Not only did Malala Yousafzai win the Nobel Peace Prize today, but just hours later, Reese Witherspoon was honored at Variety's Power of Women luncheon for her work with the Malala Fund, the young activist's organization for girls education.
It was Witherspoon's daughter Ava who introduced her to Malala's story.
"Ava was the first person who told me about Malala, about how violently she was treated, how great that she recovered and how extraordinarily she stood up within her country against an entire culture of oppression," Witherspoon said at the gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
Witherspoon and Ava actually had the chance to spend time with Malala in August over dinner at a mutual friend's home in London.
"She's just a regular teenager in some ways," Witherspoon said. "She sat next to Ava at dinner and they talked about school work, homework and what their life goals were and Ava was just in awe of this 17-year-old woman who is making a difference in this world."
The Wild star also said, "I think it's very important to point out that Malala is not just some very beautiful, sweet little girl. She is a fierce young woman who has the courage to stand up to even world leaders.
"When she met President Obama, she looked him in the eye and confronted him on his foreign policy in the Middle East," she continued. "When I met President Obama, I shook his hand and said, 'Hey, it's really nice to meet you.' Her courage and her vision is a true inspiration. She is my role model."
At age 17, Malala Yousafzai is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2012, a masked gunman targeted Yousafzai on her school bus in Pakistan. Doctors removed a bullet from her head, and then she was flown the U.K. for more surgery. She now lives in Birmingham in the U.K. with her parents and brother.
Also honored at the Variety luncheon sponsored by Audi and Lifetime were Jennifer Lopez, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Universal Pictures' Donna Langley and AMpm FUN own Maria Menounos.
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