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Reese Witherspoon Reveals Epic Present Laura Dern Gave Her Son at 2024 Emmys

At the 2024 Emmys, Reese Witherspoon shared that pal Laura Dern gave her son an epic Bear-themed present for Christmas in an exclusive Live From E!: Emmys interview Sept. 15.

By Leah Degrazia Sep 15, 2024 11:59 PM
| Updated Sep 16, 2024 2:13 AM
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Reese Witherspoon, who is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 76th annual award show for her performance as Alex Levy on The Morning Show, turned heads when she stepped out on the red carpet for the Sept. 15 event in Los Angeles. (Check out all the stars who showed out for the 2024 Emmys here.)

And before taking her seat inside Los Angeles' Peacock Theater, the Legally Blonde star shared that she recently got to be involved in a Christmas present that her pal Laura Dern gifted her 23-year-old son Ellery Walker Harper that was inspired by The Bear, which is up for a whopping 23 Emmy nominations at the big event.

For the epic holiday treat, Laura—who shares Ellery and daughter Jaya Harper, 19, with ex-husband Ben Harper—reached out to Courtney Storer, a chef who served as her brother and The Bear creator Chris Storer's main inspiration for writing the show.

"She got Courtney to come over and give us cooking lessons," Reese exclusively told Heather McMahan on Live From E!: Emmys, "She's the main woman that The Bear is about. She's also a chef."

Quipping that Courtney showed them "13 different kinds of salt" and "100 different kinds of vinegars" during the lesson she added, "I can't remember a ding-dong thing she taught us but it was so freakin' fun.  

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Best Dressed Stars Ever at the Emmys

Reese—who previously earned a nod for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2022—will face off against her Morning Show costar Jennifer Aniston, Shogun's Anna SawaiThe Gilded Age's Carrie Coon, The Crown's Imelda Staunton and Mr. & Mrs. Smith's Maya Erskine in the category at this year's ceremony. 

And that's not the only award she stands to win during the big night, which is hosted by Eugene Levy and Dan Levy. As an executive producer on The Morning Show, the Oscar winner could score a golden statue for Outstanding Drama Series if the Apple TV+ series beats out fellow nominees The Crown, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Fallout, Shogun, The Gilded Age, Slow Horses and 3 Body Problem.

For Reese, taking on the leadership role with her production company Hello Sunshine was all about drawing attention to more women's voices.

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“Hello Sunshine was created around the idea that media was largely dominated by male voices and male perspectives," the Big Little Lies alum told Harper's Bazaar in July 2023, "so to be able to create opportunities where women are telling their stories in their own words, you’re just getting a better perspective of the human experience.”

And she hopes that she can lead by example for a new generation of creators.

“I think about the limited experience of that expression that my mother had or my grandmother had from artists at that time, because women were so sublimated," Reese continued. "It’s just a new time, a new era for women to succeed and excel, and I’m happy to be the rocket fuel they need.” 

Read on for more stars who showed out for the 2024 Emmys...

Nicola Coughlan

In custom Prabal Gurung. 

Ayo Edebiri

In custom Bottega Veneta.

Jennifer Aniston

In Oscar de la Renta and Tiffany & Co. jewelry. 

Sofía Vergara

In custom Dolce & Gabbana.

Selena Gomez

In custom Ralph Lauren. 

Reese Witherspoon

In Christian Dior. 

Quinta Brunson

In Georges Chakra FW24 Couture and Tiffany & Co. jewelry.

Jeremy Allen White

In custom Calvin Klein.

Elizabeth Debicki

In Christian Dior, De Beers jewelry, Vacheron Constantin watch and Aldo shoes.

Meryl Streep

In Alexander McQueen.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph

In Sophie Couture and Bulgari jewelry.

Holland Taylor

In custom Louis Vuitton.

Sarah Paulson

In Prada.

Dan Levy

In Loewe SS25 RTW and Jacques Marie Mage glasses.

Abby Elliott

In Monique Lhuillier and custom KAY Jewelers and Monique Lhuillier earrings and ring.

Viola Davis

In custom Zuhair Murad. 

Juno Temple

In vintage Roberto Cavalli. 

Maya Rudolph

In Chloé FW24 RTW. 

Niecy Nash-Betts

In custom Christian Siriano with Le Vian and Kallati jewelry.

Jean Smart

In custom Laura Basci.

Hannah Einbinder

In custom Louis Vuitton. 

Mindy Kaling

In Gayrav Gupta SS24 Couture and Wempe jewelry. 

Jonathan Bailey

In Giorgio Armani, Santoni shoes, and DeBeers jewelry. 

Lily Gladstone

In custom Rodarte and Wempe jewelry. 

Sheryl Lee Ralph

In custom Ateliee Versace. 

Janelle James

In Marchesa. 

Brie Larson

In custom Chanel.

Richard Gadd

In Loewe. 

Jessica Gunning

In custom Rodarte.

Reba McEntire

In Roberto Cavalli.

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