Reese Witherspoon is buying back Hello Sunshine five years after multi-million pound sale

Reese Witherspoon is making a major power move in Hollywood by buying back her renowned media company, Hello Sunshine, five years after selling a controlling stake in a massive deal. The award-winning actress and producer has teamed up with French media company Mediawan to reacquire the production banner from Candle Media.

Hello Sunshine was originally founded by Witherspoon in 2016 with a dedicated mission to champion female-driven stories, launching acclaimed hits such as Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere, and The Morning Show.

In 2021, the studio was sold to Candle Media, a Blackstone-backed enterprise, in a landmark transaction valued at approximately $900 million. While Witherspoon maintained an ownership stake and a leadership role following that initial sale, this latest agreement marks a complete return of control over her creative empire.

Describing the transition as a homecoming, Witherspoon expressed her enthusiasm for the new chapter alongside Mediawan. She noted that Pierre-Antoine Capton and his teams have built a global independent studio that firmly puts creators first, aligning perfectly with her original vision for the company.

She also took the opportunity to express deep gratitude to her early backers, Peter Chernin and Jesse Jacobs of The Chernin Group, as well as her recent partners at Blackstone and Candle Media for their unwavering support.

Industry insiders note that the buyback agreement was secured for a fraction of the company’s previous valuation, falling into the low-to-mid eight-figure range. Following the acquisition, Hello Sunshine co-founder Seth Rodsky will join the leadership team as a director alongside Witherspoon and representatives from Mediawan.

With fresh backing and renewed independence, Witherspoon and her team are poised to steer the production house into a dynamic new era of storytelling.