Twenty-four beautiful years ago, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas (not to be confused with Matthew McConaughey) and director Andy Tennant would put out what would become one of the best rom-coms of that time. I saw the movie in theaters when it came out, and it’s definitely difficult to hear the movie is 24 at this point. Yet, Reese Witherspoon did share an anniversary post confirming this stat, and now all I can think about is the baby in the bar.
In one of the flick’s most well-timed lines, Witherspoon’s Melanie “Carmichael” Smooter returns to her hometown in Alabama and needs a drink. So, she pops over to her local watering hole where she runs into her high school pal Lurlynn, who is, in fact, holding a baby. In a bar. Melanie blurts out just that, and the moment has lived on in comedy history literally decades later at this point.
Which got me to thinking, the baby in the bar would be in their mid-twenties now. Or rather, I should say, the babies in the bar, because five babies were actually used during the making of Sweet Home Alabama. One of them was Colin Ford, a former child actor, who reconnected with Lynskey a few years ago on an Instagram post and wrote, “proud to be one of your kiddos in this film.”
Lynskey commented back, mentioning she knew and that other actress Kelsey Lowenthal was one of the babies, too.
Reese Witherspoon looked back at the movie’s release on social media this week, but it is nice to know she also is having trouble computing the movie is 24 years old. 24!
How is it possible that Sweet Home Alabama came out 24 years ago today?! 🤯 I will never forget that production. It was such a huge moment in my career, surrounded by the most brilliant actors: Patrick Dempsey, Josh Lucas, Candice Bergen, Melanie Lynskey, Jean Smart… and our wonderfully inspired writer/director, Andy Tennant.
Her co-star Josh Lucas also confirmed that movie was always a piece of work he was “grateful” for, and he told Reese so in the comments. Though I will note, he’s been negative about the impact the movie had on his career before.
By far the movie I’m always connected to. Gratefully. It’s a special film. Just a few days ago someone told me they have watched it over 100 times… have such deeply fond feelings for this film and the experience of making it…
Reese also asked the fans about their “favorite” part of the movie, and I was personally gratified to know the baby in the bar thing comes up a lot, and was the most popular fan comment on the post.
- "You have a baby. in a bar” I Still quote that often … anytime I see a baby … in a bar 😂"
- "My cousin literally had a baby in a bar last weekend… thought the same thing 😂"
- "My sister and I quote this all the time 🤣"
- "I just quoted this over the summer when we brought our baby to the bar on vacation 🤣"
Listen, it may be close to the big 2-5, but you know a movie is one for the ages when fans find reasons to quote the same lines years and years later. I don't know if Witherspoon, Lucas and co. knew they'd (literally) caught lightning in a bottle when they were making the movie, but I'm glad it's one that's still a topic of conversation, because it's one I go back to over and over again.
Now Reese has been returning to her rom-com roots, where's that possible sequel?
