Reese Witherspoon walks the red carpet with her lookalike daughter Ava and son Deacon

IT was a family affair for Reese Witherspoon on the red carpet this weekend, bringing along her two eldest children, 16-year-old Ava and 12-year-old Deacon Phillippe as her dates.

IT was a family affair for Reese Witherspoon on the red carpet this weekend, bringing along her two eldest children, 16-year-old Ava and 12-year-old Deacon Phillippe as her dates.

Witherspoon was in attendance at the 29th American Cinematheque Awards which honoured her lengthy Hollywood career.

But despite their A-list mother’s special honour, Witherspoon said her kids weren’t really familiar with her work.

“They’ve never really seen me in very many films, so it should be interesting,” she told reporters before the ceremony. “I’m actually kind of, I have no idea what to anticipate. I know there’s going to be a lot of clips of me as a very young person. I think they’ll be a little bit stunned.”

Honoree Reese Witherspoon with Ava Phillippe and Deacon Phillippe.

While accepting her award, Witherspoon teared up when talking about her husband Jim Toth and her kids, including three-year-old Tennessee, who was not present on the night.

“Speaking of my amazing children — Ava and Deacon are here,” the 39-year-old said. “Hopefully Tennessee is asleep. He never sleeps — I just want to thank you for all the times you had to say goodbye to your mom while she packed to go on a location or for missing your school trips or special days because you were on some location in some far flung area in Georgia or Louisiana or London or wherever and for understanding that I love my job, that it feeds my soul to be creative and how I hope one day it may feed your soul too and that you’ll teach your children to be hardworking and creative and for knowing in your heart that no matter where I am in the world you are always with me,” she said. “I love you more than you will ever know.”

Reese Witherspoon teared up as she accepted her award.

Wiping away her tears, she added: “You can’t be in this business if you don’t have a wonderful supportive family and I have the most amazing family.”

Kate Hudson, who was also in attendance, revealed she first met Witherspoon at age 11 and the pair had been competing for roles their entire life.

“I can’t even tell you the number of times I’d call my agent and I'd say, ‘What happened with that audition?’ and he’d be like, ‘Well, it’s between you and Reese,’” she said with mock frustration. “And the other thing that I always heard was, ‘Well, Reese has the offer, but if she passes it may come to you.’ So that’s been my life.”

Kate Hudson paid tribute to her longtime friend Reese Witherspoon.

Originally published as Reese Witherspoon walks the red carpet with her lookalike daughter Ava and son Deacon