Reese Witherspoon's Company Makes Disappointing Announcement

By Ashley Turner

Reese Witherspoon's company, Hello Sunshine, recently announced that a June conference in which the actress was to take part has been canceled. The company's official website displays the official statement: "Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have had to make the difficult decision to postpone the marquee Shine Away event in Nashville to the Fall. All tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase. While we were looking forward to gathering this June, we remain excited to bring this community together for a great day of connection, entertainment, and joy when the time is right. We will be in touch with more updates soon and hope to see you in the Fall."

As part of a joint venture, Witherspoon, Seth Rodsky, and Otter Media formed Hello Sunshine with Sarah Harden in November 2016, focusing on telling female-driven stories on film, television, and digital platforms. Aside from producing content, Hello Sunshine also curates a book club called Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine as well as a Filmmaker Lab where 20 girls aged 13-18 have been taught the art of filmmaking.

The inaugural event was created in collaboration with the company's co-owner AT&T and was set to take place June 17th at the JW Marriott Nashville. Shine Away was expected to "feature curated programming, bespoke activations, and robust digital content." Hello Sunshine founder Witherspoon and AT&T Chief Marketing & Growth Officer Kellyn Smith Kenny were to begin the event with a conversation that explored the "power of connection" in-depth.

Alongside Witherspoon, Shine Away had scheduled appearances from various talent affiliated under the Hello Sunshine banner, including The Home Edit's Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, New York Times Bestselling author of Fair Play Eve Rodsky, and other special guests. A number of other tentpole panels, educational and creative workshops, and surprise performances from special guests were to be announced within the coming weeks as part of the festival.

"Over the course of its incredible journey, Hello Sunshine has blossomed into a true community that is bonded together by a shared passion for uplifting female voices and changing the narrative. Because connectivity is what fuels us, we wanted to create a space for meaningful conversations that lead to creativity, inspiration and self-discovery," said Witherspoon in a statement. "The first in the Shine Away franchise, this event is an amazing opportunity for our community to learn, laugh, and celebrate together. I couldn't be more excited to launch this special day for Hello Sunshine in my beloved hometown of Nashville."

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