toth. Witherspoon, 35, and Toth, 40, were then spotted shopping on rue St. Honoré, squeezing in a visit to the Colette fashion boutique.
The couple, who previously soaked up the sun in Belize on a post-wedding family vacation, are staying in a boutique hotel in Paris. They touched down in the City of Light Thursday.
Nearly four months since they tied the knot in March, the newlyweds flew to Paris as part of their honeymoon, a source confirms to PEOPLE.
The talent agent, 40, kept his arm around Witherspoon, 35, as they touched down at the Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris on Thursday, after flying in from Los Angeles.
First stop on their Parisian itinerary? Au Printemps, a department store, where they made a pit-stop before they even hit their hotel.
This is the second vacation they've made as newlyweds. In April, they brought along the kids – Ava, 11, and Deacon, 7 – for a family trip in Belize.
Of course, they also happen to be two of the most photographed people in the world – the Duchess of Cambridge and Reese Witherspoon.
They mingled at the home of businessman/film producer Steve Tisch, where Catherine and Prince William spent time with donors to Tusk USA, an organization dedicated to preserving Africa's heritage and culture.
Also on hand were actress Catherine Keener, supermodel Linda Evangelista and Kristin Gore, daughter of former Vice President Al Gore.
Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker were the highest-earning actresses last year, according to Forbes magazine.
Their paycheck? An estimated $30 million each.
Jolie, 36, sang her way to the bank with the financial success of her two big-budget films of 2010: Salt and The Tourist, which by itself earned $280 million, largely thanks to the overseas market.
Parker, 46, is still reaping the benefits of playing Manhattan fashionista Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City, which she also produces. The TV show still airs in re-runs, and she also made money from the $290 million-grossing big screen sequel.
Aside from her acting, Parker earns a payday from her fragrance lines, which raked in $18 million in 2010.
Other actresses with bustling bank accounts: Jennifer Aniston, 42, and Reese Witherspoon, 35, who each earned $28 million.
Among the others: Julia Roberts ($20 million), Kristen Stewart ($20 million), Katherine Heigl ($19 million), Cameron Diaz ($18 million), Sandra Bullock ($15 million) and Meryl Streep ($10 million).
The Hollywood actress spent the day in Malibu, California with her new husband Jim Toth and her two children, Ava, 11, and Deacon, seven.
Witherspoon played with her kids on the beach wearing a white bikini and denim shirt, which revealed an expansive new tattoo on her tummy. She previously had a small blue tattoo on her left hip, but the large new inking appears to cover the old body art.
