Reese Witherspoon buys back media company Hello Sunshine… five years after near-$1 billion sale
Reese Witherspoon is buying her company Hello Sunshine back alongside French media company Mediawan.
The 50-year-old actress and producer founded the business in 2016.
The update was announced on Tuesday, five years after Witherspoon sold a controlling stake in a deal valued near $900 million.
‘Mediawan has built a global, independent studio by putting creators first. That has always been my vision for Hello Sunshine,’ the star said in a press release via The Wrap.
‘I’m investing alongside Mediawan and joining Pierre-Antoine Capton and his teams because this is the perfect home for this new media landscape. It’s also a homecoming.’
The price of the new deal has not been shared publicly.
Reese Witherspoon is buying her company Hello Sunshine back alongside French media company Mediawan; pictured in July
The 50-year-old actress and producer founded the business in 2016
The new partnership will help Hello Sunshine expand its reach to a larger global network as it continues developing projects.
In 2021, private-equity giant Blackstone Group Inc purchased Hello Sunshine as part of a larger plan to build an independent entertainment firm.
The new company was formed by former Disney executives Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer and backed by Blackstone, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time.
Elsewhere in Tuesday’s release, Witherspoon expressed gratitude for Peter Chernin and Jesse Jacobs, who buoyed Hello Sunshine at its inception, and also thanked Blackstone and Candle Media for their partnership.
‘The best is still ahead,’ she optimistically added.
Hello Sunshine co-founder Seth Rodsky will join the company’s board alongside Reese and representatives from Mediawan, according to reports.
Earlier this month, the multihyphenate took to Instagram to share a career highlight reel.
She captioned the inspirational post, ‘Dream big. Work hard. And don’t wait around for someone else to make it happen.’
The update was announced on Tuesday, five years after Witherspoon sold a controlling stake in a deal valued near $900 million; pictured in June 2025
‘The best is still ahead,’ Witherspoon said optimistically in Tuesday’s press release; pictured in October 2025
In an Instagram post applauding the 2021 sale, Witherspoon shared a snap of The Wall Street Journal’s article with a caption reading: ‘What a tremendous day!’
‘I couldn’t be more excited about what this means for our future. I am committed to continuing to create opportunity for filmmakers, authors and creators of all backgrounds and experiences to tell their stories in their own way, and reach more audiences who will see that their stories matter,’ she continued.
‘This is a unique time in our world where the intersection of art, commerce and media makes it possible for these creators to tell their stories and Hello Sunshine is here to put a spotlight on their amazing creations.
‘I am deeply proud of the team that got us to this incredible moment, and I’m thrilled to be working with Blackstone, Kevin and Tom to grow a next generation media company. They are committed to helping our mission to empower women and the people who celebrate them. One story at a time,’ she added.
Blackstone executed the deal through its private equity arm, allegedly spending $500 million in cash to purchase shares from the investors, which consisted of Emerson Collective and also AT&T Inc.
