Both the actors were the darlings of Hollywood, but the duo's partnership didn't last for too long.
A relationship is created by the bond between two people, their love and appreciation for each other. But sometimes, even the presence of happiness and love can't stop what's supposed to happen. And when that bond breaks, it's hard to pick up the pieces and move ahead. Sometimes, it isn't until years later, we realize the real reason for the relationship to end. It could be a realization of one's own mistake or a looming issue that wasn't addressed early. That's what happened with Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe.
Witherspoon met Phillippe at her 21st birthday party in 1997. While talking to Jane Magazine in 1998, she said, "I don't know what came over me — maybe the seven Midori sours — but I told [Ryan], 'I think you're my birthday present.' He thought it was so flattering, and now that I think about it ... how embarrassing!"
Just a year later, the couple was inseparable and soon got engaged. Witherspoon became pregnant with her and Phillippe's first child even before they could officiate their love, according to People. Just three months before the premiere of their movie Cruel Intentions, Witherspoon and Phillippe cemented their relationship by tying the knot in 1999 in a wonderful ceremony in Charleston, South Carolina. Three months later, Ava, their first daughter became a part of their lives. Deacon joined them four years later.
But everything does not stay the way it is forever. In 2006, the couple separated after seven years of marriage. People confirmed the news with a statement from the couple's representative who said, “We are saddened to announce that Reese and Ryan have decided to formally separate. They remain committed to their family and we ask that you please respect their privacy and the safety of their children at this time.”
While talking to Larry King in an interview in 2015, Phillippe revealed what he thought was the reason for their marriage to end. According to him, it was their age. He said, "I think more of the problem was age. When we got together we were so young," he explained. “I think it can create issues with two people in this industry because there's so much noise that goes along with it."
“I got married when I was 23 and I had two kids by the time I was 27. So I don’t know, you know, sometimes it’s good to know yourself,” echoed Witherspoon in 2017, while talking to ITV's Lorraine. But she also said that she was happy about everything that had happened in her life. "I would never change anything," she said and continued, “I've said to my daughter, I think, you know, [at] 25, you start to know yourself a little bit better." But we should not forget that even though Phillippe did blame their age for the troubles in their marriage, there was also the rumor of him having an affair with Stop-Loss co-star Abbie Cornish in 2006, while he was still married to Witherspoon.
But all is well between the two ex-partners after their mutual divorce. In an interview with HuffPost in 2014, Phillippe had revealed that Witherspoon and their kids were still close. He said, "We got to meet up as a family and took a walk through Central Park with the kids, and it was funny -- 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,"
The once star-struck lovers have moved on with their lives since then. While Witherspoon married her talent agent Jom Toth in 2011 and welcome their son Tennessee the following year, Phillippe also tried his luck in finding love, reported Instyle. Cornish and he dated until early 2010 but split later on. He then dated model Alexis Knapp who became the mother to his third child, daughter Kia. He also dated Paulina Slagter before breaking off his engagement with her in 2016.
Witherspoon has only been rising in her career after finding her production company Pacific Standard, a subsidiary of her media company Hello Sunshine (2016). She's produced hits like Wild, Gone Girl, Hot Pursuit, and Big Little Lies. She also started her own clothing line called Draper James. Well, who says life gets over after heartbreaks and divorces? Reese Witherspoon sure proves otherwise. You go, girl!
References:
https://web.archive.org/web/20040817214512/http://rwitherspoon.tripod.com/jane_1998.htm
https://people.com/celebrity/reese-witherspoon-ryan-phillippe-split/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJfIZlZVhqM
https://www.instyle.com/news/tbt-reese-witherspoon-ryan-phillippe-relationship
