Reese Witherspoon has paid a glowing birthday tribute to her daughter Ava.

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon

The Oscar-winning actress has taken to Instagram to post a picture of her look-a-like daughter, who is 17 today (09.09.16), and to publish a heartfelt message.

Reese wrote: "Can't believe my baby is 17 today! I love you, @avaphillippe Your gorgeous heart and loving spirit never cease to amaze me! I'm so lucky the universe let me be your mother. (sic)"

Meanwhile, the blonde beauty - who shares her teenage daughter with her ex-husband, actor Ryan Phillippe - recently opened up about her spiritual beliefs.

Reese said: "I truly believe you're on a spiritual path that is yourself. We're born alone and we die alone.

"I think we go to heaven. I think you get an angel and the wings and a halo and the thing and all that."

The Hollywood actress also claimed to have seen the ghost of her late grandfather while she was performing on stage in New York.

She explained: "This is just me, I really believe it.

"I've had car accidents, I've given birth to babies, I swear my grandparents are in the room. I've seen my grandfather in a theatre in New York when I was on the stage. I know it."

She also revealed her dislike for those people who use religion to promote "intolerance" and "hate".

Reese said: "I grew up, obviously, in the South and there is amazing, wonderful connectivity and people are loving and communitive.

"But there is a tiny aspect of it, people [that] use parts of the Bible in order to express their intolerance and their hate and they manipulate it."