Pretty, petite and pert, this Southern belle made her movie debut in 1991's
The Man in the Moon at the age of 15. Throughout the '90s, Witherspoon steered clear of typical teen roles and instead turned in complex performances in indie favorites such as
Freeway and
Election, playing sweet young things who were way tougher than they looked.
Cruel Intentions, the adolescent retelling of
Dangerous Liaisons, paired her with soon-to-be-husband Ryan Phillippe and made her something of a teen idol. Then her charismatic turn as a Barbie doll with a brain in the 2001 comedy
Legally Blonde made her a megastar. Witherspoon continued to land high-profile roles and also began producing her own vehicles, including
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. In 2006 she scored a Golden Globe and an Oscar as Johnny Cash's wife in the biopic
Walk the Line.
Reese Witherspoon Fast Facts:
- Descendant of John Witherspoon, one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.
- Began acting in commercials at age 7.
- Landed first movie role in 1991's The Man in the Moon after auditioning in a 10-state talent search.
- Met husband Ryan Phillippe at her 21st birthday party.
- Turned down roles in the slasher flicks Scream (1996) and Urban Legend (1998).
- Played Jennifer Aniston's sister in two episodes of Friends in 2000.
- Was the first person to host Saturday Night Live following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
- When Witherspoon and Phillippe were co-presenters at the 2002 Academy Awards, he gestured to the envelope and joked, "You open it. You make more money than I do."
- Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in 2002.
- In October 2006, she and Phillippe announced that they were separating after seven years of marriage amid rumors of his infidelity.
- Reese Witherspoon Relationships:
- Ava Elizabeth Phillippe - Daughter
- Betty Reese Witherspoon - Mother
- Deacon Reese Phillippe - Son
- Jake Gyllenhaal - Significant Other
- John Draper Witherspoon - Brother
- John Witherspoon - Father
- Ryan Phillippe - Ex-husband
- Reese Witherspoon Awards:
- 2000 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2002 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2006 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Winner
- 2005 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role - Winner
- 2009 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Female Movie Star - Winner
- 2008 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Female Movie Star - Winner
- 2006 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Leading Actress - Winner
- College:
- Attended Stanford University, Stanford, CA
