Reese Witherspoon‘s daughter, Ava Phillippe, is making a name for herself after finding fame in her teen years due to her uncanny resemblance to her mother.
Ava, the Oscar-winner’s oldest child with then-husband Ryan Phillippe, was born on September 9, 1999. Witherspoon and Phillippe met in 1997 and married three months before Ava came into the world. The Cruel Intentions co-stars went on to welcome Ava’s younger brother, Deacon, in 2003 before separating in 2006.
Ava might still be best known as Reese Witherspoon’s daughter but she is embracing the comparisons and using it to forge her own path in the fashion industry.
“My parents have always encouraged me to choose the path that’s right for me and, you know, guide me along the way to make better choices than I might make,” she shared during an appearance on Daily Pop in 2021. “I’m so grateful for that. That is such a privilege to have parents that support you in that way and want you to be who you truly are meant to be.”
So, who is Ava Phillippe? Find out everything to know about her upbringing, work and personal life below!
Ava Was Born & Raised in LA
Ava Elizabeth Phillippe was born on Sept. 9, 1999, in Los Angeles. Her middle name is after her maternal grandmother and her first name is after Hollywood icon Ava Gardner.
“My daughter’s name is Ava,” her dad, Ryan Phillippe explained in a 2008 interview with Jay Leno. “Ava Gardner, because to me she was the only woman who could break Sinatra. So the idea of that name to me is very classy and strong.”
Witherspoon opened about the pressures of raising baby Ava as a young mom in a 2021 appearance on The View, saying, “I lived away from my mother. My mom had a full-time job as a nurse and I had a baby really young — I was 23 years old — and so I was raising her by myself.”
“I don’t have any sisters, I don’t have any aunts. I was alone in a new city, in Los Angeles, and I literally had no friends. I would cry.”
Ava’s brother, Deacon was born in 2003 before their parents split up in 2006.
The siblings split their time with both of their parents in Los Angeles and attended high school there.
Ava Is a UC Berkley Graduate
Ava Elizabeth Phillippe was born on Sept. 9, 1999, in Los Angeles. Her middle name is after her maternal grandmother and her first name is after Hollywood icon Ava Gardner.
“My daughter’s name is Ava,” her dad, Ryan Phillippe explained in a 2008 interview with Jay Leno. “Ava Gardner, because to me she was the only woman who could break Sinatra. So the idea of that name to me is very classy and strong.”
Witherspoon opened about the pressures of raising baby Ava as a young mom in a 2021 appearance on The View, saying, “I lived away from my mother. My mom had a full-time job as a nurse and I had a baby really young — I was 23 years old — and so I was raising her by myself.”
“I don’t have any sisters, I don’t have any aunts. I was alone in a new city, in Los Angeles, and I literally had no friends. I would cry.”
Ava’s brother, Deacon was born in 2003 before their parents split up in 2006.
The siblings split their time with both of their parents in Los Angeles and attended high school there.
She’s An Influencer & Model
Ava is a staple at fashion week and has even dabbled in modeling. She made her modeling debut in 2018 for Rodarte’s Fall lookbook.
That year, she also posed for her mom’s clothing company, Draper James. In 2021, she modeled for Ivy Park in their holiday collection Hall of Ivy. Also in 2021, she partnered with Aerie, and was the face of Pat McGrath Labs’ limited-edition Bridgerton collection.
“I have such admiration for her. And for her to even reach out to me or think of me was flattering,” Ava told People of the collaboration.
She has also partnered with brands like Away, Chanel Beauty and Dior Beauty for Instagram campaigns. In 2024, she appeared in Role Model’s music video for “Look At That Woman.”
Ava’s Boyfriend Is Dakota Brubaker
Ava debuted her relationship with Dakota Brubaker in Nov. 2024 at The Hollywood Reporter and Instagram’s Next Gen 2024 party.
Brubaker is also a UC Berkley graduate and an aspiring musician.
Before going public with Brubaker, Ava dated Owen Mahoney in 2019 while they were both students at UC Berkeley.
Ava’s Sexuality Made Headlines in 2022
Ava made headlines in 2022 when she responded to an Instagram question about whether she was attracted to “girls or boys” saying, “gender is whatever,” and, “I’m attracted to….people!”
She clarified the comments in a June 2024 post to kick of Pride Month saying, “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.”
She Has a Close Bond With Her Mom
Ava’s bond with her mom is well documented on social media with heartfelt posts and plenty of twinning fashion moments.
“When we’re separated, we’re like, ‘What are you wearing? Oh! That’s weirdly similar,” Ava told People in 2022.
Witherspoon also celebrated their close bond in a 2021 interview for Interview magazine. “I never expected the kind of relationship that I have with them, but it’s so rewarding to be able to have kids that you can process life with a little bit, and they help me understand the complexities of what it means to be a human now,” she said.
As for their resemblance, Ava has opened up about the comparisons. “It’s funny, I’m like, it would be a lot weirder if I didn’t look like my parents,” Phillippe told TODAY in April 2024. “My brother and I joke about it a lot because he gets similar comments. But I don’t hate it. It’s a great comparison.”
She’s Also Close With Her Brothers
Ava and Deacon Phillippe often step out at events together, such as this brother-sister moment in 2023.
She also has a younger half-brother, Tennessee, who was born in 2012 during her mom’s marriage to Jim Toth, which ended in 2023. Ava opened up about their bond in a sweet Instagram tribute for his birthday in September 2022.
“I once worried about our 13-year age gap, 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,” she wrote.
She’s Super-Close to Her Dad
We often associate Ava with Witherspoon (mostly because of their looks), but she’s also incredibly close to her father.
“Happy father’s day to the most artistic, intelligent, versatile, and all-around awesome guy in my life,” she captioned one Instagram. “You’ve always loved and supported me in whatever weirdness that comes, and I am so lucky to have a dad like you. I love you tons.”
Ava Has Celebrity Friends
Given that she grew up in LA, it’s no surprise that Ava has some celebrities in her inner circle. In November, she partied with fellow celebrity offspring Kaia Gerber at The Hollywood Reporter and Instagram’s Next Gen 2024 party.
In 2018, she was pictured with Paris Jackson at a Stella McCartney fashion show.
She’s An Artist & Dog Mom
Ava’s Instagram is filled with posts with her adorable rescue dog Benji and her art works. In November 2024, she added a new puppy named Birdie to her brood.
“This is Birdie, she wrote on Instagram. “She has blue eyes (for now?), a fantastic underbite, and the spunkiest personality. Thanks to @wagsandwalks LA, she has finally made her way home— to Benji & me!”
She’s a Vocal Supporter of Gun Control
In 2017, Ava spoke up on Instagram after a mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas.
This is no isolated incident,” she wrote. “I strongly believe that we need to talk more about how guns and a lack of mental healthcare accessibility factor into these tragedies. I believe is an American responsibility to find a way to protect each other from this type of domestic terrorism and violence.”
In 2018, after the Parkland school shooting, she wrote: “Enough is enough.”
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