Reese puts a Fullstop to her 7 year old Marriage with Ryan

Citing "irreconcilable differences", Oscar winning American actress Reese Witherspoon filed for divorce from her actor husband Ryan Phillippe, putting a full stop to her 7 year old marriage.

The filing for divorce comes just a fortnight after Witherspoon and Phillippe announced that they have decided to officially split after seven years of marriage. Celebrity divorce lawyer, Robert Kaufman has been contacted by Witherspoon.

The two met on Witherspoon’s 21st birthday and fell in love with each other instantly. They got engaged in December 1998, and after starring opposite each other in 1999 hit ‘Cruel Intentions’, the pair walked down the aisle on June 5, 1999.

They have two children- daughter Ava Elizabeth, born on September 9, 1999, and son Deacon Reese, born on October 23, 2003.

Witherspoon has asked for custody of the two children and is denying Phillippe of spousal support. In the papers filed at the Los Angeles superior court, the 30 year old actress also seeks visitation rights for Phillippe, 32, and “exclusive use of the family residence”.

The filing does not list separate property, saying the nature of the assets has yet to be determined.

Witherspoon, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, began her career in local commercials. She bagged her first role in a made-for-TV movie called ‘Wildflower’, when she was just 14.

After bagging the lead role in ‘The Man In The Moon’ in 1999, Witherspoon came into limelight and was the critics favorite. She has since built up a remarkable filmography, playing both comic and dramatic roles, including performances as Vanessa in ‘Freeway’ and Tracy Flick in ‘Election’. She has lent her voice to the animated character Greta Wolfcastle in ‘The Simpsons’ episode ‘The Bart Wants What It Wants’. She also played Jill Green, Rachel's sister, in season six of ‘Friends’.

In her 2001 flick ‘Legally Blonde’, Witherspoon was nominated for the Golden Globe best actress award and gained much fame. ‘Legally Blonde 2’ made her the top paid actress after she received a reported $15 million paycheck.

For her role of June Carter Cash in ‘Walk The Line’, a film chronicling the life of American Country singer Johnny Cash, focusing on his younger life, his romance with June Carter and his climb to the country music scene, Witherspoon, who was personally approved to play the role by Carter Cash, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, NYFCC, the FFCC, the SFFCC Award for Best Actress, the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) for best actress in a lead role, the British Academy's BAFTA for best actress in a lead role, the "Favorite Leading Lady" at the 32nd Annual People's Choice Awards, and the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Witherspoon thanked her "wonderful" husband in her Oscar speech.

Ryan Phillippe, on the other hand, is an American actor who rose to fame after his role of Billy Douglas in the soap opera ‘One life To live ‘in the late 1990s.

He was starred in the 1997 horror flick ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, followed by ‘54’ and ‘Cruel Intentions’. Phillippe's more recent roles include the 2005 Academy Award-winning ensemble film ‘Crash’ and the 2006 war drama ‘Flags of Our Fathers’.

After two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank split from husband Chad Lowe, Witherspoon is the latest best actress Academy Award winner to suffer marital problems.

In the past 10 years, six best actress Academy Award winners ultimately split from the partners they thanked on Oscars night.