86 Facts About Reese Witherspoon

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22,1976 and is an American actress and producer.

Reese Witherspoon's breakthrough came in 1999 with a supporting role in Cruel Intentions, and for her portrayal of Tracy Flick in the black comedy Election.

Reese Witherspoon gained wider recognition for playing Elle Woods in the comedy Legally Blonde and its 2003 sequel, and for starring in the romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama.

Reese Witherspoon has since worked primarily in television, producing and starring in several female-led literary adaptations under her company Hello Sunshine.

Reese Witherspoon serves on the board of the Children's Defense Fund and was named Global Ambassador of Avon Products in 2007, serving as honorary chair of the charitable Avon Foundation dedicated to women's causes.

Reese Witherspoon's father was born in Georgia and served as a lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.

Reese Witherspoon was in private practice as an otolaryngologist until 2012.

Reese Witherspoon was a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University and had a PhD in pediatric nursing.

Reese Witherspoon has claimed descent from Scottish-born John Witherspoon, who signed the United States Declaration of Independence; however, this claim has not been verified by the Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence genealogists.

Reese Witherspoon's parents are still legally married, although they separated in 1996.

Reese Witherspoon was raised an Episcopalian, and has said she is proud of the "definitive Southern upbringing" she received.

Reese Witherspoon has said it gave her "a sense of family and tradition" and taught her about "being conscientious about people's feelings, being polite, being responsible and never taking for granted what you have in your life".

Reese Witherspoon received high grades in school, loved reading, and considered herself "a big dork who read loads of books".

Reese Witherspoon attended middle school at Harding Academy and graduated from the all-girls' Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, during which time she was a cheerleader.

Reese Witherspoon later attended Stanford University as an English literature major, but left prior to completing her studies to pursue an acting career.

Reese Witherspoon attended an open casting call in 1991 for The Man in the Moon, intending to audition for a bit part; but instead was cast for the lead role of Dani Trant, a 14-year-old country girl who falls in love for the first time with her 17-year-old neighbor.

In 1992, Reese Witherspoon appeared in the television film Desperate Choices: To Save My Child, portraying a critically ill young girl.

In 1993, Reese Witherspoon played a young wife, Nonnie Parker, in the CBS miniseries Return to Lonesome Dove, appeared in the Disney film A Far Off Place, and had a minor role in Jack the Bear, which garnered her the Young Artist Award for Best Youth Actress Co-star.

In 1998, Reese Witherspoon had major roles in three films: Overnight Delivery, Pleasantville and Twilight.

Reese Witherspoon portrayed Jennifer, the sister of Maguire's character who is mainly concerned about appearances, relationships and popularity.

Reese Witherspoon's performance earned her praise and garnered her the Young Hollywood Award for Best Female Breakthrough Performance.

Reese Witherspoon won the Best Actress Award from the National Society of Film Critics and the Online Film Critics Society.

Reese Witherspoon received a rank on the list of 100 Greatest Film Performances of All Time by Premiere.

In 2000, Reese Witherspoon had a supporting role in American Psycho as Patrick Bateman's trophy girlfriend, and made a cameo appearance in Little Nicky as the mother of the Antichrist.

Reese Witherspoon made a guest appearance in the sixth season of Friends as Rachel Green's sister Jill.

Reese Witherspoon's performance earned her praise from critics, and the press began to refer her as "the new Meg Ryan".

In 2002, Reese Witherspoon starred in several features, such as Greta Wolfcastle in The Simpsons episode "The Bart Wants What It Wants", and as Cecily in the comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, a film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play in which she received a Teen Choice Award nomination.

Reese Witherspoon regarded it as a "personal role" as it reminded her of the experience of moving from Nashville to Los Angeles.

The Miami Herald called it "a romantic comedy so rote, dull and predictable", and the press opined that Reese Witherspoon was the only reason the film attracted such a large audience.

In 2004, Reese Witherspoon starred in Vanity Fair, adapted from the 19th-century classic novel Vanity Fair and directed by Mira Nair.

Reese Witherspoon's character, Becky Sharp, is a poor woman with a ruthless determination to find fortune and establish herself a position in society.

Reese Witherspoon was carefully costumed to conceal her pregnancy during filming.

In late 2004, Reese Witherspoon starred alongside Mark Ruffalo in the romantic comedy Just Like Heaven.

Reese Witherspoon's character, Elizabeth Masterson, is an ambitious young doctor who is involved in a car accident on her way to a blind date and is left in a coma; her spirit returns to her old apartment where she later finds true love.

Reese Witherspoon never had the chance to meet Carter Cash, as Witherspoon was filming Vanity Fair at the time the singer died.

Reese Witherspoon performed her own vocals in the film, and her songs had to be performed in front of a live audience; she was so worried about needing to perform that she asked her lawyer to terminate the film contract.

Reese Witherspoon won Best Actress at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, British Academy Film Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild award for her performance.

Reese Witherspoon didn't try to comply to social convention, so I think that makes her a very modern woman.

Reese Witherspoon admits to spending several years "kind of floundering career-wise".

Reese Witherspoon appeared in the thriller Rendition, in which she played Isabella El-Ibrahim, the pregnant wife of a bombing suspect.

In 2009, Reese Witherspoon voiced Susan Murphy, the lead character in the DreamWorks Animation Monsters vs Aliens, released in March, which grossed $381 million worldwide.

Reese Witherspoon co-produced the Legally Blonde spin-off Legally Blondes, starring Milly and Becky Rosso.

However, Reese Witherspoon did not appear in a live-action film for two years after Four Christmases.

Reese Witherspoon returned with three romances released in 2010,2011 and 2012, all starring her as a woman caught in a love triangle between two men.

Reese Witherspoon began circus training in March 2010 for her role as Marlena, a glamorous performer stuck in a marriage to a volatile husband but intrigued by the circus' new veterinarian.

Reese Witherspoon next starred in Devil's Knot, which was directed by Atom Egoyan, and based on the true crime book of the same name, examining the controversial case of the West Memphis Three.

Reese Witherspoon played Pam Hobbs, the mother of one of three young murder victims.

In 2012, Reese Witherspoon founded production company Pacific Standard.

Reese Witherspoon's goal was to produce projects with "strong" female lead characters, as she felt this was lacking in Hollywood.

Reese Witherspoon produced and starred in the biographical adventure Wild, based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir of the same name.

Reese Witherspoon portrayed Strayed on her 1,000-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail.

Reese Witherspoon appeared in Philippe Falardeau's drama The Good Lie, based on a true story about an employment counselor assigned to help four young Sudanese refugees, known as Lost Boys of Sudan, who win a lottery for relocation to the US It was released on October 3,2014.

In May 2014, Reese Witherspoon began production in Louisiana on Hot Pursuit, a comedy in which she plays a police officer trying to protect a drug lord's widow.

In 2016, Reese Witherspoon had a voice role in the animated musical comedy film Sing, and served as a performer to the film's soundtrack.

That same year, Reese Witherspoon began filming her first television project since 1993's Return To Lonesome Dove, the seven-part miniseries adaptation of the Liane Moriarty bestseller, Big Little Lies.

Reese Witherspoon co-produced the miniseries along with co-star Nicole Kidman and director Jean-Marc Vallee, her second project under his direction.

Reese Witherspoon starred in the romantic comedy Home Again, the directorial debut of filmmaker Nancy Meyers' daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer, which was released on September 8,2017.

Reese Witherspoon currently produces and stars in the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show alongside Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell.

Reese Witherspoon serves as an executive producer for the Apple TV+ series Truth Be Told starring Octavia Spencer which premiered in December 2019; it was renewed for a second season in March 2020.

In 2020, Reese Witherspoon produced and starred in the Hulu drama miniseries Little Fires Everywhere opposite Kerry Washington, the televised adaptation of Celeste Ng's 2017 novel of the same name.

In that same year, Reese Witherspoon narrated the Quibi nature documentary series Fierce Queens which focuses on female animals in the animal kingdom.

Reese Witherspoon will produce and star in three Netflix films; first, Pyros, a science fiction drama directed by Simon Kinberg, secondly, two romantic comedies on Netflix.

Reese Witherspoon will produce two films including A White Lie set to star Zendaya, and a documentary about Martina Navratilova.

In 2015, it was reported that Reese Witherspoon had signed on to star in and produce a live-action film about Tinker Bell for Disney.

Six years later, the project re-entered development as a part of Gary Marsh's overall deal with Disney and Reese Witherspoon still attached as a producer.

Reese Witherspoon owned a production company called Type A Films, which the media believed was a nickname from her childhood, "Little Miss Type A".

In March 2017, Reese Witherspoon became the chief storyteller for Elizabeth Arden, Inc.

Reese Witherspoon stated that she was "excited to work as a creative partner alongside the Elizabeth Arden team, producing content that celebrates the spirit of the brand, highlighting female-centric stories that illustrate women's true life experiences which unite us all".

Reese Witherspoon is a longtime supporter of Save the Children, an organization that helps provide children around the world with education, healthcare and emergency aid.

Reese Witherspoon serves on the board of the Children's Defense Fund, a child advocacy and research group.

Reese Witherspoon later called this an experience that she would never forget.

In 2007, Reese Witherspoon made her first move into endorsements, and she signed a multi-year agreement to serve as the first Global Ambassador for cosmetics firm Avon Products.

Reese Witherspoon is committed to the development of cosmetic products and making appearances in commercials.

In 2013, Reese Witherspoon recorded a cover of the classic Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra duet, "Somethin' Stupid" with Michael Buble for his 2013 album, To Be Loved.

Reese Witherspoon hosted Saturday Night Live on September 29,2001, the first episode to air after the September 11 attacks.

Reese Witherspoon has been featured four times in the annual "100 Most Beautiful" issues of People magazine.

In June 2013, Reese Witherspoon filed a lawsuit against Marketing Advantages International Inc.

In 2015, Reese Witherspoon made her second appearance on the Time 100 list, with her featured article written by Mindy Kaling.

Reese Witherspoon met actor Ryan Phillippe at her 21st birthday party in March 1997.

Reese Witherspoon filed for divorce on November 8,2006, citing irreconcilable differences.

Reese Witherspoon dated her Rendition co-star Jake Gyllenhaal from 2007 until 2009.

Reese Witherspoon pleaded no-contest to obstruction of an officer and was required to pay court costs.

Reese Witherspoon has cited Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Holly Hunter, Susan Sarandon, Frances McDormand, Debra Winger, Diane Ladd, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, Goldie Hawn, Sally Field, Sigourney Weaver, Lucille Ball, Carole Lombard, Judy Holliday, Gena Rowlands, Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, and Michael Keaton as influences on her acting career and work.

Reese Witherspoon's most acclaimed and highest-grossing films, according to the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, include Election, Legally Blonde, Walk the Line, Monsters vs Aliens, Mud, Wild, and Sing.

Reese Witherspoon has been nominated for two Academy Awards, nine Golden Globe Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two British Academy Film Awards.

In 2010, Reese Witherspoon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.