Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Ryan Phillippe has recalled partying until dawn with his then-wife Reese Witherspoon after they both celebrated major victories at the 2006 Oscars – just months before their marriage came to an end.
The 52-year-old actor revisited the extraordinary night during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark, explaining how Reese, 50, won Best Actress for Walk the Line while Crash, in which Ryan starred, took home Best Picture.
The former couple attended the ceremony in Los Angeles before celebrating into the early hours, although their marriage subsequently broke down, with Reese filing for divorce later that year.
Speaking about the ceremony, Ryan said: “It was a wild night altogether because my wife at the time, Reese Witherspoon, also won Best Actress.”
He added: “While she was backstage giving her post-award interviews, they called Best Picture for Crash.”
Ryan revealed the evening also gave him an unexpected opportunity to meet one of his Hollywood heroes, Morgan Freeman, 89, who presented the night’s final award.
He said: “Morgan Freeman was the presenter of the Best Picture and I had never met Morgan Freeman so I fanned out on stage at the Oscars.”
Recalling how he approached Morgan while the film’s producers were accepting their award, Ryan continued: “I’m like, ‘I’ve always wanted to meet you, sir’, and this is while the producer is accepting the award. Kind of a funny moment.”
The celebrations continued long after the ceremony ended, with Ryan remembering how the cast and their guests stayed out until the following morning.
He said they were partying “up until probably 5 or 6 in the morning”.
Ryan added: “We had such a fun after-party.”
The 78th Academy Awards proved particularly memorable for Reese, who received her first Oscar for portraying country singer June Carter Cash in Walk the Line.
Directed by James Mangold, 62, the biographical drama starred Joaquin Phoenix, 51, as Johnny Cash and followed the musician’s rise to fame, his struggles with addiction and his relationship with June.
Reese’s performance also earned her a Golden Globe, a Bafta and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Meanwhile, Crash, directed by Paul Haggis, 73, secured the evening’s biggest prize in a result that became one of the most discussed Best Picture victories in Academy Awards history.
The ensemble drama explored racial prejudice and social divisions in Los Angeles through a series of interconnected stories.
Its cast included Sandra Bullock, 62, Don Cheadle, 61, Matt Dillon, 62, Brendan Fraser, 57, Terrence Howard, 57, Thandiwe Newton, 53, and Michael Peña, 50.
The film’s victory over Brokeback Mountain, directed by Ang Lee, 71, remains one of the most controversial Oscar results, with the latter having been widely regarded as a favourite for Best Picture.
For Ryan and Reese, however, their shared success at the ceremony came during the final months of their marriage.
The pair had married in 1999 after meeting at Reese’s 21st birthday party and subsequently appearing together in the 1999 teen drama Cruel Intentions.
Their relationship made them one of Hollywood’s most recognisable young couples, with both establishing successful acting careers while raising their children.
Reese filed for divorce in 2006, and their separation was finalised in 2008.
They share daughter Ava Phillippe, 27, and son Deacon Phillippe, 22, and have continued to appear together at important family occasions.
Most recently, the former couple reunited in May for Deacon’s graduation from New York University.
Photographs obtained by Page Six showed Ryan and Reese smiling alongside their son as they celebrated his academic achievement.
The family occasion came nearly two decades after the couple separated, with both continuing to support their children’s milestones.
Reese has since built a successful career as both an actress and producer, starring in films including Legally Blonde, Sweet Home Alabama and Wild.
She has also become a major figure in television through Big Little Lies, The Morning Show and Little Fires Everywhere, while expanding her production business through Hello Sunshine.
Her portrayal of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde remains one of her most recognisable performances, with the franchise continuing through the forthcoming television prequel Elle.
Ryan, meanwhile, is also known for his performances in I Know What You Did Last Summer, Flags of Our Fathers, Gosford Park and the television thriller Shooter.
He also appeared in The Lincoln Lawyer and Big Sky, following his earlier success in Cruel Intentions and Crash.
