Move over, mom and dad, there’s a new star on the scene… or on a ship.
In this week’s episode of Doctor Odyssey, titled “Spring Break,” Ava Phillippe, the daughter of Hollywood stars Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, is stepping into the spotlight for her acting debut. She will be playing the role of a college-aged “vixen” who sets her sights on Dr. Max, played by Joshua Jackson. What’s even more exciting is that Ava will be joined by Paris Jackson, the daughter of music legend Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe, as well as Charlotte Lawrence, the daughter of television producer Bill Lawrence and actress Christa Miller.
Joining the young Hollywood trio are guest stars Kathryn Newton and TikTok sensation Noah Beck. These talented 20-somethings will be embarking on a week of fun in the sun aboard The Odyssey, with a few medical incidents thrown in, based on past episodes. The episode description teases, “Spring break hits The Odyssey as three college ‘vixens’ set their sights on Max. Meanwhile, Tristan faces his drinking problem while other passengers’ struggles keep the medical team on their toes.”
This episode marks Ava’s first significant acting role. She is currently a student at UC Berkeley and has previously only made brief appearances as herself in on-camera roles, as listed on IMDB. Meanwhile, Ava’s younger brother, Deacon Reese, made his acting debut as Parker in the Netflix series Never Have I Ever in 2022. Reese Witherspoon is also a mother to another son with her ex-husband Jim Toth, while Ryan Phillippe shares a daughter with actress Alexis Knapp.
As for Lawrence and Jackson, Doctor Odyssey is far from their first time on camera. Jackson appeared in another Ryan Murphy show, American Horror Story, in 2021 and more recently appeared in Prime Video’s Emmy-nominated series Swarm starring Dominique Fishback. Lawrence, who also works as a musician and model, starred in her father’s Apple TV+ series Bad Monkey, in 2024.
In preview photos released ahead of this week’s episode, Ava, Jackson, Lawrence, and Newton can be seen boarding The Odyssey and soaking up some sun on the pool deck, with Beck’s character and Dr. Max stopping by. One photo of Ava also appears to confirm an homage to one of her mom’s iconic roles, Elle Woods, in Legally Blonde. In the stills, the new actress sports a pink sparkly bikini, a large necklace, and a high ponytail, recreating her Witherspoon’s own look from the 2001 flick almost identically.
In just 13 episodes, Doctor Odyssey has managed to become a star-studded destination, welcoming Angela Bassett, John Stamos, Margo Martindale, Kelsea Ballerini, Bob the Drag Queen, Shania Twain (twice!), and more. The freshman ABC drama — which also stars Phillips Soo, Sean Teale, and Don Johnson — has yet to secure a Season 2 renewal but has five episodes still to release after “Spring Break.”
New episodes of Doctor Odyssey air Thursdays at 9 PM local and stream the next day on Hulu.
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