Reese Witherspoon: My Friends Are My Support System

Reese Witherspoon stuns while covering the May 2015 issue of InStyle magazine.

For the feature story, the Wild actress reveals that her supportive friends help her with the everyday struggles of marriage and raising her three children, Ava, Deacon, and Tennessee.

Witherspoon says she initially had trouble finding supportive friends in Hollywood, but over the years she has surrounded herself with a good group of ‘southern’ girlfriends.  

“I learned a few years ago that there are people who don’t want good things for you. You’ve got to get away from them,” she tells. “Now I surround myself with supportive friends. I have a close group of girlfriends I call my Southern Mafia. One’s from Oklahoma, one’s from Arkansas, another’s from Tennessee. I get a lot out of my relationships with them. Parenting, getting through your marriage, getting through your day, these are hard things, and I find solace in the fact that other people struggle with the same stuff I do. We all have concerns about our kids, our marriage, our dreams.” 

When it comes to raising her eldest child, Ava, tries to surround her with strong women.

“I grew up seeing incredibly strong women like Holly Hunter, Sigourney Weaver and Debra Winger,” Witherspoon says. “I want to ensure that my 15-year-old daughter, Ava, grows up seeing those types of strong women playing complicated parts.” 

Witherspoon is married to Jim Toth. They married in 2011 and are both parents to son Tennessee. She parents Ava and Deacon with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe. 

To read the full interview pick up InStyle magazine on newsstands April 17.