Ryan Philip believes in the power of good compliments, especially if it is aimed at ex・wife Reese Witherspoon.

The actor took to Instagram Stories on Monday to share an incredible throwback photo of the two, taken at the legally blonde premiere in 2001, with the caption: "We were hot and drenched in the late 90s [sic] anxiety."He tagged Witherspoon and added it in brackets," and it's a cooler time than today.

In the photo, exe looks like an optical illusion of 2 people, she is wearing a black and white striped dress, and he is wearing a blue and white striped t-shirt vest. Witherspoon's dress was a high neck halter with a wraparound skirt, and she wore her short length bob smooth back. Philip, meanwhile, paired his muscle tea with baggy trousers and pilot sunglasses, and wore his hair in a short mohican mow.

They both smiled at the camera and released a casual je ne sais quoi.

For each of the people, Philip and Witherspoon gathered around 1997, got engaged in '98, tied the knot in '99, and welcomed their daughter Eva that same year. They also share son Deacon, who was born in 2003. The two announced their separation in 2006.

Since their split, Witherspoon married Jim Toth in 2011 and 2 had been on a separate path last year. Philip, as for him, has been linked to the likes of Amanda Seyfried, Nicky Reed, Rihanna and Demi Lovato, each relationship lasts long term and if you're following it means the exe is now both single.

Obviously, 1 compliment doesn't indicate that 2 people have come back together, but at least I know they're doing really well as co-parents, and I count it as a win.