Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe Reunite for Son Deacon’s NYU Graduation

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe put on a united front Friday — and the photos are everything. The former couple, who divorced back in 2008, reunited at New York University’s graduation ceremony at Radio City Music Hall to cheer on their son Deacon Phillippe, who just earned his degree at 22.

In exclusive photos obtained by People, Witherspoon, 50, looked sharp in a dark blue midi dress, white blazer, cream handbag, and matching heels. Phillippe, 51, kept it classic in a white button-down, black trousers, and Nike sneakers. They were all smiles — genuinely so — as they posed with their newly minted graduate. No awkward energy, no stiff smiles. Just two proud parents soaking up a milestone they both worked toward in their own ways.

The whole family showed up. Daughter Ava, 26, was there alongside her parents, and Witherspoon’s other ex-husband, Jim Toth, also made an appearance with their 13-year-old son Tennessee. It was a full-circle kind of day — blended family, big love, and a lot of happy tears, presumably.

A Star-Studded Graduation Day in New York

Witherspoon and Phillippe weren’t the only famous faces navigating the Radio City crowd. Kate Hudson was also there celebrating her eldest son Ryder Robinson, 22 — who she shares with ex Chris Robinson — graduating from the same class. Hudson’s fiancé Danny Fujikawa and their 7-year-old daughter Rani were by her side, and Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell made the trip too, because of course they did.

At one point, Russell was spotted chatting and sharing a hug with Witherspoon. Hudson’s ex Matt Bellamy, father of her son Bingham, 14, was also seen in photos from the day. Basically, Radio City Music Hall was giving full celebrity family reunion energy.

Deacon’s Journey — From Dorm Room Producer to NYU Grad

For Deacon, this graduation caps off a college chapter that was anything but quiet. He’s been quietly — and then not so quietly — building a real career in entertainment while earning his degree.

It started with music. His debut single “Long Run” dropped in 2020, and Witherspoon celebrated in the most mom way possible — posting a video of herself dancing to it on Instagram with the caption, “When your kid has his first single … you gotta dance!”

In a 2020 interview with Interview magazine, Deacon traced his love of production back to road trips with his dad. “When I was listening to the radio in the car with my dad, something just clicked,” he said. “I realized there’s more to making music than just being a vocalist, and that a lot of times it’s the production that makes me feel something. I asked my dad about how it works, and he taught me all the stuff he knew, and then I started watching YouTube videos.”

By April 2023, he had a full debut album — A New Earth — and both Witherspoon and Phillippe showed up to his release party to celebrate. “All I can say is that it came from pure love, for what I do and for the people that listen,” Deacon wrote on Instagram when the album dropped. “This project was created in my dorm, made by three college kids with big dreams and bigger hearts.”

He’s also dipped into acting, making his screen debut in season three of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever. The entertainment industry is clearly in his DNA — and now, degree in hand, he’s got nothing but runway ahead of him.

As for his parents, Friday was a reminder of how far they’ve come since their split. Phillippe put it best — in his own charming, self-aware way — in a 2024 Instagram Stories post where he shared a throwback photo from the 2001 Legally Blonde premiere and tagged Witherspoon with the caption: “We were hot and drenched in late ’90s angst. (such a cooler time than today).”

They met at Witherspoon’s 21st birthday party in 1997, fell in love, starred together in Cruel Intentions, got married, had two kids, and eventually went their separate ways — but they’ve never stopped showing up for the things that matter most. Deacon’s graduation is just the latest proof of that.