Ryan Phillippe 'considered suicide' - Nov 14 2007
Ryan Phillippe has admitted he was near suicidal after splitting with wife Reese Witherspoon last year.

"After the divorce, I was a physical wreck. I wanted to die," the Crash actor told the Autumn-Winter edition of Man About Town magazine. "I was ready to kill myself. I was not taking care of myself at all. I would wake up and cry and vomit."

But the dad of two says his painful experiences have made him a better actor when it comes to filming emotional scenes.

"Now, it's easy," he says. "When I was younger, I didn't have enough to cry about. But since I've had kids, I feel my work has become better, because my life is fuller and more complicated, and I've experienced so many highs and lows."

The 33-year-old actor split with Reese after seven years of marriage and shares custody of their children Ava, eight, and Deacon, four. His next film, the war drama Stop Loss, in which co-stars with former flame Abbie Cornish, hits US screens next March.

Ryan’s mini shoulder to cry on - Feb 16 2007
Ryan Phillippe has revealed how his daughter Ava has helped him through his break-up with wife Reese Witherspoon, admitting that she has been "the inspiration".

The actor opened up to Ellen DeGeneres on her chat show, calling this period in his life "the most personally devastating".

Luckily, he says Ava, seven, and three-year-old son Deacon are "doing amazingly well and that’s really all that matters".

And his daughter is the key, he says. "I know it sounds pathetic - I’m a 32-year-old guy - but my seven-year-old daughter is getting me through the toughest time in my life and that’s beautiful too."

The actor - who stars in the forthcoming thriller Breach - explains that the split hasn’t been easy, but that being a Dad and focusing on the kids has helped him survive.

He and his Oscar-winning ex called time on their seven year marriage last October.

Reese files for divorce - Nov 9 2006
Reese Witherspoon has filed for divorce from husband Ryan Phillippe, almost a fortnight after the couple announced they were separating.

In yesterday’s filing in Los Angeles, the actress cites "irreconcilable differences" and seeks custody of the couple’s two children -- seven-year-old Ava and three-year-old Deacon.

Reese, 30, also seeks visitation for Ryan, 32, and "exclusive use of the family residence".

The actress also asked for the court to terminate its ability to award spousal support to her ex.

The filing does not list separate or community property, saying the nature of the assets has yet to be determined.

The couple, who co-starred in the 1999 film Cruel Intentions married that year. Their separation was announced on October 30 by a publicist who did not give the reason for the split.

In March, Reese won an Academy Award for her role as June Carter Cash in 2005’s Walk The Line.

Ryan co-starred in the best-picture Oscar winner, Crash, and is starring in Clint Eastwood’s latest film, the Second World War drama Flags Of Our Fathers.

Ryan speaks out - Nov 9 2006
Ryan Phillippe has spoken out about the accusations levelled at him following his split from wife Reese Witherspoon.