“I’m still embarrassed about it,” Witherspoon told PEOPLE about the speech she once gave
After Reese Witherspoon told PEOPLE about an embarrassing, friendship-ending speech she gave that was meant to honor an unnamed actress, Internet sleuths went to work to identify the woman.
The general consensus, according to Just Jared and social media users: They believe Witherspoon was referring to Kate Winslet.
And while a source tells PEOPLE Witherspoon wasn’t referring to Winslet, here are the clues that led many to that conclusion. While promoting her new movie You’re Cordially Invited, Witherspoon recalled how another actress once asked her for a favor.
“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. 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,” Witherspoon said.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(601x262:603x264):format(webp)/reese-witherspoon-16th-BAFTA-LA-Cunard-Britannia-Awards-2007-013125-e3eeb2c771cd4a2da12266eb0c10f276.jpg)
The Legally Blonde star then admitted that wasn’t the vibe of the event: “The tone was British. Elegant. Classy,” she continued.
She then referenced a portion of her speech: “I was like, ‘Remember the time we got laser hair removal?’ I’m kidding. I’m still embarrassed about it,” Witherspoon continued.
“It wasn’t good. We’re not friends anymore. I’m not even kidding. We’re not friends anymore. She doesn’t like me anymore,” Witherspoon concluded. “I’m not even kidding. She doesn’t talk to me anymore.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(731x357:733x359):format(webp)/reese-witherspoon-WSJ-Magazine-2024-Innovator-Awards-013125-194a6a6cc2f74a9692f448752d0b9fa2.jpg)
Just Jared found — via a Witherspoon fan site — a partial transcript of a 2007 speech Witherspoon gave at the BAFTA/LA Cunard Britannia Awards.
“I always wanted to be a European movie star, wear giant sunglasses, elaborate neck scarves, smoke hand-rolled cigarettes, and have savoir faire and gravitas,” Witherspoon said, according to Just Jared.
“Imagine my good fortune when Kate Winslet moved into my neighborhood, rang my door bell and said, (insert British accent here) ‘Dahling, Sam is off shooting, and I believe our children are the same age. Could they possibly have a play date and oh, by the way, it’s almost 9 o’clock and I’ve had nothing to do drink, do you have any wine?’”
Though the fan site did not have the exact transcript of what Witherspoon said regarding laser hair removal, the site did reference that Witherspoon touched on that topic in her speech.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(770x244:772x246):format(webp)/kate-winslet-reese-witherspoon-88th-Annual-Academy-Awards-2016-013125-c7d3924962c64ed9a4dba05b93c48153.jpg)
Adding another layer of intrigue and confusion to the story: there wasn’t any apparent tension nine years later when Witherspoon and Winslet presented the award for Best Picture at the 2016 Oscars. In fact, the women were photographed chatting and hugging.