Reese Witherspoon’s daughter, Ava Phillippe, has publicly opened up about her sexuality through her Instagram platform, sparking widespread support and admiration from fans and fellow celebrities alike.
The Academy Award-winning actress has three children: Ava and her brother Deacon Phillippe, both shared with her former husband, actor Ryan Phillippe. Additionally, she has a younger son, Tennessee James Toth, from her marriage to Jim Toth.
Recently, Ava, known for her striking resemblance to her famous mother, decided to be more open about her personal life, using her social media platform to share candid insights about her sexuality. The internet responded with overwhelming positivity and encouragement, celebrating her honesty and self-expression.
Fans flooded Ava’s posts with messages of support. One follower enthusiastically commented, “Yaaaaaaaas! Welcome to the club, lovely!” while another wrote, “Good for you! Beautiful just like your mom.” A third added, “Whatever you want to be is none of my business. I will support you no matter what.”
This public moment of self-expression is not Ava’s first time being in the spotlight. Her mother, Reese Witherspoon, has previously spoken candidly about the challenges of raising children in a famous household, acknowledging how Ava’s experiences are quite different from her own upbringing. In a heartfelt interview with InStyle, the Big Little Lies star reflected on the unique pressures of fame, sharing: “It’s an odd situation because I didn’t grow up famous. So [Ava] is living an experience that I did not have, and so are my sons. We’re lucky to have friends in Hollywood who can offer them guidance.”
Reese has been vocal about being fully supportive of her children’s self-discovery. She emphasized that Ava, despite the public eye, remains grounded and aspires to make a positive impact on the world. She described her daughter as “down-to-earth” and passionate about doing “great things.”
Earlier this year, Ava made headlines once again when she publicly addressed her sexuality through an Instagram story. The 25-year-old, who has a flourishing modeling career, including partnerships with Beyoncé’s Ivy Park and luxury brand Pat McGrath Labs, responded to a fan’s question during an Instagram Q&A session.
When asked about her romantic preferences, Ava gave a confident yet simple reply, stating, “I’m attracted to… people!” with a glamorous selfie where she wore bold blue eyeshadow. She followed this with an even more empowering clarification, adding: “Gender is whatever.”
While Ava did not explicitly label her sexuality, her statement aligns closely with the concept of pansexuality, which describes being attracted to individuals regardless of their gender identity. According to GLAAD, the term refers to being “attracted to all gender identities, or to people regardless of gender.”
Speculations about Ava’s romantic life have surfaced as well. She has been linked to Owen Mahoney, a fellow student from her time at UC Berkeley. Though they were seen together as early as 2019, their current relationship status remains private, as Owen has been absent from her social media posts for a while.
Since publicly addressing her sexuality, Ava has taken a firm stance against online negativity. In a past statement shared via People, she made it clear that bigoted or hateful remarks would not be tolerated, saying: “I can and will block profiles commenting bigoted/hateful messages under my posts. My Instagram profile is not a place for cruelty/hate speech, and I intend to keep it that way. Peace and love.”
In celebration of Pride Month this summer, Ava continued to express her support for the LGBTQ+ community. She shared a striking photo of herself proudly acknowledging her identity and advocating for self-acceptance. In the caption, she reflected on her past words, writing: “Once upon a time, some gal on the internet said ‘gender is whatever’ in reference to her own sexuality. Many took her words out of context, but she knew what she meant. Anyways, this is her posting for the first day of Pride Month 2024.”
Her heartfelt message included a wish for a “Happy Pride Month” to both her LGBTQ+ community and those spreading negativity, emphasizing self-love and positivity.
The reaction from public figures and celebrities further amplified Ava’s message. Actress Alyssa Milano responded warmly, commenting: “This picture made me smile so big. Happy Pride!” Meanwhile, TikTok sensation Dylan Mulvaney expressed her support with, “So much love for you!”
Adding a subtle yet powerful touch of approval, Ava’s mother, Reese Witherspoon, showed her silent but unmistakable support by liking the post.