What Did Reese Witherspoon Say About The Infamous Time 2015 Article?(Photo Credit –Instagram)
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Reese Witherspoon might be Hollywood’s most distinguished lady, but even she has faced moments that left her dazed. One of them? A 2015 Time Magazine article that, instead of celebrating her and other female entrepreneurs, made them the punchline of a bad joke.
On the We Are Supported By podcast (via ABC News), Witherspoon opened up about the experience, revealing how the article painted her and fellow stars-turned-businesswomen—Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, and Blake Lively—as nothing more than homemakers in ballgowns.
“We were in ballgowns and they stuck our heads on, and Jessica was holding an iron and I was holding a vacuum cleaner,” Reese Witherspoon said. “The whole thing was so offensive that I burst into tears. Time later apologized, but the damage was done.
“I’m not even talking about 10 years ago,” said the Big Little Lies star. “I’m talking about 2015 when we decided, OK we’re going to be entrepreneurial, take a swing, invest our own money, our own time, our own reputation and try to do something that George Clooney has done, Robert De Niro has done — and getting lampooned for it.”
At the time, Reese Witherspoon was building her lifestyle brand Draper James, while Gwyneth Paltrow was growing Goop. Jessica Alba had established The Honest Company, and Blake Lively was also plunging into the business world. Yet, instead of being hailed as male actors-turned-entrepreneurs—like George Clooney and Robert De Niro—they were spoofed.
The article echoed a much larger issue. Even in recent years, women in Hollywood—and beyond—have been criticized for branching out. Witherspoon wasn’t just upset for herself. She was frustrated that the next generation of girls might see that cartoon and think (via Yahoo! Entertainment), “Staying in their lane.”
The irony? These women’s businesses thrived. Draper James became a beloved fashion brand. Goop turned into a wellness empire. The Honest Company raked in millions. Yet, back then, they were ridiculed for daring to try something new.
Reese Witherspoon has long been vocal about gender inequality. As a leader in the Times Up movement, she has pushed for unprejudiced treatment in Hollywood. The actress also worked behind the scenes, producing hit shows like Big Little Lies and The Morning Show. These—tell intricate stories about women.
And she’s not precluding anytime soon. That message was unacceptable for someone worth over $400 million and a force in the industry. And the actress has since made it her mission to change that narrative for good.
