Reese Witherspoon Opens Up About the Struggles of Being a Young Mom in Hollywood
Reese Witherspoon is sharing her experiences of being a young mom in Hollywood.
“There are aspects that are personal and private, which I prefer not to discuss, but I am willing to talk about becoming a parent at a young age,” Witherspoon, 49, shared during the Saturday, September 20, episode of “The Interview” podcast from The New York Times.
“I had so much to learn,” she reflected on her journey as a young parent. “Maybe my naïveté worked in my favor; I thought, ‘I can just do this and work at my career.’ Yet, some people warned me, ‘This could seriously impact your career.’”
She elaborated, “There were roles I had to pass up. I needed to find an immediate balance between family and my career, managing life as a mom and as a working actress. The success of Legally Blonde was particularly daunting. Instead of seeking out roles, they were offered to me, which made it even more overwhelming because I was not in control of what I was aiming for; the question was more about what I would not take on.”
Witherspoon welcomed her first child, Ava, with her then-husband, Ryan Phillippe, when she was just 23 years old, in September 1999. The couple, who married in June 1999 while Witherspoon was six months pregnant, later had another child, Deacon, in October 2003, before splitting in June 2008. (She also has a son, Tennessee Toth, with her ex, Jim Toth.)
“Ironically, people in the industry often advised me: ‘Don’t take on mom roles; it’ll age you.’ I would respond, ‘But I am a mother,’” Witherspoon said. “There was a pervasive idea that playing a mom de-sexualized you, preventing you from being considered a movie star. Thankfully, that mindset is starting to fade.”
She added, “In my 20s and 30s, a big part of my experience was: Don’t portray a mother. It’s believed that men won’t find you desirable, and audiences won’t be interested in films centered around mothers.”
Witherspoon expressed gratitude towards her close friend, fellow actress Jennifer Aniston, for her guidance during those challenging early years as a working mother in the entertainment industry.
“As I matured, Jennifer Aniston was incredibly supportive in helping me navigate personal life and the scrutiny of tabloids while tuning out the noise,” she explained. “We portrayed sisters on Friends. I remember taking my baby, Ava, who was just 3 months old, to the set in 1999. Jen and Courtney [Cox] would come to my dressing room, eager to see the baby. I felt so supported during those moments.”
“Their kindness paved the way for me to ask Jennifer many questions as I went through breakups or a very public divorce. She was always generous with her advice and support.”
Witherspoon also reflected on watching fellow young mom Britney Spears attempt to manage public life as a parent amidst intense media scrutiny during the early 2000s.
“I observed how the media pursued Britney Spears. We both had young children, and it felt so unjust that she was painted as a ‘bad girl’ while I was seen as a ‘good girl,’” she shared. “She was a young mother trying to find her way, constantly chased like prey, and the toll that takes on you is very traumatic.”
She added, “I have immense compassion for those who endured that era and were unfairly portrayed by the media, whether they went to a nightclub or the playground. It was a punishing time for women in the limelight.”
