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Key Points Reese Witherspoon plans a special Europe trip with her son for her 50th birthday. She reflects on aging, career wisdom, and early motherhood challenges, including postpartum depression. Witherspoon honors mentor Diane Keaton, crediting her early support for launching her career. Reese Witherspoon is gearing up for a milestone celebration.` In a new Harper’s Bazaar interview published on Sunday, November 2, the Legally Blonde star revealed she plans to ring in her 50th birthday next March with a special mother-son trip to Europe alongside her 13-year-old, Tennessee, whom she shares with ex-husband Jim Toth. “It’s just me and him — I’m excited about it!” Witherspoon said. “I’m off to visit friends in Italy, kind of tootling around a little bit.” When it comes to hitting the half-century mark, Witherspoon said she’s welcoming the milestone. “I like getting older,” she shared. “I think it’s great to be wiser and understand your place in a business. I’ve worked really hard to get to that place… I feel like I’m living my purpose, for sure. I love my job. I love my fans. I’m the captain of my own destiny.” The actress also got candid about the early challenges of motherhood, recalling her postpartum experience after welcoming daughter Ava Phillippe, now 26. “It was really bad,” she admitted. “In the first six months, I was simultaneously happy and depressed. I just cried all the time… It was a hormone drop I didn’t expect.” Witherspoon, who also shares son Deacon, 22, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, reflected on the overwhelming pressure of being a young mom. “Everyone has an opinion… It’s inundating,” she shared. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Witherspoon recently took a moment to remember the late Diane Keaton, who gave her one of her earliest roles. “She just really took a chance on me. You never forget those people who give you your first job opportunities,” Witherspoon told The Times of London. Keaton, who directed a 15-year-old Witherspoon in the 1991 TV movie Wildflower, became “like an auntie” to her on set — a relationship Witherspoon says shaped her approach to the industry.
