Reese Witherspoon revealed she took a leap of faith during Shine Away conference

Reese Witherspoon, the acclaimed actress and producer, recently opened up about her experiences and the lessons she has learned from her career in the entertainment industry. Speaking at the second annual Shine Away conference organized by her media company in Los Angeles, Witherspoon joined Laura Dern and Octavia Spencer for a two-day event aimed at empowering and connecting women through panels, activations, and various programs.

During the conversation, Witherspoon reflected on her early days as a producer, recalling the challenges she faced when she started her company, Hello Sunshine, at the age of 34. “I didn’t know what I was doing,” she admitted. She explained that she struggled to understand the business’s broader aspects, asking herself, “What is our business? How are they making money? Wait, why are there no parts for women? Wait, why am I not seeing any people of color behind the scenes?”

Witherspoon acknowledged the fear she felt during those early years, particularly regarding financial risks. “It was scary because I didn’t know if I was going to get my money back. Every day I woke up thinking, ‘Oh my god, I’m not gonna get my money back.’ But I would rather bet on myself and lose that money trying hard. I woke up every single day and I was like, ‘I am my own lottery ticket,'” she shared.

Reflecting on the success of Big Little Lies, Witherspoon disclosed that she was almost at the point of seeking professional help. She humorously recounted, “I had a moment right after Big Little Lies… I thought, OK well, Big Little Lies won all these Emmys, and Wild and Gone Girl got all these Oscar nominations, and we made $600 million at the box office. I had four employees, and I couldn’t keep the lights on.”

Emphasizing the importance of women’s empowerment, Witherspoon highlighted her decision to appoint Sarah Harden as the CEO of Hello Sunshine. She encouraged the audience to support women’s work, saying, “When there’s a show on Netflix or whatever, just push the ‘like’ button — You don’t know how important that ‘like’ button is. Just ‘like it,’ because that actually affects the salaries of the women who made it.”

In the candid conversation, Laura Dern, the Jurassic Park star, also shared her close bond with Witherspoon, revealing that she often seeks her advice. “Basically, I run everything by Reese, from my romantic life all the way to what jobs I should do,” Dern said.

Witherspoon’s latest work as an executive producer includes Side Hustlers season 2, which premiered on August 16, 2024, demonstrating her continued influence and commitment to championing women in the industry.