Overview

• On The New York Times' The Interview podcast, Witherspoon said she had to “rewire” her brain after leaving a psychologically and verbally abusive relationship that she says diminished her spirit.
• She described parenting her youngest son more loosely after 25 years of motherhood, saying she is “exhausted” and sometimes tells him to call his older siblings because they “wore me out.”
• Witherspoon said she grieved when her two eldest left for college and recalled crying in their rooms, later finding comfort as they became “incredible friends.”
• She recounted “terrifying” paparazzi encounters in Los Angeles when her children were young, including someone jumping on her car, and said the experiences fueled anxiety for her kids before social media reduced demand for such images.
• Reflecting on early career advice, she said industry voices warned her not to “play a mom” because it would make her seem old, noting that such attitudes limited opportunities even as hits like Legally Blonde arrived.