Reese Witherspoon will testify in her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe’s civil trial on domestic violence allegations.
The ‘Cruel Intentions’ actor is being sued for $1 million by his former girlfriend Elsie Hewitt, who alleged that in July 2017, he hit, kicked and punched her, picked her up "like a doll" and "threw [her] down a flight of stairs" and after he denied her allegations, the case will go to court next month.
According to ‘Entertainment Tonight’, Reese – who has Ava, 20, and Deacon, 15, with Ryan, as well as Tennessee, six, with current husband Jim Toth – is scheduled to give evidence at some point during the trial, which will begin on 15 October.
Earlier this week, court documents were revealed in which the 45-year-old actor – who also has Kai, eight, with former partner Alexis Knapp – claimed he was defending himself against Elsie.
The pair had gone to a party in Malibu, California, though Ryan didn’t want to, and the ‘Shooter’ star ended up leaving early and going home with another female companion.
Ryan was later awakened by loud noises after Elsie allegedly came into his house with a female friend at 2.30am and he grew concerned for the safety of his companion when she confronted him outside the bedroom.
The documents stated: "Phillippe was very concerned about the safety of his female house guest present in his bedroom, especially with a loud, angry, inebriated, and jealous Hewitt sensing another girl in Phillippe’s bedroom.
"Phillippe attempted to block Hewitt’s blows to his body, and frantically tried to impede Hewitt’s progress toward the bedroom."
The actor insisted he never pushed Elsie down the stairs and claimed he picked her up and carried her to the staircase but slipped, causing her to fall back into his arms.
Ryan previously launched a lawsuit of his own against Elsie – who he dated from April to July 2018 – in response to her accusation he was violent towards her following an argumeng, in which he slammed the Guess model’s version of events as being completely "fabricated", as he has claimed she broke into his home in a bid to "extort money".
Ryan also claimed that Elsie was "extremely intoxicated" during the encounter.
The star feels "sickened" by the "false" domestic violence accusations made against him because he grew up around women and was an advocate for women’s rights.
Reese Witherspoon will testify in Ryan Phillippe trial
