Deacon Phillippe went shirtless for a new fashion campaign, sending fans into a frenzy over his uncanny resemblance to dad Ryan Phillippe.
The 22-year-old son of Ryan, 51, and Reese Witherspoon, 50, modeled for Venice Beach-based clothing brand ERL in a shoot that designer Eli Russell Linnetz posted to Instagram. Deacon showed off defined abs while posing in purple jeans, a sleeveless tank top, and his hair brushed back. One shot featured him in a matching purple hoodie with no shirt underneath.
Deacon himself jumped into the comments section with a playful note about his wardrobe. “Still in the purps btw they stayed on since,” he wrote on the Instagram post.
The comment section quickly filled with fans joking about Deacon’s Hollywood lineage and so-called “nepo baby” status. “ANOTHER day another NEPO HERE FOR THE ABS,” one Instagram user commented. Another fired back with their own take on the discourse: “This the nepotism I wanna see.” One fan kept it simple with praise for his famous parents, writing, “He got both his parents elite genes 🧬.”
The viral moment comes after years of public fascination with how strongly Deacon favors his father. Ryan himself addressed the resemblance back in September 2021 during an interview with E! News, though he was characteristically modest about any credit due to him. “He is way better looking than I am,” the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” star said at the time. He added a twist that surprised some observers: “Obviously, there is a father-son resemblance, but he actually looks a lot more like Reese’s side of the family. Ava looks more like mine.”
Deacon has leaned into the comparison himself on at least one notable occasion. In June, he attended the “Elle” premiere alongside his mom and recreated Ryan’s 2001 red carpet look from the “Legally Blonde” premiere, pairing a black suit with Ray-Ban sunglasses and a pink tie. The deliberate callback drew attention from fashion watchers and fans who remembered Ryan’s original appearance.
The ERL shoot marks a new phase for Deacon, who graduated from New York University in May. His parents, despite their 2006 split after seven years of marriage, reunited to support him at the graduation ceremony alongside his older sister Ava, 26. The family has maintained friendly co-parenting ties, with both Ryan and Witherspoon publicly celebrating their children’s milestones.
Deacon has been building his own creative path beyond modeling. He released his debut album “A New Earth” in 2023, with both parents attending the April release party at Melroseplace in Los Angeles. Ryan promoted the project on Instagram at the time, writing, “Stream it nonstop for me. So proud of you.” Deacon also appeared in Season 3 of Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever” in 2022, playing a character named Parker.
The “Cruel Intentions” star and the “Morning Show” actress have watched their children navigate growing up in the public eye, with Ava long famous for her own striking resemblance to her mother. The family comparisons have become something of a running theme in their public narrative, with each child seemingly mapped to one parent or the other by online observers.
Ryan has previously defended Deacon against criticism tied to his family name. After Deacon’s apartment tour went viral and drew “nepo baby” accusations, Ryan pushed back on the label, making clear he supports his son’s independent pursuits.