Reese Witherspoon has over 60 acting credits and counting, not to mention three dozen producing credits, most of them for Hello Sunshine, a media and production company she cofounded in 2016.

But even the multi-hyphenate star can be vulnerable behind the scenes. In a new interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Reese is being her “most honest, forthright self” while opening up about the good, bad, and the ugly from her split with Jim Toth in 2023.

“Worrying about other people's opinions of you is a waste of your precious time,” she told the publication. “I think about how many other people are going through this experience [divorce]. I don’t feel isolated at all. I feel very connected.”

Witherspoon, who was married to Toth for 11 years (the two also share 10-year-old son, Tennessee), revealed she is taking time to “get quiet" and has taken up painting to preserve a peace of mind. “If somebody’s going through something, you can just kind of let go,” she said. “Just paint. Everything kind of fades away.”

Since the actress was a teenager, she has found herself dealing with tabloids on a daily basis. “It’s interesting what happened to me,” Witherspoon said, referring to her past relationships. “When I was divorced before, the tabloid media got to tell people how I was feeling or how I was processing, and it felt very out of control.”

But this time, it was on her terms. In late March, the couple announced their split via Instagram in a joint statement. "To be able to talk to people directly about what’s going on in my life and just share it in the way that I share great professional experiences or personal experiences, it feels much more authentic to be able to say things in my own voice and not let somebody else control what’s happening,” she shared. “Then, of course, there’s speculation, but I can’t control that. All I can do is be my most honest, forthright self and be vulnerable.”

She added, “It’s a vulnerable time for me.” So much so that she’s slowed down “just a little bit.”

“My brain has been going nonstop, and just life changes and running a company,” she admitted. “But that’s okay. I really believe creativity is infinite and you’re just looking for that next bit of inspiration, so if you go through a little slow period, that’s okay.”