reese-witherspoon-instyle

Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon covers the May issue of InStyle and opens up about the “Southern Mafia” that helps her raise her three kids: daughter Ava, 15, and sons Deacon, 11, and Tennessee, 2.

On her close circle of friends: “I learned a few years ago that there are people who don’t want good things for you. You’ve got to get away from them. Now I surround myself with supportive friends. I have a close group of girlfriends I call my Southern Mafia. One’s from Oklahoma, one’s from Arkansas, another’s from Tennessee. I get a lot out of my relationships with them. Parenting, getting through your marriage, getting through your day, these are hard things, and I find solace in the fact that other people struggle with the same stuff I do. We all have concerns about our kids, our marriage, our dreams.”

On taking on strong roles: “I grew up seeing incredibly strong women like Holly Hunter, Sigourney Weaver and Debra Winger. I want to ensure that my 15-year-old daughter, Ava, grows up seeing those types of strong women playing complicated parts.”

On working with Sofia Vergara in the upcoming comedy Hot Pursuit: “As soon as I met Sofia, I said, ‘I want to make a movie with you.’ I think she’s the next Lucille Ball. We represent two completely different cultures and kinds of women, but we just love each other. We laughed so much. I couldn’t understand what she was saying half the time. She couldn’t understand what I was saying half the time. But we both love cake, clothes, kids and our families.”

For more from Reese, go to InStyle…