Reese Witherspoon Breaks Silence Over Whether 'Very Dear Friend' Kate Winslet Is A-list Star Who 'Hates' Her Over Speech Roast Blunder
Reese Witherspoon cleared the air.
Feb. 2 2025, Published 5:35 p.m. ET
Reese Witherspoon addressed the rumors circulating about her alleged feud with Kate Winslet, putting an end to the speculation that has been rife on social media and in the tabloids, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The incident began when Witherspoon, 48, made a passing remark about an unidentified actress who had distanced herself from her after a light-hearted roast at a British awards ceremony last October.
The movie star shared details about the speech.
Witherspoon's offhand comment sent the rumor mill into overdrive, with many speculating that the actress in question was none other than Winslet, leading to the viral theory of a secret rift between the two Hollywood icons.
The Legally Blonde actress cleared the air on Saturday, February 1, and took to Instagram Stories to set the record straight, writing: "Hey guys… just spoke to my very dear friend for years, Kate W. We laughed about this stupidity. Please do not believe the internet.
"We are good friends and have never had any falling out."
In a follow-up post, the two-time Golden Globe winner added, "This is completely UNTRUE... so silly!"
Kate Winslet was roasted by Reese Witherspoon in 2007.
The internet was abuzz with sleuths drawing connections between Witherspoon's words and her past admiration for Winslet, particularly her homage to Winslet's "fearlessness" during a nude scene in the 2001 film Iris.
The speculation was also fueled by the fact that the Sweet Home Alabama star had previously paid tribute to Winslet at the BAFTA/LA Cunard Britannia Awards back in November 2007.
Internet sleuths became convinced that Winslet was the unnamed actress.
During her speech, Witherspoon said: "I always wanted to be a European movie star, wear giant sunglasses, elaborate neck scarves, smoke hand-rolled cigarettes, and have savoir faire and gravitas.
"Imagine my good fortune when Kate Winslet moved into my neighborhood, rang my door bell and said, (insert British accent here) 'Dahling, Sam is off shooting, and I believe our children are the same age. Could they possibly have a play date and oh, by the way, it's almost 9 o'clock and I've had nothing to do drink, do you have any wine?'
"When I saw her in Iris and she took off all her clothes and jumped into that lake, I thought, 'Wow, I bet that lake is really cold.' And then I thought, 'Wow, There’s an actor without fear.'"
She then told the crowd that she couldn't share any personal stories about her and Winslet because "they’re all too bawdy or tawdry or drunken to tell".
Witherspoon didn't name the star, but fans are speculating who it is.
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In an interview with People, Witherspoon explained that the unnamed actress asked her to speak at the event on her behalf.
She recalled it being an "embarrassing" moment and told the outlet: "It literally haunts me."
The actress explained: "So this friend of mine — who I didn't really know that well, but she was a very serious, proper actress – she asked me to give her an award.
"But I had never been to this award ceremony, so I thought it was like a roast. So I got up and I roasted her."
Witherspoon did not reveal the name of the actress, the name of the ceremony or when it took place.
