Reese Witherspoon's Ex Makes ‘Desperate Plea' To Fix Bond With Daughter

News18

17-05-2025

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe ended their marriage in 2006 after seven years.
Reese Witherspoon has found herself caught in a difficult family situation involving her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe and their daughter Ava. A news report has claimed that Phillippe recently reached out to Witherspoon and asked for her help to repair his strained relationship with their 25-year-old daughter.
While Witherspoon shares a strong and close bond with Ava, the same cannot be said for Phillippe. According to RadarOnline, he has now made a 'desperate plea" to Witherspoon to step in and talk to Ava on his behalf.
Phillippe, 50, and Witherspoon, 49, ended their marriage in 2006 after seven years. They share two children – Ava and 21-year-old Deacon. Over the years, Phillippe has often spoken about how well he and Witherspoon managed to co-parent their children despite their divorce.
'We were always united in support of them. They're both adults, but she and I have a friendship, and we still have calls about various things in their lives," he once said as per the outlet.
But things changed between Phillippe and Ava after his ex-girlfriend Elsie Hewitt accused him of domestic assault in 2017. She claimed he threw her down a flight of stairs. Phillippe had denied the allegations and later settled the case out of court. But Ava's view of her father shifted after that.
'Ava shut him out after he settled the claims out of court. She started to see him differently – he wasn't this kind of hero who worshipped her anymore," a source told the outlet.
The insider also said that Ava's friendships and what she has seen others go through influenced how she responded.
'She has girlfriends who've gone through terrible situations, some even worse, and she's seen how much it can break someone. She has zero tolerance for it, and Ryan did very little to change her mind," the source mentioned.
Even with the distance between them, Phillippe hasn't given up hope. The Shooter actor is said to believe that Witherspoon might be able to talk to Ava and help rebuild the relationship. But sources close to Witherspoon say she doesn't feel it is her place to get involved anymore.
'They're both adults now, and she's not about to put any more pressure on Ava than there already is," the source added.
The situation has reportedly become more tense after Ava unfollowed her father on social media. According to the report, she believes he is the reason their feud has gone public.
'The fact that it's out in the open has made Ava more determined to stay away from him because she's convinced he must have leaked it to try and shame her into contacting him," an insider explained.
The report also claimed that Ava is considering changing her last name. Sources said she has long wished to have the same surname as her mother and feels this is the right time as she begins to build her own career.
Witherspoon is said to be 'heartbroken" about how things have turned out but is choosing to 'respect" her daughter's decisions.
First Published: