Laura Dern "runs everything" by Reese Witherspoon before she makes a decision

Speaking during a panel at Hello Sunshine's second Shine Away event in Los Angeles on Saturday (05.10.24), Laura said of her Hollywood networks: "What I learned from the four or five women who raised me who were actresses, who then became writers or producers or directors, was that there was no community, there was no inside without each other.

"And that sisterhood drove them. Jane Fonda being one, along with my mother and an amazing group of women who decided they had to be the storytellers to be in the story at all, and they are true pioneers that led us to understand that.

"So I felt so lucky to have that lens and then to find sisterhood on this stage - and basically I run everything by Reese.

"From my romantic life all the way to what jobs I should do."

And Reese revealed they also get together for non-career focused events.

She quipped: "We produced a barbecue last week."

Laura added: "We did. It was amazing."

Reese previously revealed she calls the 'Jurassic Park' actress by her surname because she finds it "confusing" addressing her pal by her own real first name.

Speaking with Vanity Fair magazine, fellow 'Big Little Lies' star Nicole Kidman said to her pal: "I hate how you call her Dern. It sounds so weird.

"I'm always like 'Laura,' and you're like 'No, Dern, Dern,' and I'm like, 'Why?'"

Reese quickly interjected: "'Cause my name is Laura, and her name's Laura, and it's confusing to me. My real name's Laura Jeanne.

"So, I get confused so I just call her Dern. Because we can't both be Laura."

Nicole, 56, forgot her castmates share the same first name, but she was still confused by the whole situation.

She pointed out: "She doesn't even call you Laura, though."

Reese, 48, quipped: "You're trying to understand something that just makes no sense."

Her full name is actually Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon, and she took on her mother's maiden name when she started acting in the 1990s.