Ava Phillippe, daughter of actors Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon, came out on her Instagram story when answering a question from a fan.
The model and influencer was asked:
"Do you like boys or girls?"
Phillippe shared a photo of herself with text that read:
"I’m attracted to… people! [Gender is whatever.]”
She didn't share a specific label, but the language Phillippe used is associated with being pansexual.
PAUSEpic.twitter.com/Y3jO1zn3re— Laura Peterson hourly updates (@Laura Peterson hourly updates) 1641559262
Her fans were absolutely ecstatic to learn she is part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Ava Phillippe (Reese Wiitherspoon\u2019s daughter) coming out in his IG Q&A We love to see it \n\n\u201dDo u like boys or girls?\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019M ATTRACTED TO\u2026PEOPLE! Gender is whatever\u201d #LGBTQIAvisibility #LGBTQIA @BTS_twt #BTSARMYpic.twitter.com/eoZ9htFSY0— NekareVK\u2077\ud802\udd00\ud83d\udc3b\ud83d\udc30\u2728\ud83c\udf08 (@NekareVK\u2077\ud802\udd00\ud83d\udc3b\ud83d\udc30\u2728\ud83c\udf08) 1641768281
Her sexuality wasn't the only thing she mentioned in her Instagram story.
Ava Phillippe is one of two children to Witherspoon and Phillippe share. The actors starred in Cruel Intentions in 1999 and were married that same year. They divorced in 2008 and have since had children with other partners.
Another fan asked:
"Do you think your life would've been different if your parents weren't celebrities?"
Phillippe responded:
"Yes. Very."
"That said though, I wouldn't change a thing!"
"The good and the not so good all made me who I am and gave me so many amazing opportunities."
"And my parents get to do what they love which is super cool."
Phillippe says she is still "figuring out" what she wants to do with her life.
She added:
"I ‘influence’ for brands on social media now and then and up until recently, I was in college."
Phillippe has modeled for Beyoncé and adidas’ IVY PARK leisurewear collection, RODARTE, Pat McGrath Labs makeup and her mother's brand Draper James.
While in college, she shared she studied “a lot of psychology, sociology and social welfare."
Phillippe shared in an interview with E! about the potential for acting in the future:
“I’m exploring, and that’s so awesome."
"I’m so lucky to be able to do that and to find things that work for me. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
In the bio of her Instagram, she's shared links for mental health, including one for Rainbow Health which supports LGBTQ+ people with mental health and those living with HIV. Other links include articles about mental health and therapy, as well as organizations for social justice and a voter registration link.
Phillippe said:
“I do have a platform of some sort, for sure, and I want to be conscious of what I am posting."
"I might not always get it right but I’m always going to try my best to put good out there."
In an interview with Regina King for Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” series, Witherspoon said:
"No one spoke to me about sexuality when I was a teenager."
"I didn’t understand what homosexuality was."
"My grandparents didn’t explain it; my parents didn’t explain it."
"I had to learn from somebody I met on an audition in Los Angeles."
Phillippe's father opened up about his first role in One Life to Live, where he played a gay teenager. He feared his religious parents would "disown" him for playing the role of Billy Douglas.
It's clear the younger generation is strides ahead of where their parents were at their age.
