Ava Phillippe “Really Resisted” Becoming An Actor

As the child of two A-list celebs, Ava Phillippe has spent plenty of time in the public eye. When her parents, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, filmed 1999’s Cruel Intentions, they were already expecting her, and now at age 25, Phillippe has made a name for herself.

The Los Angeles native has officially broken into the entertainment industry, with recent gigs in Doctor Odyssey and Ransom Canyon. But growing up, she wasn’t sold on following in her family’s footsteps — even if she was named after acting icon Ava Gardner. “It’s been in the air my whole life: Are you going to do what your parents did? Are you going to be a mini-me?” Phillippe says. “I really resisted that for a long time. I wanted to be my own person, and I didn’t think of myself as somebody who wanted to be out there in that way.”

Although she embraced her artistic side throughout childhood, she was not heading to any auditions. “It was always in the background, right under my nose, but I never took that leap.”

In 2018, Phillippe went to the University of California, Berkeley to study social sciences, and post-grad, she’s rethinking her stance on acting. “I started to open myself up to: ‘Maybe let’s try it. Don’t close yourself off. Creativity is boundless,’” she says. “When I started dipping my toe in, I found I really loved it.”

When she isn’t acting and auditioning, Phillippe is stepping into the role of tastemaker — and getting spotted in glitzy places like Paris Fashion Week. She’s also working as Vince Camuto’s global brand ambassador, starring in the campaign for the fragrance Wonderbloom Haze. “It felt very empowering and femininity-focused without feeling patronizing,” Phillippe says. “I also love that they’ve let me keep my tattoos in the promo. It shows that women are individuals, and that should be celebrated.”

Here, she shares her plans for changing up her ink, her first celeb crush, and the best advice she’s gotten in her burgeoning acting career.

Elite Daily: You mentioned loving that your tattoos were featured in this campaign. Do you have a favorite?

Ava Phillippe: I do. My little orchid baby. I’m having a whole tattoo rethink moment right now and getting a couple lasered off. Nothing is really that bad, but I’m shifting and getting older. I’m thinking, “OK, maybe that one doesn’t need to be there forever.”

ED: What are your sun, moon, and rising signs?

AP: I’m a double Virgo and an Aquarius rising. Unfortunately, I feel too seen by that. I’m very much a Virgo — I’m practical and I can be almost too logical about my feelings. My Aquarius rising is a big source of creativity for me, being bold and unafraid to try new things.

ED: Are there any zodiac signs you don’t get along with?

AP: I’m always a little touchy with Libras. I just can’t be as carefree as them.

ED: What about signs you do vibe with?

AP: I love an earth sign and I’m big on water signs.

ED: On TikTok, you mentioned your Myers-Briggs personality type is INFP, nicknamed “the mediator.” Do you feel seen by that?

AP: Yes and no. I want to believe I’m this peaceful force — I tend to act as a mediator when people come to me for advice. But I’m also really damn stubborn sometimes.

ED: Who was your first celeb crush?

AP: Zac Efron in High School Musical. He changed the game for me — got my head in the game.

ED: Comfort rewatch?

AP: New Girl, any day. That’s my reset show if I need to turn my brain off and watch something comfy. My nostalgic rewatch is My So-Called Life. It’s part of why I dyed my hair at 14. I was like, “I am Claire Danes.”

ED: Dream co-star or collaborator?

AP: I loved Aimee Lou Wood in The White Lotus. She’s great in Sex Education and Toxic Town, too. Parker Posey has also been my queen since Josie and the Pussycats.

Laura Dern, too. She’s a close friend of my mom’s and she’s a lovely person. I just want to sit across from her in a scene and watch her do her thing — her unhinged woman. I mean, Renata in Big Little Lies is like, are you kidding?

ED: Is there a movie line you’re always quoting?

AP: I could quote anything from The Princess Bride. I say, “Inconceivable,” or, “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.”

ED: What’s the best piece of acting advice you’ve gotten?

AP: Everyone can justify their own perspective and the reasons they do things, so when you’re taking on a character, don’t judge them as you would from the outside. Know they feel justified in their actions, and empathize with that.

ED: What about the best advice for being in the public eye?

AP: You have to be grounded in what matters to you. I’ve had a really good guiding light in my parents. They’ve always encouraged me to focus on my values rather than the noise. Remember, the buzz will be gone in a week. Also, not everybody’s going to like you. It is what it is.

ED: What are you manifesting for the year ahead?

AP: A lot of self-compassion and grounding in my body. I feel like I’m always in my head, overthinking like the Virgo I am.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.