Reese Witherspoon Is a Proud Mama of 3 Kids, Including a Newly Minted College Graduate
She had her oldest children with her first husband, Ryan Phillippe.
Published May 18 2026, 4:09 p.m. ET
The world became familiar with Reese Witherspoon as the dynamic Elle Woods in the Legally Blonde franchise and as the virtuous Annette Hargrove in Cruel Intentions. Her acting skills are undeniable, and her ability to connect with characters is unmatched. And while her career as an actor is one that fans and colleagues respect and admire, her greatest role that she continues to play off the screen is mom.
Fans are already aware that Reese has a mini-me, daughter Ava Phillippe, who is the spitting image of her. And while the 50-year-old is also a boy mom to Deacon Phillippe, who she also shares with ex-husband actor Ryan Phillippe, she also has another little one.
How many kids does Reese Witherspoon have?
If you’ve been MIA, Reese is a proud mama of three children. Fans are likely familiar with Ava and Deacon due to her high-profile relationship with Ryan. However, Reese also welcomed another little one into the fold, Tennessee James Toth.
The actor shares Tennessee with her ex-husband, actor and producer Jim Toth.
"There's a lot of compromise ... You feel like that's what makes me wake up on a Sunday, it's not movies or my job, it's my kids," the actor said on The Drew Barrymore Show about motherhood. "Being a mom is really great, it's a big part of my life. I would say it's the biggest part of my life."
In a 2019 chat on her platform, Hello Sunshine, Reese encouraged women who yearn for motherhood to go for it.
"If you want to be a mom and that's important to you, you should have every right to do that," she said. "Don't put it off because of all the things that seem like a barrier. You're going to figure it out."
Deacon Phillippe is an NYU Tisch graduate
Reese has a lot to celebrate! In a Friday, May 15, Instagram post, Reese shared the news that Deacon is officially a college graduate!
“After 4years of hard work, long days , endless papers, and classes, working with the greatest teachers and making new friends.. My wonderful son graduated from @nyutisch ! I'm so proud of you @deaconphillippe 💜🎓and bonus of the year : @lauradern was the honored speaker,” the caption reads.
While fans have been congratulating Deacon on the major accomplishment, many couldn;t help but notice how much Deacon favors his mom.
“I need to see these kids daddy cause he must look like Reese too,” one person commented on The Shade Room.
“It’s weird how they look just like her and just like their dad at the same time,” another fan shared.
“Reese said COPY and PASTE… but in a slightly font, because he’s a boy,” another fan joked.
No matter what Deacon decides, it’s clear that talent runs in the family. His older sister, Ava, is a model who has starred in various brand campaigns. So the sky is the limit for the new grad!
Congratulations Deacon!