Reese Witherspoon Reunites with Ex to Support Son after Always Being Pitted 'against Each Other'

• Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe's love story started much earlier than everyone thought.
• The couple separated after only seven years together, with many rumors surrounding their split.
• Recently, the exes reunited to lend support to their son.

Recently separated Reese Witherspoon was all smiles as she joined her ex-husband Ryan Philippe at their son's album release celebration party.

The duo became smitten with each other when they were both very young and merely in their early 20s. However, their dreamy romance and lovely union came to an unexpected halt after only seven years, much to the shock and surprise of their fans. Two years after their split, the couple's divorce was finalized.

When the pair officially decided to go their separate ways, their well-wishers were heartbroken, and many rumors surfaced. According to the rumor mill, Philippe cheated on his then-wife and mother of his children with another actress. But that wasn't all.

In an interview with Larry King in 2015, Philippe explained what went down in his relationship with Witherspoon.

Philippe was even held responsible for being jealous of Witherspoon's highly successful career. But instead of keeping mum on the matter, the "54" star commented on all the rumors.

The Love Story That Started Much Earlier than All Thought

On an episode of "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" in August 2018, Witherspoon explained that she and Philippe met way before they starred in the 1999 movie, "Cruel Intentions."

She shared this information in response to Cohen's question about whether she and Philippe fell in love during the making of the classic film.

The "Legally Blonde" alum revealed that they had been living together for over a year and a half before they starred in the romantic drama movie.

Meanwhile, when a fan asked her if she would ever let her kids watch "Cruel Intentions," she said they hadn't seen the movie, explaining her children found seeing their parents in a reel-life love scene weird. She added that her kids seemed disinterested in watching her other films too.

23-year-old Philippe met Witherspoon on her 21st birthday celebration in 1997. It didn't take long for the duo to connect and forge a relationship. The stars tied the knot in 1999, only weeks after "Cruel Intentions" came out.

Philippe was 25, and Witherspoon was 23 when they married. They stayed together for seven years and welcomed two beautiful children—Ava Elizabeth Phillippe and Deacon Reese Phillippe—before separating in 2006. Their divorce proceedings were finalized in 2008.

The news of the couple's split sent a shockwave among their fans, and multiple accusations surfaced against Philippe. The "Crash" alum was accused of cheating on his wife with one of his co-stars, Abbie Cornish, but he denied the rumors.

Reese and Ryan's Divorce and the Rumors Surrounding It

In an exclusive interview with "The Guardian" in October 2022, Philippe shed more light on his relationship with his ex-wife. The "Antitrust" star expressed that he and Witherspoon had shared some beautiful moments at the peak of their union, apart from parental bliss.

But despite their shared joys, the couple called it quits after seven years, much to the speculation of media and their followers. It was rumored, but never fully confirmed, that Philippe cheated on his then-spouse, which led to their split.

Astonishingly, subtle signs had begun to show that not everything was well for the then-lovebirds four years before they announced their separation. In 2002, the duo appeared to read out nominees for "Best Makeup" at the Oscars.

Witherspoon light-heartedly asked her then-husband if she could open the envelope and declare the winner's name. Without even a second's delay and without meeting Witherspoon's eyes, Ryan responded:

"You make more than I do. Go ahead."

The "Wild" actress later expressed she was bewildered by Philippe's unscripted response. While he was enjoying fame during their union, Witherspoon's stardom was undeniably much bigger—something he said had never bothered him. Philippe shared:

"People were always trying to pit us against each other, and any time there were rumblings that we were going through a rough patch, they would make it seem like it was because I was jealous."

Calling himself "pro-woman," Philippe said he never felt intimidated by a woman's success because he had been raised by one and had three sisters. But unfortunately, he noted how everyone wanted to project that image of him then and painted him in a negative light.

In an interview with Larry King in 2015, Philippe explained what went down in his relationship with Witherspoon. The "Straight A's" alum shared they were very young when they got together, and due to them being in show business, a lot of noise came along with their union.

But having overcome the odds, Philippe and Witherspoon have forged a friendly connection. Commenting on their roles as parents, the "Chaos" star said he and his ex-spouse did a great job at co-parenting, which he knew with complete certainty even when they were young and naïve.

Philippe knew Hollywood romances could be short-lived. But even at the time, he admitted to being sure of one thing—even if they didn't last much longer, he saw Witherspoon as an excellent person to raise children with.

The "Collide" actor, who said he had immense respect and admiration for his ex-wife, made a surprising confession in November 2007. He said he "wanted to die" and was ready to "kill himself" after his divorce from Witherspoon and had almost given up on himself.

Philippe also addressed rumors of his infidelity in November 2006. He said that despite not being a perfect person, he wasn't guilty of many things he had been accused of. He also noted that he had always prioritized his family's well-being and safety.

The Exes Reunite for Their Son, Deacon

Witherspoon and Philippe were recently seen together to support their son, Deacon, who is building his music career. The "Water for Elephants" actress, who announced her separation from Jim Toth in March, smiled warmly as she joined Philippe at their son's album release party.

The daddy-son duo took to their Instagram accounts to share heartwarming photos from the celebration, including one where Deacon had his arms hooked to his parents and older sister, Ava.

Deacon, 23, wore a black shirt and a white checkered jacket, accessorizing with a beaded necklace. Meanwhile, his 48-year-old dad donned a plain white shirt which he matched with a cozy sweater.

The budding musician also shared pictures with his 23-year-old sister and his mother. Witherspoon wore a red plaid jacket with jeans, while Ava stunned in her green crop top and black pants.

Meanwhile, posting photos with Witherspoon and their kids from the Friday, April 14 celebration, Philippe wrote:

"Awesome night w family & friends celebrating the release of, 'A New Earth' by @deaconphillippe !! Stream, download, and listen to the album (sic)."

Despite divorcing in 2008, Witherspoon and Philippe looked candid as they rooted for their son. Surprisingly, it wasn't the first time the duo came together after ending their union.

Earlier, they joined forces on numerous occasions concerning their children, including birthday parties and graduation celebrations. Witherspoon and Philippe have maintained a friendly dynamic through the years and enjoy co-parenting their beautiful kids.

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