Celebrity Parents Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe Celebrate Son Deacon's Graduation with Backyard Commencement "You light up our hearts and make us proud everyday," Reese Witherspoon wrote to son Deacon as she and ex-husband Ryan Phillippe hosted a backyard graduation for teenager By Glenn Garner Glenn Garner Glenn Garner is a form writer-reporter who worked heavily with PEOPLE's Movies and TV verticals. He left PEOPLE in 2023. People Editorial Guidelines Published on June 9, 2022 05:37PM EDT Photo: Ryan Phillippe/instagram Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe are proud co-parents. The exes came together this week to celebrate their son Deacon Reese's high school graduation with an intimate backyard commencement, in which Dad "played principal" and the lone grad tossed his cap into the pool. "Happy graduation!!" Phillippe, 47, wrote on his Instagram Story, adding a crying laugh emoji in another post of Witherspoon, 46, fishing the cap out of the pool. "Congrats to you @deaconphillippe on Graduating High School!" Witherspoon wrote on Instagram. "So proud of the thoughtful, talented, kind & generous young man you have become. You light up our hearts and make us proud everyday. We 🧡 you!" "Valedriptorian," Deacon, 18, captioned his own post. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Deacon Phillippe Heads to Prom — and Gets Sweet Messages from Mom Reese Witherspoon and Dad Ryan The family posed for a sweet graduation photo by the pool as Deacon displayed his diploma and his dad rocked a cap and gown of his own. The comments section was flooded with celebratory messages from friends and the graduate himself. "Best dad ever," Deacon commented. "All three of you could be recent high school graduates! #VampireFamilyVibes #Fampire," Justin Long wrote. The former couple celebrated another one of their son's rites of passage in May when Deacon went to prom. "Sending our sweet meat boi off 2 prom," the proud dad wrote at the time. Ryan Phillippe/instagram The Morning Show actress also shares daughter Ava Elizabeth with Phillippe, to whom she was married from 1999 to 2008 after starring together in Cruel Intentions. She later married Jim Toth in 2011, and they share 9½-year-old son Tennessee James. Witherspoon previously raved about how her relationship has evolved over the years with Deacon and Ava while opening up to Interview. RELATED VIDEO: Reese Witherspoon and Her Lookalike Daughter Ava Phillippe Have the Sweetest Relationship "That makes me want to cry, the idea of having a long relationship with adult children," she told Tracee Ellis Ross last year. "I never expected the kind of relationship that I have with them, but it's so rewarding to be able to have kids that you can process life with a little bit, and they help me understand the complexities of what it means to be a human now. "So I'm really, really grateful that these little humans are in my life. Adult humans. I have two adult children now, Tracee. It's crazy," the actress added.