Celebrity Justice
Reese Says 'I'm Not Pregnant' -- Sues Star Mag

TMZ has obtained a lawsuit filed by Reese Witherspoon claiming Star Magazine invaded her privacy by publishing a "fictional" story that the actress was pregnant.

In the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the Academy Award-winning actress claims the magazine published a false story that she was pregnant "in a callous effort to boost the tabloid's sagging sales."

"Contrary to the fabricated Cover Story," the lawsuit says, "the true facts are that [Reese] is not pregnant, does not have a 'baby bump' and has not otherwise gained weight such that she has had to resort to wearing 'Empire-waist dresses,' 'baggy clothing,' or an 'old-fashioned 1920's bathing suit.'"

Reese also alleges in the suit that "this fabricated tall tale was brazenly published as a prominent and conspicuous cover story for the purpose of garnering the maximum attention to the tabloid..."



The lawsuit claims the story was a violation of Reese's privacy and portrays her in a false light. It seeks unspecified damages.

Mike Kahane, General Counsel for American Media, told TMZ, "It is a frivolous lawsuit. It has no legal merit and we intend to vigorously defend it and have every confidence that we will prevail."

We asked Kahane if Star believes Witherspoon is pregnant. He said, "The article asks the question as to whether or not she is pregnant based on her physical appearance and clothing that she was wearing and we believe we have every right to ask that question."

Witherspoon's publicist issued a statement, claiming the tabloid lied by saying "...she has been withholding or concealing this information from producers of upcoming films." The statement says Witherspoon's lawyers notified Star before the article was published, warning that the article was "...absolutely false and that it would be damaging to Witherspoon professionally as well as very distressing personally."

Click here to read the documents

Click here for photos of Reese

Tags: Reese Witherspoon, ReeseWitherspoon, Star Magazine, StarMagazine

Relevant Posts

Reader Comments

(Page 7 of 8) Previous 15 Comments | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

91. Good for Reese for standing up for herself. The tabloids think she's a dumb little Southern girl who will just curl up and "have the vapors" if someone talks mean about her. I hope she wins her lawsuit. I don't know what the tabloids have against her. Could it be that because she doesn't take every opportunity to have her face on the front page they feel threatened?? The girl has talent, and she has an Oscar to prove it! She's gorgeous, and not a fake. Leave her the heck alone.

Posted at 9:34AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Vonnie

92. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I have to sue for 5 mill because I'm so upset
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Posted at 9:35AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Shery

93. All the tabloids and stars and papparazi and people with terrible grammar will eventually implode. And then what?

Posted at 9:41AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Beth

94. If she does win, they are usually donating any extra money to charity so everyone's a winner here but the tabloids.

Posted at 9:53AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Arsena M.

95. The "baby bump" may not actually be a "baby bump." Nearly all women who have had children have a little belly "pooch" that apparently never goes away no matter how much you diet or excercises. The wardrobe choices could be just Reese trying something new or trying to hide the belly pooch.
Whatever the case, the magazine should have respected this woman's privacy or at least consulted her before printing a fallacious story.

Posted at 10:07AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Emily

96. Being pregnant is exciting and I am sure if Reese was pregnant she would alert the nosey public. It isn't fair for a tabloid to not only say something like that but to lie?? That should be her news to announce. No one else's! She should sue them!

Posted at 10:31AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Erin

97. I think Reese has every right to sue. It's bad enough with photographers following them around 24/7 and it's even worse when tabloids have to make up sh*t just to get people to buy their magazines. I disagree with the Counsel for America Media. He states that they are allowed to "ask the question" as to whether or not she's pregnant. Yeah, they are. But please keep those speculations to yourself until you know the facts! He needs to realize it's not necessarily what they say but HOW they say it. He should have realized that by the magazine stating the things they did and by the way they did, that was a slander suit waiting to happen. Reese will win her case. I have no doubt about that!

Posted at 10:45AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Holly

98. Personally I don't remember seeing an amendment to the constitution that stars or celebrities are exempt from haveing the same rights as a normal citizen. Slander is against the law and should be enforced no matter who it is about. If a person lost a job because of a published newspaper article that was false, there would be no outrage to suing for slander. Just because she has money doens't make it right to slander her name and reputation. Asking for monitary retribution is all part of the deal when you sue.

Get over her "being a star, means she has to have an ego, so say anything in the news cause she is fair game" Thats BS! No one has the right to slander and money and fame don't make her any less a citizen!

Posted at 11:01AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Sarah

99. I agree that Reese should sue the magazine! When you look back at the trends of the horrendous things that tabloids can induce it really pulls at your heart strings when such a nice, caring young woman is put in the middle. Leave the tabloids for those whose careers thrive on it! Reese has way too much class and talent to have to resort to using a tabloid to get ahead.

Posted at 11:18AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Lynnette

100. The point of the suit isn't that they said she was pregnant, but that she hid her supposed prgnancy from producers she might be working for. If that was true and she became unable to work due to the pregnancy that could set her up for a very expensive breech of contract suit. She has every right to sue because the claim that she would hide that sort of info from prospective employers, if true, could be very damaging to her professional reputation.

Posted at 11:32AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Christopher

101. It's never nice to make up rumors about someone. Imagine the trouble STAR magazine must have stirred up by printing that Reese was pregnant. Not Cool. I hope she wins the suit. Maybe that will teach them to back off from her. Who reads that crap anyway...more importantly, who believes it?

Posted at 11:49AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Lisa

102. C'mon everyone.. NO one here would allow a tabloid to jepordize our careers if we are worth 20 milllion a picture or a hundred dollars a picture, it's just wrong!.. go Laura Jean Reese..you rock!

Posted at 11:56AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Tim Mathis

103. She totally has the right to sew. Its not like they merely asked the question is she pregnant. They say boldly That she IS pregnant. Besides if she wants the public to know she is pregnant she should be able to tell when she feels comfortable not when some piece of crap rag mag thinks so.

Posted at 11:59AM on Jun 22nd 2006 by byrdie

104. She has every right to sue! I don't blame her one bit! It's damaging to her career and it would not make me feel very good about a pound I may or may not have gained. I feel so sorry for some of the female celebs but they know how to handle their own. YOU GO REESE!!!!

Posted at 12:33PM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Rosa

105. I don't think Reese should be suing anyone for printing that she MAY be pregnant. The only reason she could even have right to sue is if she can prove that she didn't get a role because the employer thought she was pregnant and chose someone else! It's a magazine, they hardly ever have 100% accurate stories - EVERYONE knows that, so celebs need to back off a bit. The grammar may not have been the best, but I completely agree with Ja$mine.

Posted at 2:11PM on Jun 22nd 2006 by @shl3y

Previous 15 Comments | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments