Reese Witherspoon found herself in hot water after sharing her thoughts on modern dating.
The actress said during Dax Shepard’s armchair expert podcast that romance in real life had faded because romantic comedies were no longer being made.
Reese believed that people once “learned the social dynamics” from rom-coms and sitcoms, and that in their absence, younger generations were unsure how to connect.
But many people online were unimpressed; Social media users called her views “tone deaf,” “out of touch” and “embarrassingly Hollywood.”
However, they argued that real-life issues such as social anxiety and financial pressure were making dating more difficult, not the lack of rom-coms.
One person wrote: “Maybe dating is hard because of house prices and social anxiety, not because we miss Meg Ryan.”
Another added that old romantic comedies taught unrealistic lessons about love, not healthy relationships.
Others said Reese’s comments showed how Hollywood stars were living in a bubble, a far cry from how dating works for most people today.
Some partially agreed with her, saying that movies once encouraged effort and emotional honesty, but even they thought her words came across as “privileged and dated.”
The debate quickly took over social media, even overshadowing her upcoming Hulu series All’s Fair and the continued success of The Morning Show.
Reese hasn’t responded yet, but her comments have sparked a larger discussion about how movies, culture and technology have shaped modern love.
