Reese Witherspoon's Daughter 'Can't Wait To Break Your Hearts' With Her First Movie Lead Role

Reese Witherspoon's daughter seems very excited about her lead role debut.

Ava Phillippe's new lead role may have her end up in several people's bad books, but the youngster is beyond ready to take up the mantle.

Reese Witherspoon welcomed her mini-me in 1999, and she went on to debut a successful modeling career and gain momentum as an on-screen personality.

The 25-year-old gallantly steps into the big shoes of lead roles with her very first in Tommy Dorfman's adaptation of Mariko Tamaki's "Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me."

Reacting to this exciting news, Ava took to her Instagram story declaring, "IT'S HAPPENING!!!!! Can't wait to break ur hearts," as she tagged her Dorfman and her co-star, Sam Morelos.

Dorfman also returned the favor by uploading a poster on her Instagram page and letting the world know she is "making love with my dream cast."

As shared by The Hollywood Reporter, the movie plot centers on Laura Dean, the school's most popular girl, and right at the top of Freddie Riley's dream girl list. However, Laura seems to have a knack for breaking Freddie's heart, a loop she is looking to break with the help of her best friend and psychic.

Freddie's salvation hinges on her need to rediscover love for life and herself after such a tumultuous, toxic romantic journey with Laura.

The "13 Reasons Why" actor raved about her choice of Ava and Morelos to play such powerful characters in the project.

During her search for Freddie, Dorfman noted that Morelos "came into the room with a grounded, eccentric, and timeless character encompassing all of Freddie's wonder, heart, and artistry." She was beyond convinced that he was the right person for the job.

Dorfman also praised Ava's flawless execution of her character, Laura Dean, and the enviable chemistry between her and Morelos. In her words: "I couldn't be more thrilled to work with both rising stars on my sophomore film."

Ava has also done well for herself by being a part of Tamaki's legacy of giving a voice to the teenage LGBTQIA+ experience in the book, which landed it on Time's list of 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time.

Not only is Ava Witherspoon's offspring, butshe also stole her entire face, so much so that the older actress loves it when people mistake her for the 25-year-old beauty. 

But Ava is not about the life of riding on her mother's wave to find a way; instead, she has a plan to craft her own identity. Born to Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, the actress has described her daughter as "down to earth," who has her sights set on doing impressive things.

PEOPLE reported that a few months back, the star praised her parents for guiding her on the right path to make better, informed choices. The UC Berkeley alum has an impressive resume already, including modeling gigs with Ivy Park and Pat McGrath Labs.

She was named after Ava Gardner by her mother, a personality she believes represents strength and class. When she is not acting or modeling, Ava tries her hand at art.

She often showcases her works, including paintings, sketches, photography, and poetry, on her social media, alongside some of her grandmother's works and a portrait of her dog, Benji.

Three years ago, The Blast shared that the star took to Instagram to warn those who had the most about her appearance, personality, and sexuality to keep their distance. 

She noted that her social media was meant to be a safe space for her and her loved ones, but threats to block anyone or anything were the opposite of that. The media personality had previously admitted that she intended to use her platform to raise awareness about conscious issues.

When asked to talk about her sexuality and preference, Ava explained that to her, love has no gender, and she was attracted to people.

Speaking of attraction, the beauty introduced her significant other, Owen Mahoney, to social media in 2022. The duo parted ways two years after the summer of 2024, before she met her new beau, Dakota Brubaker, last June.

Last month, Ava and Brubaker bumped things up a notch by making their red carpet debut as a couple. The duo looked extra dapper at the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project 2025 Block Party on June 28, 2025.

The proud mom has made her mark in Hollywood for years, but her passion runs deeper than the surface level when it comes to doing what she loves. In her words, during her 2022 segment on "In the Envelope: The Actor's Podcast:"

"The way I prepare for everything is deeply personal for me. So sometimes I have a hard time explaining to directors what I do."

She added that she takes the time to immerse herself in a given character, trying to understand their story, journey, and how they get by. The actress broke into the limelight when she dropped out of school to star in "The Man in the Moon," "Cruel Intentions," and "Election."

She wrote her name in the sands of time in Hollywood when her role as June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line" earned her a SAG Award, a BAFTA, and an Oscar, respectively.

Witherspoon revealed that much of her acting, and perhaps for others, stems from "knowing people and watching people," an approach her friends are not exempt from. She said:

"So many of my performances have been based on my friends, and I've never told them. You pick pieces of human behavior that really work for each character."

What was Reese Witherspoon's reaction to her daughter, Ava Phillippe's milestone?