(CNN) Reese Witherspoon was not happy when her then husband, Ryan Phillippe, made a joke about her financial situation during the 2002 Oscar presentation.
The actress / producer talked about the moment that went viral at the time. Phillippe said during the live broadcast that she could hand over the prize because “you make more money than I do”.
“I forgot it happened,” said Witherspoon during an HFPA in Conversation podcast.
Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe were married for seven years before giving up in 2006. The couple, who have two children together, ended their divorce in 2008.
“But you’re right, he said that, and no, it wasn’t scheduled, and he didn’t tell me he was going to say that before it happened on the air. So I was a little confused at the time, too.”
She said that although “gender norms have changed a little since that time”, successful women are “ashamed”, especially when they are making “a lot of money”.
The couple, who have two children together, separated in 2006.
Witherspoon added that her 21-year-old daughter Ava once came home from elementary school upset after being teased because of her mother’s financial success.
“I said, ‘Never be ashamed of a woman who makes money. There are women all over the world who have no opportunity, no education, no ability to make money. And the more women make more money, the more money they donate, take care of your societies, you will take care of your communities, you will do more with that money, so never feel bad that your mom makes money and never feel bad if you make money, and don’t be embarrassed or embarrassed if you are more than your partner. ‘”