Reese Witherspoon has had a lengthy and storied career in acting, and in recent years she has become an absolute double threat thanks to her media company Hello Sunshine.
MORE: Jennifer Garner is a 'proud friend' as she shows support for Reese Witherspoon
She is known across Hollywood and beyond for being an avid reader, and subsequently turning plenty of the books she reads into either television shows or hit movies.
Though many of them, including Little Fires Everywhere, Wild, and Big Little Lies, have been massively popular, her latest adaptation has sparked quite the controversy.
WATCH: Reese hilariously fails to keep up during home work-out
MORE: Reese Witherspoon celebrates Legally Blonde's 21st anniversary with sensational throwbacks
Reese most recently produced a film titled Where the Crawdads Sing starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, based on a 2018 novel by Delia Owens. The story follows Kya, a young girl who raised herself in rural North Carolina and unexpectedly becomes the suspect of a murder.
As it turns out, the plot happens to hit somewhat close to home for the author, who has come under fire after multiple outlets highlighted her own suspicious association with a 1996 murder case, prompting fans to question Reese's collaboration with her.
It was first reported by Jeffrey Goldberg in a 2010 New Yorker article that both Delia and her husband have been wanted for questioning concerning the killing of an alleged poacher in the 1990s.
© Photo: Getty ImagesMark and Delia Owens worked and lived in Zambia for several years
The incident occurred when the couple lived in Zambia, where they ran an animal conservancy. The death happened during an anti-poaching patrol, and was recorded by an ABC crew that was filming a documentary about the work the couple did there.
MORE: Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern are 'friendship goals' in stunning new photos
MORE: Reese Witherspoon has a total princess moment in stunning pink dress
The victim was never identified nor was the case ever solved, with the Owenses refusing to turn over the tape for evidence or be questioned since, and now fans have called out both the author and Reese about the unsolved mystery.
© Photo: Getty ImagesReese alongisde the film's cast and crew
One netizen tweeted: "Reese Witherspoon is the reason it got made. She's also the reason Delia Owens' book sold a gazillion copies despite the fact Owens is dodgy as all get out," while another wrote: "Delia Owens was literally involved in a murder case that was never settled."
Still, others defended the author, writing: "Delia Owens was nowhere near where the murder took place. She might be an accomplice after the fact, but she's not a murderer. If you think the movie shouldn't have been made, then Reese Witherspoon is responsible. This has been in the news since 2010."
Read more HELLO! US stories here
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
