Reese Witherspoon recalls THAT ‘money’ comment made by then-husband Ryan Phillippe at 2002 Oscars

Her then-husband Ryan Phillippe famously quipped about her making more money than him as they presented together at the Academy Awards in 2002.

And nearly 20 years later, Reese Witherspoon confirmed that it was NOT a scripted exchange between the pair.

‘You’re reminding me of that! I forgot that ever happened,’ exclaimed the actress, 44, as she recalled the remark on the latest HFPA in Conversation podcast episode.  

‘But you’re right, he did say that, and no, it wasn’t scripted, and he didn’t tell me he was going to say that before it happened on air.’

The moment went down as the pair presented the Academy Award for Best Makeup, with Reese asking Ryan on stage if she could ‘read’ the winner’s name.

After a moment of hesitation, Phillippe handed his then-wife the envelope and said: ‘You make more than I do. Go ahead!’ 

Reese admitted that she was ‘a little bit flummoxed in the moment, too’ due to the off the cuff nature of the Cruel Intentions actor’s remark.

Although she does not know the inspiration behind her ex’s onstage comment, Witherspoon has noticed that women are sometimes ‘shamed’ for being financially successful.

‘There’s so few women that make a lot of money that sometimes they’re shamed for it, and sometimes they are expected to give more and do more and be more to others in the same position that, say, a male movie star would not be expected to,’ she explained.

‘But I do think gender norms have changed quite a bit since that moment in 2000 or something.’

The former couple, who starred in the 1999 romance film Cruel Intentions together, were married from 1999 until their finalized divorce in 2008.

During the span of their lengthy relationship, Reese and Ryan welcomed daughter Ava, 21, and son Deacon, 17.

While discussing female financial empowerment on the HFPA in Conversation podcast, Reese recalled Ava coming home crying in the second grade after being told by a classmate that her mom is ‘one of the highest-paid actress in Hollywood.’

Ava was ‘so embarrassed’ by her classmates remark, but Witherspoon told her to never ‘feel ashamed of a woman making money’ and reminded her that ‘there are women all over this world who don’t have an opportunity or an education or the ability to make money.’ 

‘”So don’t ever feel bad about your mom making money,”‘ Reese told Ava. ‘”And don’t ever feel bad if you make money, and don’t be embarrassed or ashamed if its more than your partner.”‘ 

Since her split from Phillippe, Witherspoon has found love again with renown talent agent Jim Toth, 50, whom she tied the knot with in 2011. They share eight-year-old son Tennessee.