The Emmy winner shared that things went downhill fast when she went onstage to present her pal with the award but ended up roasting her in the process.
“This friend of mine, who I didn’t really know that well but she was a very serious, proper actress, she asked me to give her an award,” Witherspoon explained.
“But I had never been to this award ceremony, so I thought it was like a roast,” she continued. “So I got up and I roasted her.”
Actors Laura Dern (from left), Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley of “Big Little Lies” after the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards.WireImage
Witherspoon speaks onstage during American Film Institute’s 45th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute.Getty Images
While Witherspoon failed to disclose the actress’ name, she did give clues.
Calling the incident particularly “embarrassing,” she shared that the ceremony was “British,” “elegant” and “classy” — likely too much for her public gag.
Witherspoon speaks onstage during the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award.Getty Images for AFI
Witherspoon (from left), Kidman and Dern during the 24th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.Getty Images for Turner Image
Witherspoon remembered one joke from the speech, telling Ferrell she said, “‘Remember the time we got laser hair removal?’”
While she laughed about the faux pas, her famous friend didn’t.
“I thought it was so funny and it was just, I had the wrong audience,” the “Your Place or Mine” star shared.
“It was pretty bad,” Witherspoon added about her speech.
“Not even kidding, she doesn’t talk to me anymore. Oh well,” she explained before admitting, “I’m still embarrassed about it.”
Witherspoon on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images
Witherspoon has presented several awards to actresses over the years.
In 2024, she honored her “Big Little Lies” co-star Nicole Kidman with the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. During that ceremony, Witherspoon impersonated Kidman’s Australian accent.
Witherspoon (left) and Kidman attend the 53rd annual Country Music Association Awards.Getty Images for the Country Music Association
Kidman (left) and Witherspoon attend an HBO “Big Little Lies” event.FilmMagic for HBO
The “Babygirl” actress, 57, watched from the audience and belted out several laughs during Witherspoon’s speech.
She’s also attended the BAFTAs in 2015 and 2023, walking the carpet with British actresses like Keira Knightley, Rosamund Pike and Felicity Jones.
However, Witherspoon wasn’t a presenter at any of the BAFTA ceremonies she attended.
Witherspoon and Ferrell’s “You’re Cordially Invited” hit Amazon Prime Video today, Tuesday, Jan. 30.