SHE wasn't looking for love when they met at a house party but this guy - smiling, funny, down-to-earth - was like a breath of fresh air.
Even though his clients included some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Jim Toth wasn't a celebrity - and Reese Witherspoon, still smarting from her divorce from actor Ryan Phillippe, fell for his charms.
"He was a solid, dependable and stable guy, she said at the time, and that was exactly what she needed after her tumultuous marriage.
But it's all over now. Just two days before their 12th anniversary, Reese and Jim announced they were divorcing and were "moving forward with deep love, kindness and mutual respect for everything we have created together".
For fans of the pint-sized Tinseltown powerhouse, it came as a shock. In an industry where break-ups are as commonplace as popcorn in a movie house, they seemed to be bucking the trend.
In pictures they seemed like a happy blended family, smiling away with their son, Tennessee (10), and Ava (23) and Deacon (19), her kids with Ryan.
Yet things are seldom what they seem on social media and in the days following the announcement rumours of discontent starting trickling out.
Her hectic schedule was one of the reasons insiders gave for the collapse of the marriage. "Reese is spinning a lot of plates right now," an insider shared. "It's a highly stressful position to be in."
Two years ago the Legally Blonde star sold a large portion of her production company, Hello Sunshine, for $900 million (then R12,6 billion) but she continues to work for the business as a producer on several projects, including the hit Apple TV+ series The Morning Show.
Esta historia es de la edición 13 April 2023 de YOU South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición 13 April 2023 de YOU South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
BALLON IN THE BAG
Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football
IT WAS ALL A LIE
A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country
AGREE TO DISAGREE
Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book
PAUSE THE CLOCK
Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down
MPOOMY ON TOP
We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court
MATT THE RECLUSE
A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight
A LEAP OF FAITH
After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it