Can you imagine the “American sweetheart” Reese Witherspoon being arrested? It’s pretty hard to imagine, isn’t it? But it happened in 2013, even though Reese hasn’t really broken the law nor done anything wrong.
Reese Witherspoon spoke out about her arrest in 2013 on Jamela Jamil’s podcast. Jamil was discussing accountability and taking responsibility for one’s actions when the topic came up.
Then, she briefly mentions Witherspoon’s appearance in “Good Morning America” where she apologized for the things she said to the officer the day she was arrested. The I Weight podcast host said she loved Witherspoon’s public apologies.
Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth attended a basketball game at Staples Center between the Toronto Raptors (R) in Los Angeles, California, on March 8, 2013. Source: Getty Images Jamil goes on to say how mature her attitude was.
Jamil goes on to say how mature her attitude was. The Academy Award-winning actress replied that she felt embarrassed and dumb, but it’s part of just “being a human being”:
“You know what? It turns out I breathe air. I bleed the same way. I make dumb decisions, and I make great decisions. I’m just a human being.”
Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on February 26, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California.
WHY DID REESE WITHERSPOON GET ARRESTED?
Police pulled Witherspoon, her husband John Toth, and their vehicle over in the wee hours of April 19. Toth was drunk, and the officer tried to focus on him, but Witherspoon intervened. The trooper handcuffed her for disorderly behavior, but she continued to argue with him. She said that he was harassing her and that she had not done anything against the law. He replied that Ava Phillippe (right) and Reese Witherspoon attended the Season 2 Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on May 29, 2019. Witherspoon indignantly asked if she had to follow his orders.
The police officer advised Witherspoon to stay away, but she didn’t entirely listen. Instead, she stood up and questioned the officer because “she’d like to know what was going on.”
Reese Witherspoon attends the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 21, 2018, in Los Angeles, California.
The trooper then handcuffed her for disorderly conduct, but the actress didn’t stop arguing with him, saying he would “better not arrest her” because she “is an American citizen.” She also said that the officer was harassing her and she had done nothing against the law, to which he replied:
“Yes, you did. You didn’t obey my order.”
Ava Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon attend the “Big Little Lies” Season 2 Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 29, 2019, in New York City.
Witherspoon then asked indignantly if she had to obey his orders. He continued to talk, and she asked him if his name was. Source: Getty Images After Witherspoon’s tirade, Toth told the cop he had nothing to do with what had just happened. The man said no and said he didn’t reasonably need to know that yet. Witherspoon then said:
“You are about to find out who I am.”
Deacon Reese Phillippe, Ava Elizabeth Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Jim Toth at The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 Women in Entertainment on December 11, 2019, in Hollywood, California.
After Witherspoon’s tirade, Toth told the cop he had nothing to do with what had just happened. The actress claimed she was pregnant and that she needed to go to the bathroom during her arrest.
She later confessed that she hammered and panicked, and that’s why she said such “crazy things.” Even under the threat that the trooper would be on national news for arresting the A-lister, that didn’t discourage him fromwriting her arrest report.
Reese Witherspoon speaks live onstage at the Hulu Panel at Winter TCA 2020, The Langham Huntington Pasadena, California, on January 17, 2020. In the report, the officer said that Witherspoon’s husband’s eyes were and his clothes were. Toth was given several coordination tests followed by a breathalyzer that registered he was above the legal limit for driving under the influence.
In the report, the officer said that Witherspoon’s husband’s eyes were “bloodshot” and his clothes were “disheveled.” Toth was given several coordination tests followed by a breathalyzer that registered he was above the legal limit for driving under the influence.
The couple was taken to Atlanta’s city jail, and their car was impounded. They were then bailed the following day.
Reese Witherspoon is seen at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jane Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills, California, on February 9, 2020. Source: Getty Images At the time, a video of her getting arrested leaked, putting the actress in public humiliation.
At the time, a video of her getting arrested leaked, putting the actress in public humiliation. And soon after the episode, Witherspoon released a statement apologizing for her behavior:
“It was a scary situation, and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was doing his job.”
But Reese Witherspoon is far from being the only celebrity arrested. A-listers such as Winona Rider, Hugh Grant, Cher, Keanu Reeves have also had trouble with the law.
Reese Witherspoon is seen at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills on February 9, 2020. Witherspoon began her career in the entertainment business as a teenager, appearing in commercials. She landed her first significant film role in 1991, at age 14. The actress was first to appear as a producer in the film in 2014. She was nominated again for her role as Cheryl Strayed in the movie.
Witherspoon started in the entertainment industry as a young kid, playing commercials, and landed her first significant role in 1991 at 14 years old in “The Man in the Moon” film.
She kept on landing more prominent roles, and in 1998 she was cast for “Cruel Intentions,” with Ryan Phillipe, her first husband with whom she had two children.
Her career took off after “Legally Blonde.” Now, the actress collects a list of accolades and won several awards, including the Oscar for best actress as the character June Carter Cash in “Walk The Line,” as well as BAFTA and the Golden Globe.
Reese Witherspoon tapes an interview at “Good Morning America” at the ABC Times Square Studios on May 2, 2013, in New York City.
In 2014 the actress debuted as a producer with the film “Gone Girl” and was nominated for the second time as “Best Actress” for her role as Cheryl Strayed in the movie “Wild.”