Ryan Phillippe biography, age, height, reese witherspoon kids, wife 2025

Biography of Ryan Phillippe

Ryan Phillippe is an American actor known for the thriller "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and the drama "Cruel Intentions."

Childhood

Matthew Ryan Phillippe was born on December 10, 1974, in New Castle, Delaware. He has French ancestry. Besides the future actor, Ryan's parents, Richard and Susan, raised three daughters: Caitlin, Kirsten, and Lindsay.

The actor's family wasn't involved in show business: his mother once ran a home daycare, and his father worked as a chemical technician. Ryan remains very close to his parents, even though he has had his own children for a long time.

From a young age, Ryan suffered from depression. It wasn't the typical teenage sadness from growing up challenges, but a medical diagnosis. He hoped to overcome it with age, but the constant melancholy still haunts him and causes many problems. He tries to manage it with exercise and meditation, but overall, he has come to terms with it:

I'd rather suffer from melancholy than be an insensitive jerk. Besides, I have a great sense of dark humor.

In his childhood, he attended a local Baptist school, where he became interested in soccer and basketball. During his teenage years, Ryan developed an interest in martial arts and even earned a black belt in karate.

When Ryan was 15, he unexpectedly developed a passion for acting. Moreover, one day he visited a barber shop where a talent scout noticed him and offered him a chance to audition for acting roles in New York. At that time, luck wasn't on his side, and he didn't receive any offers. Nevertheless, Ryan decided to try his hand at modeling but never let go of his dream to become an actor. He enrolled in Barbizon University and waited for his opportunity.

The First Steps and Real Success

Philip made his screen debut in 1992 in the soap opera "One Life to Live." He was entrusted with portraying Billy Douglas, a LGBT teenager. The series had a dramatic nature and covered themes that concerned society: racial issues, ethical inequalities, and much more. The project ended in 1993. However, for Ryan, it was just the beginning.

A shot from the TV series 'One Life to Live'

A year later, the actor appeared in two series: "Matlock" and "Due South." Although these were not leading roles, viewers gradually became acquainted with Ryan Phillippe. After a few minor roles, he appeared in the thriller "Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare" (1995). This was followed by "White Squall" and "Crimson Tide."

Ryan Phillippe in the movie 'White Squall'

True popularity was just around the corner. In 1996, Ryan Phillippe was offered a role in the thriller "I Know What You Did Last Summer." The film, about teenagers who tried to cover up an accidental murder, became a real hit, and Ryan became famous overnight. Alongside him were Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Freddie Prinze Jr.

A shot from the movie 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'

The next breakthrough was the film "54." Here, Ryan plays a guy who comes to New York to find a job. He becomes a bartender, but the nightlife pulls him into a whirlpool from which it's impossible to escape. Ryan was joined by Salma Hayek, Neve Campbell, and Mike Myers.

He later recalled the filming and the love scenes. According to the actor, it was difficult to focus on intimate moments because there were cameras everywhere, the crew was moving around, and external noise prevented him from fully immersing in the role.

A year later, the artist starred in another successful film titled "Playing by Heart." On set with him were Sean Connery, as well as Angelina Jolie and Gillian Anderson, known for "The X-Files."

A shot from the movie 'Playing by Heart'

After this, Ryan was invited to the iconic film "Cruel Intentions," which made him a favorite of millions. In the plot, his character, the handsome Sebastian, must seduce the headmaster's daughter, the naive and romantic Annette. He acts on the whim of his stepsister, a wealthy and promiscuous girl, but gradually falls in love with his target. Along with Ryan, Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar starred in the film.

Ryan Phillippe at the premiere of the film 'Cruel Intentions'

Interestingly, at the time, Phillippe and Witherspoon were in a relationship, so the actors admitted it was easy for them to perform love scenes since the emotions they conveyed on screen were genuine.

Cruel Intentions - Sebastian meets Annette

Career Ups and Downs

Riding the wave of success, Ryan was invited to more and more new projects. His next leading role was as Mr. Parker in the crime drama "The Way of the Gun," where he starred alongside Benicio Del Toro.

Ryan Phillippe in the movie 'The Way of the Gun'

The actor then landed new leading roles, including the character of programmer Milo Hoffman in "Antitrust" and hospital patient Simon Cable in the thriller "The I Inside." In the drama "Crash," the actor was on set with Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Esposito.

Ryan Phillippe on the set of the movie 'Crash'

In 2006, Ryan found success again: he starred in the leading role in the anti-military drama Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers." The film was nominated for an Oscar in several categories, as well as a Golden Globe. The movie was warmly received by critics, and Ryan Phillippe once again proved he is a versatile actor.

A shot from the movie 'Flags of Our Fathers'

Following this work came a role in the film "Breach," where the actor starred with Laura Linney and Chris Cooper. In this spy thriller, Ryan played an undercover FBI agent. Ryan then appeared in "Franklyn" (2009) and "The Lincoln Lawyer" (2011). Perhaps these works were his last successful ones for a long time in Ryan's career.

Ryan Phillippe and Matthew McConaughey in 'The Lincoln Lawyer'

The next film, the action movie "Setup," where he starred with Bruce Willis, faced a box office flop—earning just over two million dollars on a budget of twenty million. A similar fate awaited the films "Straight A's" (2012), "Reclaim" (2014), and "Catch Hell" (2014). In the latter, as viewers joked, Ryan played himself—an actor whose career had stalled.

A new wave of fame came with the series "Secrets and Lies," where he played a man suspected of killing a boy, as he was the one who found the body in the woods.

The series "Shooter" was well-received by viewers, where the actor not only played the lead role, sniper Bob Lee Swagger investigating a conspiracy around the American president, but also served as a producer. The series debuted in 2016 and ran for three seasons.

Ryan Phillippe on the set of the TV series 'Shooter'

In 2020, Ryan made another attempt to prove himself in the action genre, but the film "The 2nd" (which he also co-produced) was met with a cold reception. Viewers wondered why a relatively young and famous actor started appearing in low-quality films. Perhaps the reason was chronic depression, which had plagued Ryan since childhood.

In 2021, the actor starred in the series "Big Sky." The same year, "MacGruber" premiered. Additionally, Ryan was involved in filming the comedy "Lady of the Manor" and the thriller "One Shot."

Ryan Phillippe in the movie 'Lady of the Manor'

Ryan Phillippe's Personal Life

The actor not only possesses a strong charisma but also an attractive appearance, which has led to numerous high-profile romances with celebrities. Among the actresses who couldn't resist his charm were Nikki Reed, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Ashley Greene, Abbie Cornish, and even a completely different type of girl – singer Rihanna.

The longest relationship was with Reese Witherspoon, whom he met at her birthday party. The passionate romance between the two actors led to marriage. At the time of their wedding, Ryan was 25, and his beloved was 23, with Reese being six months pregnant. Their daughter, Ava Elizabeth, was born in September 1999, and their son, Deacon Phillippe, in 2003.

Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon in their youth

The couple's relationship was difficult to call calm: outwardly, they seemed happy, but they constantly argued. Unfortunately, whether they were too young or their personalities differed drastically, in 2007, they decided to divorce.

In May 2010, it was revealed that the actor was dating model Alexis Knapp, who soon gave birth to Ryan's daughter. The relationship ended as Ryan moved on to student Paulina Slagter.

The couple was even engaged, but in 2016, she broke off the relationship with the actor. Moreover, she sued Ryan for stalking her. Interestingly, in 2017, another of Ryan's ex-girlfriends, Elsie Hewitt, went to court after Ryan assaulted her and pushed her down the stairs. The actor was ordered not to come within 90 meters of Elsie. In 2019, they managed to settle the situation amicably.

Ryan Phillipe on Co-Parenting with Reese Witherspoon

Later, there were rumors of a romance between Ryan and blogger Bailey Dodge. He also maintains a friendly relationship with his ex-wife Reese Witherspoon and spends a lot of time with their children.

Ryan Phillippe with children by Reese Witherspoon

In his interviews, the actor has repeatedly admitted that he truly loves his children from his marriage to Reese. He doesn't mind if Ava becomes an actress and also recalled an episode when Deacon was jealous of Ryan's on-screen children.

Ryan Phillippe Now

In 2023, Phillippe starred in the historical drama "Miranda's Victim," followed by roles in the action film "Prey" and the thriller "Saint Clare" (both films released in 2024). Additionally, he secured the lead role in the racing series "Motorheads," scheduled for release in 2025.

An athletically built middle-aged man without a T-shirt is standing on the pier — Ryan Phillippe in 2024