Who Is Reese Witherspoon Dating?
Every Star Reese Witherspoon Has Publicly Dated Over the Years
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Witherspoon began dating her "Rendition" costar Jake Gyllenhaal in 2007. A source close to the couple reportedly told People that Gyllenhaal introduced himself to Witherspoon first. Considering she had just broken up with Ryan, Witherspoon apparently "never" thought she would date Gyllenhaal, but "she just kind of developed this little crush over time."
The stars seemingly broke up for a short time in the summer of 2007. According to People, their split may have stemmed from Witherspoon wanting to prioritise her family amid her divorce. "Reese was the one who had to do it," a source reportedly told the publication at the time. "She just got out of a divorce and was so concerned with her family, she just didn't have the time for [Jake] and he really demanded that."
It seems Witherspoon just couldn't say goodbye to Gyllenhaal, because the pair were seen holding hands in Rome that October. Their relationship proved to be back on, and in November 2008, Witherspoon praised Gyllenhaal in an interview with Vogue (via People), calling him "very supportive."
"Suffice it to say, I'm very happy in life, and I'm very lucky to have a lot of really supportive people around me who care very much for me, and, you know, that's all you can hope for in life," she said. "I am very blessed in that way."
After initially keeping their relationship low-key, the couple made their romance public in 2009 by showing off PDA on several occasions. That year, they kissed at a Lakers game, held hands at the Vanity Fair Oscars party, and cuddled at Coachella. Witherspoon also opened up about their relationship in an interview with InStyle that October. "Jake is a great cook — he does a lot," she said. "We spend the weekends outside L.A, in Ojai, where I have a farmhouse. We have chickens and we grow cucumbers and tomatoes. I love it. It reminds me of where I grew up in Tennessee."
By November, rumours began circulating that Witherspoon and Gyllenhaal had called it quits, but reps for both stars apparently denied the breakup. In December, Witherspoon and Gyllenhaal split for real, however. "It broke [Jake's] heart," a source told US Weekly at the time. The insider added that the pair "fought constantly in the past few months" and ultimately ended their relationship "over a series of phone calls."