Reese Witherspoon says she was "flummoxed" when then-husband Ryan Phillippe joked about her higher earning power at the 2002 Oscars.
The actress and her then-husband were presenting the Academy Award for Best Make-Up to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring when he made the off the cuff remark in front of an at-home audience of millions.
The much-talked about moment of awards show history came when the two wondered who should speak first.
After they hesitated, Ryan, now 46, then told Reese: "You make more [money] than I do, go ahead."
Reese, who four years later would go on to win the Best Actress Oscar herself, was questioned about the memorable TV moment on the HFPA in Conversation podcast.
Now 44, Reese recalled: "'You're reminding me of that! I forgot that ever happened. But you're right, he did say that, and no, it wasn't scripted."
Big Little Lies star Reese further explained that she felt women were sometimes "shamed" for success.
She said: "There's so few women that make a lot of money that sometimes they're shamed for it, and sometimes they are expected to give more and do more and be more to others in the same position that, say, a male movie star would not be expected to...
"But I do think gender norms have changed quite a bit since that moment in 2000 or something."
Reese met Ryan at her 21st birthday party and the two wed in 1999, co-starring in iconic 2000 film Cruel Intentions.
While both continued to act after the popular movie, Reese had far more success, including her Oscar win.
The two share daughter Ava and son Deacon, while both have children from subsequent relationships.
