Reese Witherspoon shows off her mini-me daughter, Ava Phillippe

Reese Witherspoon and her daughter Ava Phillippe look scarily similar. Photo / Instagram

It was like looking in a mirror when Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon uploaded a new snap with teen daughter Ava Phillippe to Instagram.

With their matching blonde locks, big blue eyes and full-lipped smiles, they could have passed more for sisters than mother and daughter.

Ava, 16, is Oscar-winning actress Witherspoon's eldest child from her marriage to actor ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, 41.

Sharing the photo with her 6.4 million followers, she wrote alongside it: "Mother daughter time."

Reese Witherspoon and Ava Phillippe could be sisters. Photo / Instagram

She signed off with a series of heart emojis.

Witherspoon and her daughter appear to have a close bond.

Ava has posted a number of pics on her own Instagram account of them together.

In one she describes her mum as her "straight shooter".

Another is a touching mother's day tribute for which she wrote: "Happy mother's day to the most wonderful woman in my life!

Ava Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon. Photo / Instagram

"You are everything great and more, and I am inspired, motivated, and loved by you every day. I am so grateful to be a part of your life, and I love you so much."

Ava also has a close bond with her dad. On Father's Day last year she posted an equally touching tribute.

Ryan Phillippe's daughter Ava posted this picture with her dad. Photo / Instagram

"Happy father's day to the most artistic, intelligent, versatile, and all-around awesome guy in my life. You've always loved and supported me in whatever weirdness that comes, and I am so lucky to have a dad like you. I love you tons," she wrote.

Last year, Phillippe revealed that both he and his daughter suffer from depression.

"Depression has been a huge obstacle for me ever since I was a child," the Cruel Intentions star said. "As you get older, I think it decreases some, but I'm just innately kind of a sad person. I'm empathetic, and I take on the feelings of others and transpose myself into the position of others. I see it in my daughter [Ava]. She has it, and I wish to hell she didn't. It's just, some people do have this pervading sort of sadness, or they're so analytical that they can kind of take the fun out of things because they think too much."

Reese Witherspoon with her daughter Ava Phillippe. Photo / Instagram

Reese is also mother to sons Deacon Phillippe, 12, and 3-year-old Tennessee Toth.

Tennessee is from Reese's second marriage to director Jim Toth.