It’s becoming increasingly common in Hollywood AND Washington for celebrities and politicians “in trouble” with varying controversies to do some sort of “cleaning house” move where they fire prominent people on their team. I always think it’s one of the lamest tactics out there, usually because “the problem” a celebrity or politician is having is of their own making, and it feels like they’re blaming their staffers for their own mistake. So it is with Reese Witherspoon too – after the hit her “good girl” image took after her liquor-soaked American Citizen Arrest in Georgia a few months ago, Reese has decided to fire her manager. I don’t know, y’all. Was her manager the one hanging out of a car, drunkenly sassing a cop?
One of the longest-running relationships between an actress and her manager has just come to an end. I’ve confirmed that Reese Witherspoon has exited Management 360. That ends the 19-year long run between the Oscar-winning actress and her manager Evelyn O’Neill. I haven’t heard a specific reason for the exit, but it has to be a tough day for the founding partner of Management 360, who guided Witherspoon’s career since she was a teenager.
The split is amicable, per both sides. Witherspoon’s star power was at its highest when she headlined comedies like Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama and won her Oscar for 2005′s Walk The Line, but she has been doing fine as an actress and producer. She most recently starred in the Jeff Nichols-directed Mud and has the Atom Egoyan-directed Devil’s Knot opening in Toronto. She next stars in The Good Lie and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice. She’s also a producer on numerous projects including Gone Girl, which is David Fincher’s next film with Ben Affleck starring.
Witherspoon remains with CAA. Said O’Neill: “The time has come for us to go our separate ways after 19 years. I am so proud of her career and everything we accomplished together.” O’Neill continues to rep clients that include Julianne Moore, Salma Hayek, 42‘s Chadwick Boseman, Zach Braff, Bryce Dallas Howard, Greta Gerwig, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bartha and Michael Chiklis.
Of course she’s staying with CAA – her husband Jim Toth is a prominent and well-respected agent at CAA. If she fired CAA, that would be hitting much too close to home, so to speak. So instead she’s firing her manager of 19 years, the woman who guided Reese’s career from childhood. It seems… wrong. But maybe I’m reading this the wrong way. Maybe Evelyn O’Neill is happy to be rid of Reese too. They’re making such a big deal about how the decision is “mutual” so I guess Evelyn doesn’t need the headache either.
Reese is shown out in Brentwood on 8-1 and outside the gym on 7-31-13. Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I don’t think she’s cleaning house. The blonde woman in the last photo is her BFF, who was in the car with Reese and Jim when they were arrested.
Her career has been freefalling for the last few years so it makes sense she’d want to changed things up.
Her career hasn’t really been “freefalling.” Yes, the big movies she has made recently haven’t been hits (at all) but, as mentioned in the piece, she has done a couple of smaller movies that have gotten good reviews and she is producing several movies. So, she’s still at the top in Hollywood. Reese probably felt her manager wasn’t paying enough attention to her and the manager probably felt Reese was too needy. I think Reese is really hard to deal with and now she can pick on somebody else.
P.S.: I think her fans have forgotten about/forgiven her for that drunk incident.
The problem @Mslewis is that she was paid huge money for those big movies. Their failure means she has lost a lot of ground and leverage. Publically demonstrating that she may well in fact be the arrogant tw-t many claimed she was? Terrible timing. The small movies may well be fantastic but anyone who says she’s not scrambling is fooling themselves.
If it hasn’t been freefalling it soon will be. Her true character has been revealed.
People want to support movie stars who exhibit some gratitude and appreciation for their status; our money is much harder earned.
I haven’t forgotten about her drunk incident. I think that was the true Reese — a pretentious, arrogant bitch, not ‘America’s Sweetheart’ cr*p we’ve been programmed to believe. Then again, I’ve never thought much of her to begin with.
I agree this is just a rebooting of the career. I feel like Reece has been forgiven for the drunken incident. Even within the bubble of celeb gossip, I feel most people moved on. The woman is at an age thats traditionally difficult for actresses, especially as leading ladies, I think thats whats happening here.
It seems matter what Reese wears, she always
looks like a kid playing dress up. Although that LV bag is pretty bada*ss. Anyhoo, the manager thing does not really surprise me. She does not seem like the loyal type. If her bottom line is effected, she is done with you. Sanctimonious is what she has.
I want those Louboutins. Bad.
Yeah, but with those jeans?
What’s wrong with the jeans?
Reese must have one of the best purse collections. I rarely see her w/out a great bag.
19 years? Seems pretty loyal to me.
I want those shoes!!!
Me too!
She is just awful. You can tell this woman is a monster bitch.
How?
Thats quite a skill. I wish I too could identify a monster bitch just from looking at photos.
Maybe not from the photos, but definitely from the audio on the arrest tape…
Yeah and gaydar and crazyeyesID… Can I get those at Sharper Image?
I can’t tell just by looking at the photos of someone I don’t know and have never met whether or not their a bitch or difficult to work with. I have always had the impression that Reese wasn’t really acting in the movie Election and that her role as Tracy Flick is the real Reece or at least her close alter-ego.
I have always seen Reece as behaving in real life much like the over-achieving Tracy Flick, ruthless and vengeful out to get anyone who dare get in her way. Whether or not this is fair or true, I have always had this impression of her.
It’s because we all ” KNOW WHO SHE IS”! 😉
I’m sure being a bitch in Hollywood is not uncommon and it wouldn’t bother me. However a 37 year old woman out with her drinking and driving husband (poor millionaire can’t afford a driver?) and too hammered to deal rationally with a police officer? A mother of three not taking steps to see she would arrive home safely from a night of drinking? At minimum she’s a moron.
Leopard print Louboutins and a Louis Vuitton purse? Was she going for a Real Housewife look? Gross.
I still like her as an actress, but if she’s firing people because her image got tarnished, that’s not good, as it was her own doing.
However, people in HW part ways with managers and agents all the time. There might be other factors here we know nothing about.
Dang it! Her hair looks good and healthy.
I’m reserving my judgement on her. I still think the “Do you know who I am” thing was pretty shabby.
She needs to rethink her casual wardrobe a little. Either stick to the Southern Prep look or go Hollywood, not this middle combo.
Her kids are adorable though.
Most celebrities are narcissists who blame other people for their problems. Reese simply had to make someone the scapegoat for her drunken musings rather than take responsibility for her own actions. “This is ‘merica, y’all. Hee-Haw!”
Huh. Evelyn was Jake Gyllenhaal’s longtime manager too – I think he quit her last year. I kinda suspected that Jake and Reese were a PR relationship born in Evelyn’s head. While I don’t think their hookup did anything for Jake from a PR perspective it sure was great press for Reese because it immediately changed the post-divorce narrative and she came across as a strong woman, not a cheating victim.
I can’t say it should be all too surprising. Its a business situation, and like any business, when your person ‘in charge’ of your future isn’t helping you get ahead, its time to move on.
I am not a big fan of hers, but I can’t say I disagree with her decision.
She is getting older, her opportunities will dry up. Its a natural part of being an actress.
I, too, always thought Reese was a prissy little bitch, and Ryan only hitched up w/ her b/c she was knocked up.
Love crazy red eyes in a couple pics
Ya… sure that’s Gatorade. .. :p