Actress Reese Witherspoon and her husband Jim Toth have announced their divorce after eleven years of marriage.
The “Legally Blonde” actress posted a statement on Instagram announcing the split last month, saying that their “biggest priority” is taking care of their ten-year-old son, Tennessee James.
Reese Witherspoon And Jim Toth Have ‘Made The Difficult Decision To Divorce’
In a short statement shared to Instagram signed “Reese and Jim,” the former couple announced their plans to go their separate ways.
“We have some personal news to share… It is with a great deal of care and consideration that we have made the difficult decision to divorce,” they said. “We have enjoyed so many wonderful years together and are moving forward with deep love, kindness, and mutual respect for everything we have created together.”
“Our biggest priority is our son and our entire family as we navigate this next chapter,” they added. “These matters are never easy and are extremely personal. We truly appreciate everyone’s respect for our family’s privacy at this time.”
The Former Couple Is ‘Committed To Co-Parenting Together’
The “Water for Elephants” actress, who turned 47 on Wednesday, was supposed to celebrate her 12-year wedding anniversary with her talent agent husband, 52, on Sunday. Although fans were surprised to hear that the couple was calling it quits only days before their 12-year anniversary, a source told PEOPLE that the split was an “amicable decision.”
“They really are the best of friends and this is such an amicable decision. They are so committed to co-parenting together,” an insider divulged. “They are invested in their whole family and making this as smooth as possible for everyone.”
The former couple first announced their engagement in December 2010. They tied the knot in March 2011 on a private ranch in California. The couple only has one ten-year-old son together named Tennessee James.
The “Sweet Home Alabama” actress also shares two children with her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe: Ava, 23, and Deacon, 19. Witherspoon was married to the “Cruel Intentions” actor from 1999 to 2008.
Why Did The Couple Decide To Go Their Separate Ways?
Multiple outlets have been giving various reasons for why the couple decided to go their separate ways. “There’s no big scandal or drama, just two people who essentially became co-parents and don’t really have any romantic feelings for each other anymore,” an insider told Page Six at the time of their separation.
The Sun reported that Toth seemed to be going through a “midlife crisis,” alleging that “This process of uncoupling really began in late 2021 when it became clear to everybody who knew both of them that they were itching for life apart from each other, even though they were both celebrating the massive success of the Hello Sunshine sale to Candle Media and the hundreds of millions of dollars they personally realized from the deal.”
“His personality, his attitude, and his whole take on life really changed when he got out of the agency business and decided he was tired of that stuffy world and being in the service business in general,” the insider added.
“Call it a midlife crisis if you want but that’s when the tattoos, the chunky, weird jewelry, and dressing like somebody half his age really took hold,” they added.
Another insider told PEOPLE that “Reese is obviously disappointed and upset. She never saw herself getting another divorce,” adding, “They love Tennessee and this is their focus. They will continue to co-parent amicably. There is no drama.”
“After she was set up with Jim, their relationship moved quickly. Reese was thrilled by his attention and excited to marry him,” the insider continued. “They are two very different people though. Reese is headstrong and focused. Although very hard-working, Jim is more laidback.”
Most recently, Radar Online reported that Toth’s decision to join Quibi was the beginning of the end of the couple. The outlet reported that Toth quit his job at CAA in 2019 to join the new start-up streaming platform, which ultimately flopped.
The video streaming app folded just six months after its launch, losing nearly $2 billion in the process. An insider alleged “Leaving his position at CAA to join Quibi was a huge gamble. At the time, Reese asked Jim if it was worth the risk, but he said he was up for the challenge and felt confident he’d bring home millions.”
“Tensions are at an all-time high and friends believe Reese and Jim are at a breaking point — they both want out,” another insider added in 2020 after Quibi had already shut down.
It’s beginning to look like no one thing caused the couple to go their separate ways. The two filed for divorce in Nashville, Tennessee, citing “irreconcilable differences” as a reason behind their split a week after their social media post was made public.
