Catch up with the ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey, and the Rest

Carissa Mosness

August 1, 2024 at 4:15 AM·5 min read

They might not be singing the song all summer long, but the Sweet Home Alabama cast is still drinking whiskey out of the bottle and not thinking about tomorrow 22 years after the film's initial release. Sweet Home Alabama follows an aspiring fashion designer after she leaves New York City to go home and divorce her husband.

The film originally debuted in theaters in 2002 and is currently available for streaming on Hulu. But before you watch, keep reading and get to know the star-studded Sweet Home Alabama cast.

Reese Witherspoon

CHARACTER PLAYED: Melanie Smooter/Carmichael

BEST KNOWN FOR: Election (1999), Legally Blonde (2001), Walk the Line (2005), Four Christmases (2008), Water for Elephants (2011), Wild (2014), Big Little Lies (2017 to 2019), The Morning Show (2019 to 2023) and Little Fires Everywhere (2020).

PERSONAL: Witherspoon was married to Ryan Phillippe from 1999 to 2007 and they had two children together. Then, she married Jim Toth in 2011 and remained with him until 2023. They had one child together.

THOUGHTS ON SWEET HOME ALABAMA: "I remember that scene that we shot in the rain. I’m in the wedding dress and I run away from my wedding and I run to see Josh Lucas on the beach, and it was pouring down rain. I remember thinking, 'This is such a crazy, amazing moment. I’m gonna remember this forever.' And I still have the wedding dress."

FUN FACT: This was the first movie to film in New York City after 9/11.

Josh Lucas: Sweet Home Alabama cast

CHARACTER PLAYED: Jake Perry

BEST KNOWN FOR: Snowy River: The McGregor Saga (1994 to 1995), Hulk (2003), Don Haskins (2006), Life as We Know It (2010), The Mysteries of Laura (2014 to 2016), Ford v Ferrari (2019), Yellowstone (2019 to 2022) and Palm Royale (2024).

PERSONAL:Lucas was married to writer Jessica Ciencin Henriquez from 2012 to 2014 and they had one child together.

THOUGHTS ON SWEET HOME ALABAMA: Lucas admitted back in 2023 that he would love to do a sequel, but Witherspoon doesn't have time. He said, “I mean, I've barely seen Reese since we made the movie. So we have this exchange every once in a while, like, 'Hey listen, stop being so busy.'"

FUN FACT: The floatplane Jake drives is a De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver.

Patrick Dempsey

CHARACTER PLAYED: Andrew Hennings

BEST KNOWN FOR: With Honors (1994), Scream 3 (2000), playing Dr. Derek Shepherd, a.k.a. "McDreamy" on Grey’s Anatomy (2005 to 2021), Enchanted (2007), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Bridget Jones’ Baby (2016) and Ferrari (2023).

PERSONAL:Dempsey was first married to Rocky Parker from 1987 until 1994. Then, he married Jillian Dempsey in 1999 and has been with her ever since. The couple has three children together.

FUN FACT: This was the second film to ever film inside Tiffany’s. The first was Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961).

Candice Bergen: Sweet Home Alabama cast

CHARACTER PLAYED: Mayor Kate Hennings

BEST KNOWN FOR: Murphy Brown (1988-1998; 2018), Miss Congeniality (2000), Sex and the City (2003 - 2004), Boston Legal (2005 to 2008), Bride Wars (2009), Book Club (2018) and Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023).

PERSONAL: Bergen has three kids and has been married twice.

FUN FACT: Production got a $300 dollar ticket from the Peachtree City Police after they landed a plane on Lake Peachtree because it is illegal to do so.

Ethan Embry

CHARACTER PLAYED: Bobby Ray

BEST KNOWN FOR: That Thing You Do! (1996), Vegas Vacation (1997), Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), Heart of a Dragon (2008), Brotherhood (2006 to 2008), Once Upon a Time (2013), Sneaky Pete (2015 to 2019) and Grace and Frankie (2015 to 2022).

PERSONAL: Embry has been married three times — he married actress Sunny Mabrey twice.— and has one child.

FUN FACT: Embry and Witherspoon also worked on A Far Off Place (1993) together.

Melanie Lynskey: Sweet Home Alabama cast

CHARACTER PLAYED: Lurlynn

BEST KNOWN FOR: But I’m a Cheerleader (1999), Coyote Ugly (2000), Two and a Half Men (2003 to 2015), Drive (2007), Touchback (2011), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), Future-Worm! (2016 to 2018), Yellowjackets (2021 to 2023) and The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2024).

PERSONAL: Lynskey was married to Jimmi Simpson from 2007 until 2014. Then, she married Jason Ritter in 2018 and has been with him ever since. The couple has one child together.

THOUGHTS ON SWEET HOME ALABAMA: "The 'You have a baby in a bar!' scene I remember very well because I was, like, 21, I think, or 22. I did not have any babies at the time, and I had these five children that I was wrangling. They were so sweet. I'm still in touch with two of them. And they're very cute, very sweet kids."

FUN FACT: Lynskey shares the same first name as the film's lead.

Jean Smart

CHARACTER PLAYED: Stella Kay

BEST KNOWN FOR: Designing Women (1986 to 1991), The Pink Panther (1993 to 1995), High Society (1995 to 1996), 24 (2006 to 2007), Kim Possible (2002 to 2007), Samantha Why? (2007 to 2009), Hacks (2021 to 2024).

FUN FACT: Many college students from Berry College were used as extras during the wedding scene.

Fred Ward: Sweet Home Alabama cast

CHARACTER PLAYED: Earl Smooter

BEST KNOWN FOR: The Right Stuff (1983), Tremors (1990), Short Cuts (1993), Chain Reaction (1996), Joe Dirt (2001), Management (2008) and 2 Guns (2013).

FUN FACT: Melanie (Witherspoon) never calls Earl (Ward) Dad, just Daddy.

Mary Kay Place

CHARACTER PLAYED: Pearl Smooter

BEST KNOWN FOR: Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976 to 1977), Forever Fernwod (1977 to 1978), Girl, Interrupted (1999), 12 Miles of Bad Road (2008), Julie & Julia (2009), Big Love (2006 to 2011) and Lady Dynamite (2016 to 2017).