Reese Witherspoon and Kate Winslet reunited at the 2016 Oscars, nearly a decade after their rumored falling out, which was allegedly caused by an awkward mistake on Witherspoon’s part.
The two A-list actresses were asked to present some of the Best Picture nominees at the 88th Annual Academy Awards, showing no signs of tension. They delivered the nominees for “Spotlight” and “Bridge of Spies” effortlessly, and backstage photos captured them chatting and embracing before heading onstage.
Earlier, Witherspoon had shared that a fellow Hollywood actress stopped speaking to her after she flubbed an important speech in her honor.
Witherspoon explained, “There was this actress, whom I didn’t know very well but who was very serious and proper, and she asked me to present her an award.”
Witherspoon, unfamiliar with the event, thought it was more of a roast, so she made lighthearted jokes. “But I didn’t realize the tone of the evening was British, elegant, and classy — not a roast,” she said.
She recalled joking about undergoing “laser hair removal,” which she admitted still embarrassed her. While Witherspoon thought the jokes were funny, the actress she was honoring didn’t share the same sentiment.
“We’re not friends anymore. I’m serious — we’re not friends anymore,” she said with a laugh. “I think she doesn’t like me anymore.”
Although Witherspoon didn’t name the actress, many speculated it was Winslet. In 2007, Witherspoon had honored Winslet at the BAFTA/LA Cunard Britannia Awards, where she gave a speech that some found misjudged in tone, unintentionally making it seem like a roast.
Witherspoon started her speech humorously, saying, “I always wanted to be a European movie star, wearing giant sunglasses, elaborate scarves, smoking hand-rolled cigarettes with savoir-faire and gravitas. Imagine my good fortune when Kate Winslet moved into my neighborhood.”
She went on to joke about their interactions and how Winslet had once come to her door asking for wine. Witherspoon also mentioned Winslet’s “fearlessness” but recalled some other personal moments that were a bit too revealing to share.
Though Witherspoon and Winslet are no longer as close, they appear to maintain a cordial relationship when necessary.
