{"id":47648,"date":"2026-08-16T00:28:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T19:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=47648"},"modified":"2026-08-16T00:28:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T19:28:27","slug":"meet-her-father-john-mother-betty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=47648","title":{"rendered":"Meet Her Father John &#038; Mother Betty"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" id=\"Paginator\">\n<header xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"sc-lfRwAv pSqCT\">\n<div class=\"sc-hndrU icIUoY\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/ok_logo_black_small.png\" alt=\"OK Logo\"\/><span class=\"news\">NEWS<\/span><\/div>\n<figure class=\"sc-ksluoS jnYGUA\">\n<div class=\"sc-hBMVcZ foAbWl\">\n<div class=\"sc-fnVYJo jZjbnN\"><img data-mm-src=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/0x0\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg\" alt=\"reese witherspoon parents father john draper mother betty\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/480x251\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg?position=top 480w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/640x335\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg?position=top 640w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/768x402\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg?position=top 768w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/1024x536\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg?position=top 1024w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/1280x670\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg?position=top 1280w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/1440x753\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg?position=top 1440w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/1600x837\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg?position=top 1600w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/2160x1130\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg?position=top 2160w\" data-sizes=\"100vw\" height=\"628\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"sc-fFSRdu efvKbs\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-giAqnE haccci\"><span>Source: MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Reese Witherspoon&#8217;s parents, John and Betty, separated in the 1990s but have remained legally married.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-bTJPMs jOkeMf\">\n<div class=\"flexContainer\">\n<div class=\"flexContainer\">\n<div class=\"sc-hQYogJ iAyoZX\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/5ohiQ9Sue\/120x120\/photo2023-08-0109-15-40-1690995868291.jpg\" alt=\"Profile Image\" class=\"sc-fTFLOO jxvOeh\"\/><\/div>\n<p class=\"sc-dwxYxt eflEDT\">Aug. 15 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"sc-dTSxUT dyQypj sc-gVFdEO kziYVQ\">\n<p>Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-gkCpWe evoggL\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/t\/reese-witherspoon\/\">Reese<strong> Witherspoon<\/strong><\/a> has had the unwavering support of her <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/t\/parents\/?page=15\">parents<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Oscar-winning actress was born on March 22, 1976, to dad <strong>John Draper Witherspoon<\/strong> and mom <strong>Mary Elizabeth &#8220;Betty&#8221; Witherspoon<\/strong>. Although they are not in the <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/t\/tv\/\">TV and film industry<\/a>, Reese said John and Betty have always been supportive of her career.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I had parents who believed I could do anything, and I know how that made me feel,&#8221; she told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.com\/celebrity\/a1124\/reese-witherspoon-inteview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Marie Claire<\/em><\/a> in 2008. &#8220;I think both my parents, having careers in the medical profession, feel they are helping people on a daily basis, and that was inculcated in me as a value.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Big Little Lies <\/em>actress admitted she &#8220;had to struggle giving up the idea of becoming a doctor&#8221; herself, deciding not to follow in her parents&#8217; footsteps.<\/p>\n<p>Scroll down to learn more about Reese&#8217;s parents, John and Betty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-dTSxUT dyQypj sc-hkePoP hVImEU\">\n<p>Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-header=\"true\" class=\"sc-flUlJl gvtwpJ\">John and Betty Witherspoon Met at the University of Tennessee<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"sc-ksluoS jnYGUA\">\n<div class=\"sc-hBMVcZ bgyRLF\">\n<div class=\"sc-fnVYJo dfXZyd\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/0x0\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"reese witherspoon parents father john draper mother betty\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/480x270\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg 480w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/640x360\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/768x432\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/1024x576\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/1280x720\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/1440x810\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/1600x900\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/lNYBzw-Eg\/2160x1215\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-2-1786413186424.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\" class=\"sc-fFSRdu inofKU\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-giAqnE haccci\"><span>Source: MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Reese Witherspoon&#8217;s parents are still legally married after their 1996 split.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-gkCpWe evoggL\">\n<p>A 2002 <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.vanityfair.com\/article\/share\/e0ebf9fe-1fe6-4a6b-ac3b-feb17f7fb756\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Vanity Fair<\/em><\/a> interview with Reese mentioned that John and Betty first met when they were students at the University of Tennessee in Nashville.<\/p>\n<p>Reese shared<em>, <\/em>&#8220;You wonder where all my drive comes from? My dad scored a perfect score on his S.A.T.&#8217;s and a perfect score on his MCATS, and graduated at the top of his class from Yale. My mom has five or six degrees. My <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/p\/hollywood-famous-celebrity-siblings\/\">brother<\/a> [<strong>John<\/strong>] and I both went to college, but neither one of us graduated.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-dTSxUT dyQypj sc-hkePoP hVImEU\">\n<p>Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-header=\"true\" class=\"sc-flUlJl gvtwpJ\">John and Betty Witherspoon Married in 1970 and Welcomed 2 Children<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"sc-ksluoS jnYGUA\">\n<div class=\"sc-hBMVcZ bgyRLF\">\n<div class=\"sc-fnVYJo dfXZyd\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/0x0\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"reese witherspoon parents father john draper mother betty\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/480x270\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg 480w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/640x360\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/768x432\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/1024x576\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/1280x720\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/1440x810\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/1600x900\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/XJRzkcuxJ\/2160x1215\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-3-1786413190319.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\" class=\"sc-fFSRdu inofKU\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-giAqnE haccci\"><span>Source: @reesewitherspoon\/Instagram<\/span><\/p>\n<p>John and Betty Witherspoon had two children together.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-gkCpWe evoggL\">\n<p>John and Betty got married during a 1970 ceremony. They went on to welcome two children and raised them in Nashville.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I grew up in Nashville and my parents taught me to respect my elders,&#8221; she <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/parents\/reese-witherspoon-on-her-southern-style-parenting-ways\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told <em>People<\/em><\/a> in 2009. &#8220;We&#8217;d say things like &#8216;yes, ma&#8217;am&#8217; and &#8216;no, sir&#8217; to adults. But kids in Los Angeles don&#8217;t do that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>During<em> <\/em>a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=91pLEwD-klU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2021 appearance<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/t\/the-drew-barrymore-show\/\"><em>The Drew Barrymore Show<\/em><\/a><em>, <\/em>Reese recalled preparing dinner and doing chores with her brother as their mom worked night shifts and weekends.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Being raised by a nurse, I think my mother has such infinite compassion,&#8221; she said, later adding, &#8220;She was so tired, but she just loved her patients.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/t\/the-morning-show\/\"><em>The Morning Show<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>actress continued, &#8220;I&#8217;ve watched my mother save people&#8217;s lives. Whether it was saving a kid from drowning, she helped her very best friend had a bad accident when we were very little \u2014 and I watched her resuscitate her on the side of a highway\u2026 There is so much we don&#8217;t focus and highlight on the people who do that hard difficult work of saving lives.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-dTSxUT dyQypj sc-hkePoP hVImEU\">\n<p>Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-header=\"true\" class=\"sc-flUlJl gvtwpJ\">John and Betty Witherspoon Both Worked in the Medical Field<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"sc-ksluoS jnYGUA\">\n<div class=\"sc-hBMVcZ bgyRLF\">\n<div class=\"sc-fnVYJo dfXZyd\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/0x0\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"reese witherspoon parents father john draper mother betty\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/480x270\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/640x360\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/768x432\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/1024x576\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/1280x720\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/1440x810\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/1600x900\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/CWhRTqaoA\/2160x1215\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-4-1786413194480.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\" class=\"sc-fFSRdu inofKU\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-giAqnE haccci\"><span>Source: MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n<p>John Witherspoon was in the army.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-gkCpWe evoggL\">\n<p>Reese&#8217;s parents were both in the medical field, with John becoming a surgeon and Betty \u2014 who has a Ph.D. in pediatric nursing \u2014 working as a <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/t\/jobs\/\">nurse<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>According to the mom-of-three, she &#8220;learned a lot about hard work&#8221; from her mother.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;She was a nurse for 35 years and a teacher,&#8221; she said in a 2017 interview with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.southernliving.com\/culture\/celebrities\/reese-witherspoon-family-nashville-work?_gl=1*fysse*_ga*NzYyNzM1NjY1LjE3Njg1NDI5Nzk.*_ga_DK3GDWHWJH*czE3ODY0MDkwMTgkbzM3OCRnMSR0MTc4NjQxNzM3NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Southern Living<\/em><\/a>. &#8220;And, you know, just loving what you do makes a job not feel like a job. She taught me to have a passion for my interests and to work into those interests.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"sc-jHcYrh hanhiD\">\n<p>MORE ON:<\/p>\n<p>Reese Witherspoon<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"sc-jLqSar MszUH\">\n<p class=\"sc-bUQzRK dZWmuA\">Want OK! each day? Sign up here!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-dTSxUT dyQypj sc-hkePoP hVImEU\">\n<p>Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-header=\"true\" class=\"sc-flUlJl gvtwpJ\">John and Betty Witherspoon Separated in 1996<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"sc-ksluoS jnYGUA\">\n<div class=\"sc-hBMVcZ bgyRLF\">\n<div class=\"sc-fnVYJo dfXZyd\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/0x0\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"reese witherspoon parents father john draper mother betty\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/480x270\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg 480w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/640x360\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/768x432\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/1024x576\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/1280x720\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/1440x810\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/1600x900\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/GHuOmSSat\/2160x1215\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-5-1786413198590.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\" class=\"sc-fFSRdu inofKU\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-giAqnE haccci\"><span>Source: MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Betty Witherspoon sued John for bigamy in the past.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-gkCpWe evoggL\">\n<p>John and Betty separated in 1996, 26 years after their 1970 nuptials. They never filed for divorce.<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/news\/reese-witherspoons-mother-suing-her-father-bigamy-sue-lawsuit-married-betty-john\/\"><em>OK!<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>reported, news of their split surfaced in 2012 when Betty sued John, with whom she is still legally married, for <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/Entertainment\/reese-witherspoons-dad-accused-bigamy\/story?id=16219349\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">bigamy<\/a> following his apparent <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/celebrity\/reese-witherspoon-woman-linked-to-her-dad-is-devastated-by-allegations-lawyer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">marriage to a woman<\/a> named <strong>Tricianne Taylor<\/strong> in January of that year.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I love my husband and I don&#8217;t want a divorce,&#8221; Betty said in the affidavit. &#8220;We have been married 42 years. He needs help.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Reese&#8217;s mother added in the documents, &#8220;When I confronted my husband, he said he didn&#8217;t know who Tricianne Taylor was and that he did not remember getting married.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Betty alleged her husband may have dementia and other health problems.<\/p>\n<p>Years after the civil petition was filed, Betty disclosed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discountmags.com\/magazine\/womans-day-australia-22-january-2018-digital-m\/in-this-issue\/5a69c9bfbbf33\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Women&#8217;s Day<\/em><\/a> that they had reconciled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-dTSxUT dyQypj sc-hkePoP hVImEU\">\n<p>Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-header=\"true\" class=\"sc-flUlJl gvtwpJ\">John and Betty Witherspoon Have Always Supported Reese&#8217;s Career<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"sc-ksluoS jnYGUA\">\n<div class=\"sc-hBMVcZ bgyRLF\">\n<div class=\"sc-fnVYJo dfXZyd\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/0x0\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"reese witherspoon parents father john draper mother betty\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/480x270\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg 480w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/640x360\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/768x432\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/1024x576\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/1280x720\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/1440x810\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/1600x900\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/UlLWXiv1a\/2160x1215\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-6-1786413202412.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\" class=\"sc-fFSRdu inofKU\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-giAqnE haccci\"><span>Source: MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Reese Witherspoon made her feature film acting debut when she was 14.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-gkCpWe evoggL\">\n<p>Although Reese did not pursue a career in the medical field, she said her parents supported her choices in life \u2014 including the time she took acting classes.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;My parents were always incredibly supportive,&#8221; she told <em>Vanity Fair<\/em>. &#8220;They thought it was a hobby for the first four years.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Reese gave her parents a heartfelt shout-out after winning her first <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/t\/academy-awards\/\">Academy Award<\/a> for Best Actress for her role as June Carter Cash in <em>Walk the Line<\/em> in 2006.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;My mother and my father are here,&#8221; she told the crowd. &#8220;I just want to say thank you so much for everything, for being so proud of me. It didn&#8217;t matter if I was making my bed or making a movie, they never hesitated to say how proud they were of me, and that means so very much to a child. So thank you Mom and Dad.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-dTSxUT dyQypj sc-hkePoP hVImEU\">\n<p>Article continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-header=\"true\" class=\"sc-flUlJl gvtwpJ\">John Witherspoon Was Hospitalized Following a Fall<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"sc-ksluoS jnYGUA\">\n<div class=\"sc-hBMVcZ bgyRLF\">\n<div class=\"sc-fnVYJo dfXZyd\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/0x0\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"reese witherspoon parents father john draper mother betty\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/480x270\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg 480w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/640x360\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/768x432\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/1024x576\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/1280x720\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/1440x810\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/1600x900\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/T5qCqIvHI\/2160x1215\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-7-1786413205735.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\" class=\"sc-fFSRdu inofKU\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-giAqnE haccci\"><span>Source: @reesewitherspoon\/Instagram<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Reese Witherspoon shared an update following John&#8217;s hospitalization.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-gkCpWe evoggL\">\n<p>On August 7, multiple news outlets reported that <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/p\/reese-witherspoon-update-dad-hospital-being-taken-care-of\/\">Reese&#8217;s father had been hospitalized<\/a> following a fall at his Nashville home.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for Nashville Metro Emergency Communications <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/reese-witherspoon-clarifies-how-her-father-doing-after-reports-he-was-hospitalized-12037013\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">confirmed<\/a> they had received a call about an unconscious man at 4 p.m. local time. The man, who was not identified in the statement, was transported to a nearby hospital.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/okmagazine.com\/news\/water-elephants-review-round-what-critics-are-saying\/\"><em>Water for Elephants<\/em><\/a> star shared an update via Instagram Stories, writing, &#8220;I want to let everyone know that he is fine now. He is being taken care of by wonderful doctors and nurses. Thank you to everyone who reached out. It means the world to our family.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWS Source: MEGA Reese Witherspoon&#8217;s parents, John and Betty, separated in the 1990s but have remained legally married. Aug. 15 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET Article continues below advertisement Reese Witherspoon has had the unwavering support of her parents. The Oscar-winning actress was born on March 22, 1976, to dad John Draper Witherspoon and mom&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media.okmagazine.com\/brand-img\/KAaF8486O\/1200x628\/reese-witherspoon-parents-father-john-draper-mother-betty-1786413184623.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47648"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47648\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/47649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}