Ryan Phillippe on divorce from Reese

Ryan Phillippe calls divorce from Reese 'the darkest, saddest place I had ever been'

Ryan Phillippe has spoken out about his divorce from Reese Witherspoon, calling it 'the darkest, saddest place I had ever been'.

In an interview for W magazine, the 33-year-old actor also hit out at reports he left Reese for Australian actress Abbie Cornish. 'I had difficulties in my relationship, and in my marriage, long before I ever met her,' Phillippe revealed. 'As far as I'm concerned, it's a friendship (with Cornish), and we are getting to know each other in a really difficult situation.'

Phillippe spoke openly of his despair as his marriage with Reese came to an end: 'There were a good four or five months of not being able to get out of bed. It was the worst time in my life.'

However, the star admitted that he did get through the experience saying: 'It's a process that's not easy, but I get less and less sad about it every day.'

At the time of the split, speculation was rife that Phillippe - who has two children with Reese - was unable to deal with his wife's success in Hollywood, especially after Reese's Oscar win for Walk The Line.

Phillippe recognises the assumption, saying: 'I certainly understand the level of interest that comes along with a public marriage, and with being married to someone like Reese, who so many people love with good reason. People want answers,' he said. 'But I think sometimes they wouldn't be happy with what the answers would be.'

The real reason for the couple's break-up, explains Phillippe, was 'far less complicated and far less interesting than it's made out to be'. Adding: 'To look and search for these salacious reasons, to pin it on a person, or a moment in someone's life, it's not realistic.'