She’s never filmed a movie in the Lone Star State (though she did star in Mud with our boy Matthew McConaughey), but that doesn’t mean Reese Witherspoon doesn’t have strong ties to Texas.
Reese Witherspoon Talks Austin
While in town for the *Texas Women’s Conference, the Oscar winner chatted with the Austin American Statesman about time she’s spent in the ATX.
Reese Witherspoon speaking at the Texas Women’s Conference (courtesy of Reese Witherspoon’s IG story).
“My mom actually went to the University of Texas for her Ph.D. I was here as a kid for three or four summers,” she told the Statesman. “My brother and I went to camp and basically rode our bikes around Austin. I love this city.”
Witherspoon also shared her favorite memories from the time, including spending weekends at Barton Springs and tubing down one of our area’s rivers.
Another thing Witherspoon loves is telling stories about female leaders. Stories that often have a hard time getting told… or sold.
“Around 2011, I read the worst script. There were two women who were concerned about one man and what he wanted,” Witherspoon said, according to KVUE.com.
That “garbage” script left her wondering who the women were and what they wanted.
After realizing studios were not developing quality projects for women, she decided to self-fund a company that started with writers and books she was reading. Her hope was to take those books and turn them into television shows and movies.
That’s how the media brand and content company Hello Sunshine came to be.
“I had no idea it would be successful, but I just knew I was driven to change the stories I was seeing and the women around me were seeing, ” she told the Statesman.
If you missed the Texas Women’s Conference, you still have a chance to get a feel for what Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine is doing.
On Monday, the Hello Sunshine X Together Live tour stops in Austin, though Witherspoon isn’t scheduled to take part. However, attendees will hear from a handful of other talented, driven ladies, including Dr. Brene Brown, who also spoke at the Texas Women’s Conference.
Photo of Reese Witherspoon and Dr. Brene Brown, courtesy of Witherspoon’s IG story.
The other panelists are Ruthie Lindsey, Maysoon Zayid, Melissa Villaseñor, Priya Parker and CAM.
During the two-hour evening event, speakers will share their authentic stories, sing songs and make you laugh (often through tears).
The event takes place at Bass Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, November 19. Ticket prices range from $25 – 40.
Earlier this year, Witherspoon also came to Texas on her Whiskey in a Teacup book tour. She chatted with fans and signed copies of her book at the Magnolia Market at the Silos in Waco.
While there, she spent time with a couple of other fierce females: Joanna Gaines and Jenna Bush Hager.
Photo courtesy of @joannagaines on Instagram.
While speaking with Hager about life in the South for The Today Show, Witherspoon said, “I love fried chicken and biscuit and collard greens. And just the sense of community that comes from growing up in a town in the South.”
Sounds like our kind of girl!
Featured photo courtesy of @reesewitherspoon on Instagram.
*This article was originally published in 2018.
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