Reese Witherspoon set the record straight that a rumored beef between her and fellow actor Kate Winslet was just that, a rumor.
“Hey, guys. Just spoke to my very dear friend for years, Kate W. We laughed about this stupidity," Witherspoon said on Instagram story.
The scandalous speculation started when Witherspoon told People magazine in an interview alongside her You're Cordially Invited costar Will Ferrell about an embarrassing incident in which she presented an award to an unnamed actor, and the whole thing went south.
"We're not friends anymore," she said as a result of the botched speech she gave.
The 48-year-old said while laughing:
"Not even kidding. She doesn't talk to me anymore!"
When Witherspoon mentioned the "serious" actor with whom she's not on speaking terms, internet sleuths surmised she was likely referring to Winslet, and a speech that took place at the BAFTA/LA Cunard Britannia Awards in 2007.
But it appears nothing could be further from the truth.
In 2016, Witherspoon and Winslet were spotted being palsy with each other as they were onstage together at the Oscars, and they were photographed at the event with no hint of a supposed feud between them.
Here's a vintage clip of them from the 2016 Oscars.
Witherspoon assured:
“Please do not believe the internet. We are good friends and have never had any falling out.”
People shared thoughts.
Going back to the uncomfortable cringey speech she gave in 2007, Witherspoon told Ferrell the moment "literally haunts me."
She explained how it went down.
"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."
"But I had never been to this award ceremony, so I thought it was like a roast. So I got up and I roasted her."
"Oh boy," said Ferrell, and when he asked if that wasn't the tone of the ceremony, Witherspoon said emphatically, "Nooo."
She clarified:
"The tone was British and elegant. Classy, and I was like, 'Remember the time we got laser hair removal?' "
"I'm not even kidding. I'm still embarrassed about it," she said while covering her face with cue cards, going into fits of laughter.
You can watch the segment here.
Fans were in stitches even without knowing the identity of the mysterious actor.
@people/Instagram
@people/Instagram
@people/Instagram
@people/Instagram
Witherspoon said of her failing to read the room:
"I think she doesn't like me anymore. I thought it was so funny and it was just, I had the wrong audience. It was pretty bad."
"Yeah. Not even kidding, she doesn't talk to me anymore. Oh, well."
Witherspoon has not disclosed who this person was that she inadvertently offended.
At least now we know she never had any cruel intentions.
@jaketapoer/Bluesky
