Ryan Phillippe reveals ‘wild’ all-night Oscars party with Reese Witherspoon months before their marriage collapsed

Ryan Phillippe has recalled partying until dawn with his then-wife Reese Witherspoon after they both celebrated major victories at the 2006 Oscars – just months before their marriage came to an end.

The 52-year-old actor revisited the extraordinary night during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark, explaining how Reese, 50, won Best Actress for Walk the Line while Crash, in which Ryan starred, took home Best Picture.

The former couple attended the ceremony in Los Angeles before celebrating into the early hours, although their marriage subsequently broke down, with Reese filing for divorce later that year.

Speaking about the ceremony, Ryan said: “It was a wild night altogether because my wife at the time, Reese Witherspoon, also won Best Actress.”

He added: “While she was backstage giving her post-award interviews, they called Best Picture for Crash.”

Ryan revealed the evening also gave him an unexpected opportunity to meet one of his Hollywood heroes, Morgan Freeman, 89, who presented the night's final award.

He said: “Morgan Freeman was the presenter of the Best Picture and I had never met Morgan Freeman so I fanned out on stage at the Oscars.”

Recalling how he approached Morgan while the film's producers were accepting their award, Ryan continued: “I’m like, ‘I’ve always wanted to meet you, sir’, and this is while the producer is accepting the award. Kind of a funny moment.”

The celebrations continued long after the ceremony ended, with Ryan remembering how the cast and their guests stayed out until the following morning.

The 78th Academy Awards proved particularly memorable for Reese, who received her first Oscar for portraying country singer June Carter Cash in Walk the Line.

Directed by James Mangold, 62, the biographical drama starred Joaquin Phoenix, 51, as Johnny Cash and followed the musician's rise to fame, his struggles with addiction and his relationship with June.

Reese's performance also earned her a Golden Globe, a Bafta and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Meanwhile, Crash, directed by Paul Haggis, 73, secured the evening's biggest prize in a result that became one of the most discussed Best Picture victories in Academy Awards history.

The ensemble drama explored racial prejudice and social divisions in Los Angeles through a series of interconnected stories.