Home Sweet Alabama Cast: Where Are They Now ?
Wondering what the stars of the 2002 rom-com "Sweet Home Alabama" have been up to? Let's take a trip down memory lane and catch up with the cast.
"Sweet Home Alabama" was one of the standout rom-coms of the early 2000s. The film stars Reese Witherspoon as Melanie Smooter, a New York City fashion designer who returns to her Alabama hometown to divorce her estranged high school sweetheart, Jake (Josh Lucas), so she can marry her wealthy fiancé, Andrew (Patrick Dempsey).
The movie was a big hit, earning over $35 million on its opening weekend and over $130 million domestically. Worldwide, it raked in another $53 million, all on a $30 million budget.
Reese Witherspoon was already rising to stardom with her role in 2001's "Legally Blonde," and "Sweet Home Alabama" cemented her status as a leading lady. Since then, she's starred in numerous successful films and TV shows, won an Academy Award, and launched her own production company, Hello Sunshine.
In 2021, to celebrate the film's anniversary, Witherspoon posted on Instagram: "20 years ago Sweet Home Alabama came out and completely changed my life. Incredible memories of shooting this movie with these amazing actors—Josh, Patrick, Dakota, Melanie, Jean, Ethan, Mary Kay, Fred, and Candace, of course!"
During a 2022 appearance on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, Witherspoon mentioned that a "Sweet Home Alabama" reboot would be "a great idea." Josh Lucas later told Entertainment Tonight that he "would love to" be part of a sequel and that he has even discussed it with Witherspoon, though her busy schedule is a challenge.
Whether a reboot happens or not, "Sweet Home Alabama" was a significant milestone for many of the cast members. Here's what Reese Witherspoon and the rest of the cast have been up to over the past two decades.
Reese Witherspoon as Melanie Smooter
Reese Witherspoon had already made a name for herself with roles in movies like "The Man in the Moon" (1991) and "Cruel Intentions" (1999). But she truly became a rom-com star in the early 2000s. She played the iconic Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde" (2001) and its 2003 sequel, and in between, she won hearts as Melanie Smooter in "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002).
Reese has mentioned that "Sweet Home Alabama" hit close to home for her. In 2018, she shared, "When I read the script I was like, 'Do these people know my life story?' It reminded me of my own feelings of missing home. You want to leave home, but then you realize how important family and old friends are. That movie really captured those ideas for me, and it was a lot of fun to make."
After her string of rom-coms, Reese took on the role of June Carter in the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line" (2005), a performance that won her the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Reese then moved into producing with the 2014 film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir "Wild." She produced and starred in the film, earning her second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She also founded her own production company, Hello Sunshine, which focuses on women-led stories in TV series like "Big Little Lies," "The Morning Show," and "Daisy Jones & The Six," as well as films like "Gone Girl" and "Where the Crawdads Sing."
In addition to her film and TV work, Reese owns a Southern-inspired clothing line called Draper James, founded in 2013 and named after her grandparents, Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon.
On the personal front, Reese married her "Cruel Intentions" co-star Ryan Phillippe in 1999. They had two children together, daughter Ava and son Deacon, before divorcing in 2008. In 2011, she married talent agent Jim Toth, and they welcomed a son, Tennessee James, in 2012. However, after 11 years of marriage, Reese and Jim announced their divorce in March 2023.
Josh Lucas as Jake Perry
Josh Lucas made a name for himself with roles in "American Psycho" (2000) and "A Beautiful Mind" (2001), but he really gained recognition as Jake Perry in "Sweet Home Alabama." After that, he landed parts in movies like "Glory Road" (2006), "Stolen" (2009), "Shadows and Lies" (2010), and "The Lincoln Lawyer" (2011).
Lucas also appeared on TV shows like "The Firm" and "The Mysteries of Laura." From 2018 to 2022, he had a recurring role on the popular Western drama "Yellowstone," playing a younger version of Kevin Costner's character, John Dutton.
He's also been active in theater. In 2018, he starred alongside Uma Thurman in the Broadway play "The Parisian Woman."
In 2022, two decades after "Sweet Home Alabama" was released, Lucas told Entertainment Tonight that he "would love to" do a sequel and that he’s even talked to Reese Witherspoon about it. "I've campaigned her. I'm not going to say that she's the problem, but I think part of it is that Reese is so busy," he said.
On the personal side, Lucas married writer Jessica Ciencin Henriquez in 2012 just six weeks after they met. They welcomed a son, Noah, that same year, but divorced in 2014. Despite the split, they co-parented amicably and even seemed to rekindle their relationship in 2020. However, in May of that year, Henriquez accused Lucas of cheating. By 2021, Lucas had moved on with model Rachel Mortensen, though they reportedly split by December.
Patrick Dempsey as Andrew Hennings
After playing Melanie’s fiancé in "Sweet Home Alabama," Patrick Dempsey continued his rom-com streak with hits like "Enchanted" (2007), "Made of Honor" (2008), and "Valentine's Day" (2010). However, he’s best known as Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd from the long-running ABC medical drama "Grey’s Anatomy," a role he even reprised in two episodes of the spin-off series "Private Practice."
Post-"Grey’s Anatomy," Dempsey reunited with his "Enchanted" co-star Amy Adams for the 2022 sequel "Disenchanted." He also made headlines with a dramatic white hair transformation for the 2023 biographical drama "Ferrari."
On the personal front, Dempsey married makeup artist Jillian Dempsey in 2002. They have three kids together: daughter Talula and twin boys, Darby and Sullivan. Although the couple filed for divorce in 2015, they decided to reconcile and called off the proceedings in 2016.
