Reese Witherspoon Recalls Award Speech That Ended a Friendship

Reese Witherspoon is reflecting on a past awards ceremony blunder that cost her a friendship with a fellow actress. During a joint interview with People alongside her, You’re Cordially Invited co-star Will Ferrell, the Legally Blonde star, 48, shared the story of how a well-intended speech went terribly wrong.

“So this friend of mine — who I didn’t really know that well, but she was a very serious, proper actress — she asked me to give her an award,” Witherspoon revealed. Honored by the request, Witherspoon agreed, unaware that her approach to the speech would backfire. Having never attended that particular awards ceremony before, she misread the event’s tone entirely.

“So I got up and I roasted her,” she admitted, recalling how she aimed for humor, not realizing that the setting called for a more refined and sophisticated tribute. It wasn’t until later that she realized her miscalculation. “The tone was British and elegant and classy,” she explained, adding that her speech was anything but.

Rather than delivering a poised and graceful introduction, Witherspoon opted for a lighthearted, comedic anecdote, which in hindsight, didn’t land well. “And I was like, ‘Remember the time we got laser hair removal?!’” she recounted, laughing at the memory.

Though she can now see the humor in the situation, Witherspoon admitted that she remains “still embarrassed about” the moment. However, the actress she honored did not share her amusement. “We’re not friends anymore. I’m not even kidding — we’re not friends anymore. I think she doesn’t like me anymore,” Witherspoon confessed.

What she thought would be an entertaining and personal tribute ultimately resulted in an irreparable fallout. “I thought it was so funny, and it was just, I had the wrong audience. It was pretty bad. I’m not even kidding, she doesn’t talk to me anymore. Oh, well.” The revelation has sparked speculation among fans about the identity of the unnamed actress, but Witherspoon has kept that detail private.

Despite the unfortunate outcome, Witherspoon’s ability to laugh at herself and her past mistakes continues to make her one of Hollywood’s most relatable and beloved stars. While the friendship may have been lost, the story adds to her charm, proving that even the biggest stars sometimes get it wrong.