Reese Witherspoon warmly extended an invitation to her niece for an exhilarating day on set, an offer that Abby James Witherspoon gleefully accepted, eager to share the experience with her fans. As a film production student at Loyola University, Abby shadowed her aunt during the filming process, offering a rare peek into their outing via a June 16 video posted on Reese's Instagram. The 19-year-old enthusiastically shared, "I adore learning from professionals, especially when it's my Aunt Reese." She further elaborated, "It was incredible to gain insights not only from my aunt but also from the exceptional team of women she surrounds herself with."
Abby, the eldest offspring of Reese's brother John Witherspoon, captured snippets of her aunt, a veteran of films like "Legally Blonde," getting her hair and makeup perfected between scenes. She also filmed her aunt's playful dog darting around and the tireless crew at work throughout the day. With a cupcake in hand, Abby explained, "We even celebrated a producer's birthday with these treats. One of the best perks of being on set is that you're never hungry; sometimes, you even get flowers and dogs! I had an amazing day. Thank you, Aunt Reese!"
Abby has undeniably proven that Reese serves as a beacon of inspiration in her life, a sentiment that appears to be reciprocated. In fact, the actress behind "Big Little Lies" revealed that Abby and her younger sister Draper Witherspoon partially inspired the launch of Hello Sunshine's Gen Z-targeted sister label, Sunnie. In a statement, Reese expressed, "It has always been my dream to create a space where young women can embrace their true selves." She continued, "We've realized that young women are far from the doom-and-gloom stereotypes often portrayed in the media; they are multifaceted, creative individuals with remarkable autonomy."
For Reese, who is mother to Ava Phillippe, 25, Deacon Phillippe, 21, from her previous relationship with Ryan Phillippe, and Tennessee Toth, 12, with her ex-husband Jim Toth, the genesis of her business stemmed from her dismay at reading scripts she deemed "extremely demoralizing and sometimes even bordering on misogyny." She recounted at the Cannes Lions festival on June 18, as reported by Variety, "I recall reading one particularly appalling script where a guy made lewd jokes about his girlfriend's breasts. I called my agent and said, 'This is terrible. I don't want to see this. I don't want my daughter to see this. I won't be part of casting for this.'"
Reese continued, "My agent responded by saying every actress in Hollywood wanted that role. That was an awakening moment for me. I realized that when women aren't involved in the creative process from the script's inception, the stories don't serve or reflect their realities."
