Ava Phillippe Is Growing Up Fast
The following article includes brief references to mental health struggles.
Ava Phillippe is no stranger to the spotlight, and yet, she's managed to keep much of her life private. The daughter of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe has made it her mission to have a "normal" upbringing and blaze her own path. Despite moving onto a film set at just six months old, Ava hasn't expressed much interest in acting, instead focusing on finding her own passions. It helps that her famous parents are all for it. Ava (who was born in 1999 and looks just like her famous mom) told E!'s Daily Pop in 2021, "My parents have always encouraged me to choose the path that's right for me." That has included going off to college, dabbling in modeling, and much more in between.
And while we don't often see her making headlines, when we do, we're always surprised by how much she's grown — and how much more she resembles Witherspoon each day. "I'm sure it's not easy looking exactly like your mother," the "Big Little Lies" actor told InStyle in 2021, adding, "I'm so proud of her. She really rolls with it." Here's proof that Ava Phillippe is growing up fast.
Ava Phillippe has done some high-profile modeling
Given Ava Phillippe's good family genes, it should come as no surprise that she would eventually find herself in the modeling biz. After all, that's what celebrity daughters do, right? Reese Witherspoon's eldest child made her official debut as a print model back in January 2018 when she was chosen to star in Rodarte's Fall 2018 lookbook. The then-18-year-old was in good company as she modeled the collection alongside A-listers like Kirsten Dunst and Tessa Thompson. That same year, Ava's proud mama also made her the face of her own lifestyle brand, Draper James. And while she hasn't chosen it as a full-time career, she's continued to land high-profile gigs.
For example, she and younger brother Deacon Phillippe were featured in a video ad promoting Beyoncé's Ivy Park Holiday 2021 collection. Later that year, Ava also snagged her first beauty campaign when Pat McGrath personally slid into her DMs to offer her the opportunity to promote Pat McGrath Labs' Bridgerton collection. As Ava told People, working with McGrath was the opportunity of a lifetime. "I have such admiration for her and for her to even reach out to me or think of me was flattering," she shared.
She shares a passion for fashion with her mom
Ava Phillippe's interest in modeling certainly makes sense when you consider just how stylish she is. She's such a fashionista, in fact, that even her famous mama turns to her for sartorial advice. As Reese Witherspoon told Us Weekly in 2016, her daughter has always had a keen eye for clothes. "She's very cutting-edge and she knows a lot about fashion," the actor gushed. "We try to kind of confer about new styles [and] she tells me whether or not I can wear things."
These days, they still like to talk fashion and have been known to dress alike, even when they're not together. Noting that they regularly send each other OOTD pics, Phillippe told People in 2022, "When we're separated, we're like, 'What are you wearing? Oh! That's weirdly similar.'" As for her style, she calls it "feminine meets a little bit of grungy with a little bit of edge" — and it's working. Phillippe's become a regular fixture at top fashion shows from Paris to Los Angeles and has often been praised for her outfits, whether she's donning a Y2K-inspired look or twinning with her mom.
Her devotion to glam couldn't even be diminished by a serious injury caused by her love of high-heeled footwear. As Phillippe shared on Instagram on New Year's Eve in 2022, she tried to hop a puddle in heels and landed in the ER. "Starting the new year off with a bang...well, more like a *pop*...in my ankle," she quipped.
Ava Phillippe loves experimenting with hair and makeup
In addition to her passion for fashion, Ava Phillippe enjoys experimenting with hair and makeup. Never one to shy away from a daring look, she's dyed her tresses practically every hue under the sun. "I've had so many different hair colors," she admitted to People in 2022. "I've gone pink, blue, purple, whatever!" Indeed, in 2015, Phillippe colored the ends of her blonde locks in a faded blue-green shade, then she debuted a sweet pink 'do in 2016, and, in 2018, she showed off an all-over dark magenta look. Jump to 2022, and Phillippe was still experimenting with color, showing up at the Celine runway show in Los Angeles with bright orange hair. She's also not afraid of playing with length; while her hair has mostly been long, she's rocked a chic bob and tried out fashionable bangs.
What's more, she likes to try new things on the makeup front, too. In September 2023, Phillippe invited Harper's Bazaar to watch her getting ready using Chanel products and enthused, "As a creative person, I've always loved the art of makeup, and I often treat doing my makeup like painting." She added, "I really enjoy learning new techniques and exploring trends."
Reese Witherspoon's daughter is a talented multimedia artist
It seems creativity runs deep in the Witherspoon-Phillippe family. While Ava Phillippe's parents have made a career out of acting, she's found her own artistic outlet by following in the footsteps of her maternal grandmother, Betty Witherspoon. In 2016, Phillippe posted a snap of a watercolor painted by Betty to Instagram and dubbed her "one of my favorite renaissance women." Since then, Phillippe's shown that she too has serious skills and has mastered sketching, ink drawing, painting, and clay sculpting. As if that weren't enough, she's also a talented photographer, and she shares her photos on social media, which range from styled shoots with friends to simple mirror selfies. (For real, how does she make mirror selfies look so cool?)
However, despite her obvious talent, Phillippe is her own worst critic. In 2022, she shared a self-portrait she painted of herself and her dog, Benji, to Instagram and admitted, "I am not super satisfied with how this painting turned out." Her fans were quick to disagree, leaving plenty of complimentary remarks in the comments section, with one praising, "This is a brilliant portrait!" Even mom Reese Witherspoon stopped by to share some love, writing, "This is wonderful! I love seeing your [artwork]."
This celeb kid is the definition of humble
While numerous celebrity children have been caught acting like spoiled brats, Ava Phillippe is certainly not one of them. In fact, she appears to be the definition of humble. For example, when she got her driver's license in 2016, the then-17-year-old didn't ask her famous parents for a slick, expensive ride. Instead, all she wanted was a used Volkswagen Jetta. "She's so down-to-earth," a source told Us Weekly. "Even the nanny has a Lexus to drive, but Ava desperately wants to be unassuming."
And it's not just her choice of car that says a lot about her, it's also her work ethic. Rather than relying on her parents for dough, Phillippe embraced the idea of working early on. Throughout her teens, she spent a summer interning at fashion retailer Nasty Gal, worked as a hostess at Pizzana restaurant in Los Angeles, and also volunteered as a counselor at Camp Harmony, a non-profit sleepaway camp for underserved youth. As the insider told Us Weekly, "Ava doesn't want to just be known as Reese's daughter, she wants her own identity."
Sounds like Ava Phillippe has her priorities set straight.
Ava Phillippe's BFFs with her mom
Not only are Ava Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon each other's style muses, they're also the best of friends. The lookalike duo often pose together on Instagram and have been known to rock a red carpet together, but their unique bond goes far beyond that. Taking to Instagram in 2019, Phillippe showed just how close she is to her famous mama with a sweet appreciation post, in which she gushed, "This is the gorgeous woman who taught me about the power of graciousness, love, ambition, and hard work." Years later, she's still praising her mom online. While celebrating Witherspoon's birthday in March 2023, she called her a "legendary lady" on Instagram and wrote, "While I am endlessly inspired by her and so proud of all she's accomplished, what I admire most is the way she moves through the world as a curious, considerate, gracious, and loving person."
The feeling is certainly mutual. In celebration of her daughter's 18th birthday in 2017, the actor took to Facebook to sing Phillippe's praises. "Your kindness, grace, intelligence and humor never cease to amaze me," she enthused in part. "I feel so lucky that I get to be your mom." Witherspoon also happened to gift her daughter with 18 letters that she'd written each year of Phillippe's life. And, as could be expected from receiving such a touching gift, Phillippe bawled her eyes out, which she admitted on Instagram.
Inside Ava's relationship with dad Ryan Phillippe
While Ava Phillippe's wonderful relationship with her mom has always been on full display, her connection with dad Ryan Phillippe has been more of a mystery. However, despite rumors that she and her father are estranged, it seems they get along just fine. In fact, Ryan once told People that they're cut from the same cloth, musing, "Ava is very much my personality." For her part, Ava has praised both of her parents, writing on her Instagram Story in 2022 that she wouldn't change anything about them, not even their fame. "The good and the not so good all made me who I am and gave me so many amazing opportunities," she shared.
That being said, there is one thing she'd maybe change about her father: his boyish good looks. As the actor told Variety in 2015, he was still getting carded regularly despite being 40, which did not sit well with Ava. "My daughter hates it because sometimes people have thought I'm her brother, and she's freaked out by that," Ryan revealed. Similarly, he told James Corden in 2016, "It absolutely repulses her that anyone could mistake me for being her brother."
She took part in a lavish debutante ball
It sounds like something straight out of a movie, but Ava Phillippe took part in a very real debutante ball when she turned 18. As Page Six reported in 2017, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe's daughter made her high society debut at the 25th annual Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris, France. The lavish event was hosted at the Peninsula Paris hotel, and Ava was one of just 20 lucky ladies to be invited to participate in the lavish affair. As Vanity Fair learned, she wore Giambattista Valli Haute Couture for the occasion and her cavalier (or escort) for the evening was a real-life king: then-19-year-old Maharaja Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur, India. While it's unclear if her father made the event, Witherspoon was on-hand to experience all of the action, including her daughter and Singh dancing the waltz to a song from "La La Land."
Le Bal des Débutantes was started in 1994 by Ophélie Renouard to introduce 20 debutantes from a dozen different countries into society each year while also raising money for charity. As it notes on its website, it's the only debutante ball in the world which functions by invitation only.
Ava Phillippe's A-list friends
Ava Phillippe may be besties with her mom, but her circle of friends also includes some other high-profile names. Over the years, she's been spotted catching a flick with "Girl Meets World" stars Rowan Blanchard and Corey Fogelmanis, kicking it at Paris Fashion Week with Paris Jackson, and even going on a rumored date with Paul McCartney's grandson, Arthur Donald, in London.
However, her closest A-list BFF is undoubtedly Blanchard. Phillippe reportedly met the Disney Channel alum in 2017 when Blanchard worked opposite Reese Witherspoon in "A Wrinkle in Time." As Just Jared Jr. learned, they allegedly hit it off instantly and indeed, they seemed to become inseparable pretty fast. Case in point: They soon began posting snaps of each other to Instagram, with Blanchard calling her new friend a "neon light angel" and Phillippe dubbing her an angel right back. The following year saw the new BFFs attending the "A Wrinkle in Time" premiere together, partying it up at the 2018 Golden Globes, and co-starring in Rodarte's Fall 2018 lookbook.
But it wasn't just a fleeting friendship. As of 2022, Phillippe and Blanchard were still spending plenty of time together, doing everything from watching a movie to attending swanky events like the Armani Beauty celebrates Tessa Thompson bash.
She got candid about her mental health
It may seem like Ava Phillippe has it all, but she's not immune to personal struggles. In a candid Instagram Q&A held in September 2023, the fashionista spoke honestly about her mental health, telling followers, "I've dealt with anxiety for as long as I can remember, and it was especially intense for me as a kid and teenager." Noting that there's no simple fix, the then-24-year-old shared some of her personal go-to coping mechanisms, including deep breathing, trying to focus on positive thoughts, and checking in with each sense individually. "Note 1-3 things you can smell, touch, hear, etc. ... in the moment," she advised. Perhaps most important of all, though, is self-love. "Don't invalidate your feelings," Phillippe shared. "You have every right to feel however you do, even if it seems weird to others."
Phillippe was brave to share such a personal part of herself with the world, and she may have drawn inspiration from her mom. In 2020, Reese Witherspoon opened up about suffering from postpartum depression and also told the "I Weigh with Jameela Jamil" podcast that she actually started therapy at around 16 for anxiety that manifested depression. "My brain is like a hamster on a wheel, and it won't come off, and I've been managing it my entire life," the actor revealed.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
Ava Phillippe's a college grad but hasn't picked a career yet
In keeping with her mission to be a normal teen, Ava Phillippe attended UC Berkeley and opted for the full college experience, dorm room and all. She chose to pursue a degree in social welfare and graduated in 2022 but ultimately decided not to pursue a career as a social worker. Even so, Phillippe adored her program. As she told followers in that same Instagram Q&A in 2023, "[I] loved this major and got to take so many fascinating classes on various social/political movements, systemic inequities, psychology & the practice of social work." What's more, the experience totally changed her outlook on life. "What I learned in this major informs a lot of how I move through the world and my perspective on some major issues," Phillippe shared.
As for what she would like to do, it seems she's still figuring that out, as of this writing. In addition to the occasional modeling gig, Phillippe told E!'s Daily Pop in 2021 that she's not against acting — "I don't see it out of the question" — but she's not sold on it either. "I'm not so sure on where I'm going yet," she confessed. "That's kind of what I'm trying to figure out in this stage of my life: what's the right fit for me ... and what can I be most impactful with."
She's a devoted big sister
Ava Phillippe is an older sister to three siblings. First, there's brother Deacon Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe's second child. Brother and sister have just four years between them and are the best of friends, as shown by their respective Instagram feeds. In 2019, for example, Deacon visited his sis at UC Berkeley and she shared a laughing snap of them to Instagram, which she sweetly captioned, "When did my little brother become one of my best friends?" Then there's younger brother Tennessee Toth, whom Witherspoon shares with ex-husband Jim Toth. While he and Ava are more than a decade apart — "I once worried about our 13-year age gap," Ava admitted on Instagram — age has proven to be just a number. Celebrating Tennessee's 10th birthday in 2022, Ava enthused, "Getting to share some of my favorite childhood movies, shows, books, activities, and memories with him has been the greatest gift I never saw coming."
Ava also has a younger sister, Kailani Knapp, whom Ryan Phillippe shares with ex-girlfriend Alexis Knapp. However, the exes and fellow actors appear to have an estranged relationship, and it's unclear if Kailani's half-siblings have any contact with her.
Ava Phillippe's not shy talking about sexuality
Ava Phillippe is an open book and no topic seems to be off-limits. Whether it's her mental health, her famous parents, or the realities of growing up in the spotlight, Ava hasn't shied away from speaking her truth. Even questions about sexuality can't faze her. During an Instagram Q&A session in 2022, a fan asked if she was attracted to men or women, and her response was totally in keeping with her honest nature. "I'm attracted to... people!" wrote Ava, adding, "Gender is whatever."
And while she has managed to keep much of her love life private, she did go Instagram official with fellow UC Berkeley student Owen Mahoney in 2019. At the time, fans freaked out over how similar he looked to Ryan Phillippe, but she brushed off the comparisons. Since then, Mahoney has only made the occasional appearance on his girlfriend's feed, but when he does, mama Reese Witherspoon is always quick to leave a note of approval in the comments section.