Reese Witherspoon calls son Deacon her 'light' as he turns 23

Actress Reese Witherspoon penned a birthday note for her son Deacon Phillippe as he turned 23, reflecting on the Los Angeles fires that raged around the time of his birth and saying the experience somehow forged him into a person who carries light within and helps others see it in themselves.Witherspoon took to Instagram, where she shared a series of photos of herself with her son, Deacon.The actress took to the caption: "Happy Birthday to my son Deacon, who is turning 23 today ! The year you were born, there was a fire in LA. Raging all around us.""Somehow that fire forged you: You were born into the light, you carry it inside you, and you help us see it in ourselves. I love you so much, so lucky to be your mom. @deaconphillippe," the actress wrote in the caption.Witherspoon met actor Ryan Phillippe at her 21st birthday party in March 1997. They became engaged in December 1998 and married in 1999. They have two children together, daughter Ava Elizabeth Phillippe, born in September 1999, and son Deacon born in October 23.In October 2006, Witherspoon and Phillippe announced their separation.She filed for divorce in November 2006, citing irreconcilable differences. Phillippe also reportedly had an affair with actress Abbie Cornish.Witherspoon was last seen onscreen in the 2025 romantic comedy film You're Cordially Invited directed by Nicholas Stoller. It stars Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon.When the weddings of widowed father Jim Caldwell's daughter and Margot Buckley's sister are double-booked at the same small island venue, they both try to preserve the wedding weekend.She will next be seen in The Nightingale, an American historical drama film directed by Michael Morris based on the 2015 novel by Kristin Hannah. It stars sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning.Get the latest Bollywood & Entertainment News, and more. Download the TOI app.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!