Touchstone Pictures Sweet Home Alabamapremiered on Sept. 27, 2002 The romantic comedy starred Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas and Patrick Dempsey Two decades later, Witherspoon said the film "completely changed my life" Reese Witherspoon,Josh LucasandPatrick Dempseyhave taken on many iconic roles over the past two decades — but theirSweet Home Alabamacharacters remain some of their most memorable. Following its release in 2002,Sweet Home Alabamabecame one of the most beloved rom-coms of the early 2000s. The movie follows Witherspoon as Melanie Smooter, a New York City fashion designer who returns to her hometown in Alabama to divorce her estranged high school sweetheart, Jake (Lucas), in order to marry her wealthy fiancé Andrew (Dempsey). In honor of the film's 20th anniversary in September 2022, Witherspoon paid tribute to the movie onInstagram, writing, "20 years agoSweet Home Alabamacame out andcompletely changed my life." A few days later, the actress appeared onTODAY with Hoda & Jennaand said that aSweet Home Alabamarebootwould be "a great idea." Shortly after, Lucas toldEntertainment Tonightthat he "would love to" participate in thesequeland that he's even spoken to Witherspoon about it. Here's everything to know about where the cast ofSweet Home Alabamais today. Touchstone Pictures; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Witherspoon was already known for her film roles such asThe Man in the Moon(1991) andCruel Intentions(1999), but she became a true rom-com star in the early 2000s. In 2001, she portrayed Elle Woods inLegally Blondeand reprised the role in the 2003 sequel. In between the two films, she stole hearts as Smooter in 2002'sSweet Home Alabama. Witherspoon later revealed that the project hit a personal note for her. "When I read the script I was like, 'Do these people know my life story?' " she said in September 2018, adding that the film reminded her of her own feelings of missing home. "You want to leave home and then you realize that there's so many important things about the closeness of family or people who knew you before. And I feel really like that movie really encapsulated those ideas. And it was a lot of fun. It was so much fun. I had a great time doing it." After her sequence of rom-coms, Witherspoon was cast as June Carter in theJohnny CashbiopicWalk the Line(2005), for which she won theAcademy Awardfor Best Actress. Her most recent film roles includeYour Place or Mine(2023) andYou're Cordially Invited(2025). Witherspoon also stepped into producing with the 2014 film adaptationCheryl Strayed's memoirWild. She both produced and starred in the project, which earned her her second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She's gone on to establish her own production company, Hello Sunshine, which focuses on women-led stories in the form of TV series (Big Little Lies,The Morning Show,Daisy Jones & The Six) and films (Gone Girl,Where The Crawdads Sing). The star also owns a Southern-inspired clothing line,Draper James, which was founded in 2013 and named after her grandparents, Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon. As for her personal life, Witherspoon married herCruel IntentionscostarRyan Phillippein 1999 the couple welcomed two children together, daughter Ava and son Deacon, before divorcing in 2008. In 2011, the actress married talent agent Jim Toth and after 11 years of marriage,Witherspoon and Toth announced their divorcein March 2023. They share a son, Tennessee James, who was born in 2012. She's been dating financierOliver Haarmannsince 2024. Touchstone Pictures Along with films like 2000'sAmerican Psychoand 2001'sA Beautiful Mind, Lucas gained recognition for playing Jake Perry inSweet Home Alabama. He went on to land roles in films likeGlory Road(2006),Stolen(2009),Shadows and Lies(2010),The Lincoln Lawyer(2011) andThe Map That Leads to You(2025). Lucas also appeared on television shows likeThe FirmandThe Mysteries of Laura.From 2018 to 2022, Lucas had a recurring role on the Western dramaYellowstone, playing a younger version of Kevin Costner's character, John Dutton. Lucas has also performed in theater productions. In 2018, he starred oppositeUma Thurmanin the Broadway playThe Parisian Woman. As for his personal life, Lucas married writer Jessica Ciencin Henriquez in 2012 just six weeks after meeting. They welcomed a son, Noah, that same year, though the pair later divorced in 2014. He began dating meteorologistBrianna Ruffaloin 2022 and the pairtied the knotin July 2025. Touchstone Pictures; Cesc Maymo/WireImage After playing Melanie's fiancé inSweet Home Alabama, Dempsey starred in other romantic comedies likeEnchanted(2007),Made of Honor(2008) andValentine's Day(2010). However, he's probably best known for playing Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd on the long-running ABC medical dramaGrey's Anatomy. He also reprised the role in two episodes of the spin-off seriesPrivate Practice. Since his departure fromGrey's Anatomy, Dempsey reunited with hisEnchantedcostarAmy Adamsfor the 2022 sequelDisenchantedand underwent a shocking whitehair transformationfor the upcoming 2023 biological dramaFerrari. As for his personal life, the actor married makeup artistJillian Dempseyin 2002 and together they share three children: daughter Talula and twin boys, Darby and Sullivan. Touchstone Pictures; Michael Loccisano/Getty Candice Bergenwas a critically acclaimed actress long beforeSweet Home Alabama, where she played Andrew Hennings' mother and the mayor of New York City, Kate Hennings. She's known for her early roles onMurphy BrownandBoston Legaland also appeared in a string of rom-coms in the 2000s and 2010s such asMiss Congeniality(2000),Bride Wars(2009) andBook Club(2018). Bergen also starred in the Broadway revivals ofThe Best Man(2012) andLove Letters(2014). In addition to acting, Bergen has a successful line of customized luxury handbags, BergenBags, which she began working on in 2016. In 2020, she expanded the brand to include affordably priced merchandise, including apparel, bags, phone cases, pillows, dishes and wall art. In her personal life, Bergen married director Louis Malle in 1981. They welcomedone daughtertogether nearly a decade before Malle's death in 1995. Bergen went on to wed philanthropistMarshall Rose, who died in February 2025. Touchstone Pictures; JC Olivera/FilmMagic Before playing Melanie's hometown friend Bobby Ray inSweet Home Alabama,Ethan Embryhad worked with Witherspoon once before, in the 1993 live-action Disney filmA Far Off Place. Since starring in the 2002 rom-com, Embry has appeared on TV shows likeBrotherhood,Once Upon a Time, Sneaky PeteandGrace and Frankie. As for his personal life, Embry married actress Amelinda Smith in 1998, and the couple welcomed a son, Cogeian Sky, the following year. However, they later divorced in 2002. In 2005, the actor married actress Sunny Mabrey. The couple divorced in 2012 but remarried in 2015. Touchstone Pictures A seasoned actress since her days onDesigning Women,Jean Smartplayed Jake's mother, Stella Kay Perry. She went on to star in TV shows likeSamantha Who?,Watchmen, 24andHacks. Most recently, she's taken home twoEmmysand twoGolden Globesfor her role as Deborah Vance inHacks. Smart has also appeared in films likeGarden State(2004),The Accountant(2016),A Simple Favor(2018) andBabylon(2022). As for her personal life, Smart was married to herDesigning WomencostarRichard Gillilanduntil his death in 2021. They have two sons together,Forrest and Connor. Touchstone Pictures; Jason Merritt/FilmMagic Fred Ward played Melanie's father, Earl Smooter, inSweet Home Alabama. Prior to the rom-com, he was known for his movie roles inThe Right Stuff(1983) andTremors(1990). He later appeared in TV shows likeGrey's Anatomy, ER, United States of TaraandLeverageand films likeManagement(2008),L'affaire Farewell(2009) and2 Guns(2013). In May 2022, Warddied at the age of 79. He is survived by wife of 27 years, Marie-France Ward, and son Django Ward. Touchstone Pictures; Kurt Krieger/Corbis via Getty Mary Kay Place played Melanie's mother, Pearl Smooter. Prior to Sweet Home Alabama, Place was best known for her role as Loretta Haggers on the television seriesMary Hartman, Mary Hartman —for which she won an Emmy — as well as appearances onM*A*S*HandThe Mary Tyler Moore Show. Her other TV credits includeBig Love, Bored to Death, The Mentalist, ShamelessandGrace and Frankie.She also starred in the 2018 dramaDianeand the 2020 film adaptation of the Broadway musical,The Prom, directed byRyan Murphy. Touchstone Pictures; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Portraying young Melanie was one of many ofDakota Fanning's roles as a child actor. After rising to fame as the youngestScreen Actors Guildnominee for her role in 2001'sI Am Sam, Fanning also appeared in films such asUptown Girls(2003) andWar of the Worlds(2005). Her later film credits includeThe Secret Life of Bees(2008),The Runaways(2010),OnceUpon a Time in Hollywood(2019),The Equalizer 3(2023) andVicious(2025). In 2022, she portrayed Susan Ford in the Showtime seriesThe First Lady. She is also the older sister of actressElle Fanning, and the siblings have remainedpublicly supportiveof one another throughout their careers. Touchstone Pictures; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Melanie Lynskeyplayed Melanie's high school friend, Lurlynn. The character is introduced when Melanie runs into Lurlynn carrying her infant in a bar and delivers the famous line, "Look at you! You have a baby ... in a bar." Lynskey, who is originally from New Zealand, went on to star in a wide range of films such asShattered Glass(2003),Away We Go(2009) andThe Perks of Being a Wallflower(2012). More recently, she appeared in the 2021 black comedyDon't Look Upand Showtime's thriller seriesYellowjackets, for which she won a 2022 Critics' Choice Award and was nominated for an Emmy Award. Lynskey also gave a memorable performance as resistance group leader Kathleen in two episodes of the HBO apocalyptic drama,The Last of Us. In her personal life, Lynskey ismarriedto actorJason Ritter. The couple started dating in 2013,welcomed a daughterin 2018 and wed in 2020. Read the original article onPeople
