Although the PR guy typically avoids Hollywood gossip, Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon has apparently separated from her seven-year husband, actor Ryan Phillippe. The couple is splitting after seven years and two children, 7-year-old Ava and 3-year-old Deacon.
Witherspoon and Philippe starred in 1999’s Cruel Intentions together after they reportedly met nine years ago at Witherspoon’s 21st birthday party and were married on a farm in South Carolina while Reese was six months pregnant with their first child.
Their publicists released a joint statement indicating that both wished to have their privacy respected and that their dedication to their family and children remained paramount.
The separation appears to be mutual and possibly even amicable. According to USA Today, the couple has been having problems since 2005 when news surfaced that they were seeking counseling, something Witherspoon admitted to in December on the “Oprah Winfrey Show.”
Pop Candy blogger, Whitney Matheson, pointed out today that the couple was one of the longer Hollywood items and one of the most predominant celebrity couples where the woman was the more famous spouse.
We could only come up with four: Oprah (with Stedman since 1986), Madonna (married since 2000), Dolly Parton (married since 1966) and Meryl Streep (married since 1978).
A CNN report confirmed no one event triggered the separation, but a series of events added up to the news today.
TMZ, a celebrity website, broke the story originally and reported Witherspoon contacted the same divorce lawyer who represented Jennifer Aniston, Roseanne Barr and Lisa Marie Presley.