‘I got married when I was 23 and had two kids by 27'

Reese Witherspoon opens up about her past marriage and why it's better to know yourself before jumping into commitment...

(Image credit: Rex)

Reese Witherspoon opens up about her past marriage and why it's better to know yourself before jumping into commitment...

Reese Witherspoon may now have it all together - happily married, named one of USA's top business women, and a role model for all - taking to the stage at the Emmy awards just last month to stand up for women and call for better roles and representation in the industry.

But it's easy to forget that the 41-year-old actress was once as confused as all of us, with the young star marrying by 23-years-old - flashback to our nineties couple goals from Reese and Ryan Phillippe.

The Cruel Intentions co-stars met on Reese's 21st birthday, going on to marry in 1999 when she was just 23-years-old. The couple went on to have two children by the time Reese was 27, and by her 30th birthday, the couple had divorced.

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. Credit: Rex

While Reese doesn’t tend to talk openly about her past relationship, her new film Home Again seems to have stuck a chord with her past, with the 2017 film telling the story of a young single mother moving on to the next chapter of her life - something the actress has explained that she can relate to entirely.

During a recent interview on Lorraine, Reese opened up about her past when asked, 'What do you do when you get to 40 and you made a decision when you were 25 to get married and have kids?’

‘I got married when I was 23 and had two kids by 27,' Reese explained to the crowd, concluding 'Sometimes it’s good to know yourself.'

When asked if there was anything she would do differently however, the actress insisted, 'I would never change anything'.

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. Credit: Rex

Ryan Philippe has also spoken about their young marriage, mentioning in an interview with Larry King two years previously that their age had been the problem.

‘I think more of the problem was age,’ he explained. ‘When we got together we were so young.’

He continued: ‘I think it can create issues with two people in this industry because there’s so much noise that goes along with it.’

While both parents still speak fondly about each other, they have explained that they would advise their children to take some time to get to know themselves before jumping into commitment.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.