After two months of what one Witherspoon source calls the actress’ “trying out a courtship” with Jake Gyllenhaal after her painful split from actor Ryan Phillippe, a Gyllenhaaal pal tells Us, “it is a definite romance.”

What else would you expect, says another Witherspoon pal, since the actress became determined to win Gyllenhaal’s heart soon after separating from Phillippe October 30.

“Reese was the pursuer and really wanted to date Jake,” says a pal of the Oscar winner, who costars with her new beau in the just-wrapped drama Rendition.

“She’s known him for a while and thought he was intelligent and charming.”

And the feeling is definitely mutual. “Jake doesn’t want a party girl at all,” says a Gyllenhaal pal, who says the relationship blossomed over DVD and takeout nights at home and long talks about movies.

“Reese is perfect because she understands the business and also the importance of family. Plus, he admires her talent, thinks she is beautiful and he respects her values. He respects everything about her actually.”

Catching the eye and winning the respect of one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors was exactly what Witherspoon, 31, needed after her marriage to Phillippe crashed and burned. “She needed to prove to herself that she was sexy and desirable.”

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