Reese Witherspoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reese Witherspoon
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Witherspoon in 2014
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Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon
March 22, 1976 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Education | Stanford University |
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| Years active | 1991–present |
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| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Full list |
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Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is a famous American actress and producer. She has won many important awards, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards.
Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2006 and 2015. Forbes magazine also listed her among the world's 100 most powerful women in 2019 and 2021. In 2021, Forbes said she was the world's highest-earning actress.
Reese Witherspoon started acting when she was a teenager. Her first movie was The Man in the Moon (1991). She became widely known for playing Elle Woods in the comedy Legally Blonde (2001) and its sequel. She also starred in the romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama (2002).
She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as June Carter Cash in the movie Walk the Line (2005). After a short break, she came back strong by producing and starring in the drama Wild (2014). This role earned her another Academy Award nomination.
More recently, she has worked a lot in television. She produces and stars in shows through her company, Hello Sunshine. These shows often feature strong female characters. Some popular examples include Big Little Lies (2017–2019) and The Morning Show (2019–present).
Witherspoon also owns Reese's Book Club and a clothing company called Draper James. She actively supports organizations that help children and women.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father, John Draper Witherspoon, was a doctor. Her mother, Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Witherspoon, was a nursing professor.
Reese was raised in the Episcopalian faith. She has said she is proud of her "definitive Southern upbringing." She felt it taught her about "being conscientious about people's feelings" and "being polite."
When she was seven, she became a model for TV commercials. This made her want to take acting lessons. At age 11, she won first place in a talent fair. She was a good student and loved reading. She called herself "a big dork who read loads of books." Her parents nicknamed her "Little Type A" because she was very organized and achieved a lot.
She went to Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, where she was a cheerleader. Later, she attended Stanford University to study English literature. However, she left college to focus on her acting career.
Career Highlights
Starting Her Acting Journey (1991–2000)
Reese Witherspoon went to an open audition for The Man in the Moon in 1991. She planned to try for a small part. Instead, she got the main role of Dani Trant, a 14-year-old girl. Critics praised her performance. One critic said her first kiss scene was "one of the most perfect little scenes." She was nominated for a Young Artist Award for this role.
Later that year, she appeared in the TV movie Wildflower. In 1993, she had roles in A Far Off Place and Jack the Bear. For Jack the Bear, she won another Young Artist Award.
In 1996, she starred in two important films. These were the thriller Fear and the dark comedy Freeway. Her role in Freeway helped her become known as a rising star. She won the Best Actress Award at a film festival for it. She said this movie helped her feel like she "could try anything."
In 1998, she was in Pleasantville. She played Jennifer, a teenager who gets magically transported into a 1950s TV show. Her performance earned her the Young Hollywood Award for Best Female Breakthrough Performance.
A year later, in 1999, she starred in Cruel Intentions and Election. In Election, she played Tracy Flick. This role brought her a lot of praise and nominations for major awards. She won Best Actress from several film critic groups. After Election, she found it hard to get new roles because people thought she was like the strong character she played.
In 2000, she had a small role in American Psycho. She also made a guest appearance in the TV show Friends as Rachel Green's sister.
Becoming a Household Name (2001–2006)
The 2001 movie Legally Blonde was a big moment for Reese's career. She played Elle Woods, a fashion student who goes to Harvard Law School. The movie was a huge success, earning $96 million in the U.S. Critics loved her performance. One critic said she "effortlessly animated this material with sunshine and quick wit." She earned a Golden Globe nomination for this role.
In 2002, she starred in the romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama. She played Melanie Carmichael, a fashion designer who returns to Alabama to divorce her childhood sweetheart. This movie was a big hit at the box office. It earned over $127 million in the U.S.
The next year, she made the sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. Elle Woods becomes a lawyer who fights for animal rights. While it wasn't as popular with critics, the sequel still earned $90 million in the U.S. Reese was paid $15 million for this role, making her one of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses.
In 2005, Reese Witherspoon starred as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line. This movie was about the life of singer Johnny Cash. Reese sang her own songs in the film. She had to spend six months learning how to sing for the role. Her performance was highly praised by critics. She won the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild award for her role.
After Walk the Line, she starred in the fantasy film Penelope. She also produced this movie through her company, Type A Films.
New Challenges and Comeback (2007–2015)
Reese Witherspoon later said she spent a few years feeling "kind of floundering career-wise." She felt she wasn't making movies she was "passionate about."
In 2007, she appeared in the thriller Rendition. In 2008, she starred with Vince Vaughn in the comedy Four Christmases. This movie was a box office success, earning over $157 million worldwide. In 2009, she voiced Susan Murphy in the animated movie Monsters vs. Aliens. This film earned $381 million worldwide.
In 2011, Witherspoon starred in the drama Water for Elephants. She played Marlena, a circus performer. She had to learn circus skills for the role. The movie received mixed reviews. In 2012, she was in the action-comedy This Means War.
In 2012, she filmed a small role in the drama Mud. The film premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. She also starred in Devil's Knot in 2012.
In 2012, Reese founded her production company, Pacific Standard. Her goal was to create movies with "strong" female lead characters. Through this company, she produced Gone Girl (2014). She also produced and starred in the adventure film Wild (2014). She played Cheryl Strayed on her 1,000-mile hike. Wild was a big success and earned her a second Academy Award nomination. This role was seen as her "comeback" after a quieter period.
She also appeared in The Good Lie (2014), a drama about Sudanese refugees. In 2015, she starred in the comedy Hot Pursuit.
Success in Television (2016–Present)
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In 2016, Reese Witherspoon voiced a character in the animated musical comedy Sing. This movie became her biggest commercial success, earning over $600 million worldwide.
That same year, she started filming her first TV project since 1993. This was the miniseries Big Little Lies. She co-produced the show with Nicole Kidman. The series premiered in 2017 on HBO. Witherspoon received great reviews for her performance. In 2017, she also starred in the romantic comedy Home Again.
In 2018, she starred in Disney's A Wrinkle in Time. She played Mrs. Whatsit in this film. She also started hosting a talk show called Shine On with Reese, where she interviews successful women.
Witherspoon now produces and stars in The Morning Show for Apple TV+. She stars alongside Jennifer Aniston. The show premiered in 2019. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her work on the series. She also produces the Apple TV+ series Truth Be Told.
In 2020, Witherspoon produced and starred in the Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere. This show was based on a popular novel. In 2023, she starred in the romantic comedy Your Place or Mine for Netflix.
Other Ventures
Business and Helping Others
Reese Witherspoon used to own a production company called Type A Films. In 2012, she started a new company called Pacific Standard. Her goal was to make movies with "strong" female characters. In 2016, Pacific Standard became part of Hello Sunshine. This company focuses on telling stories about women through movies, TV, and digital content.
Reese also runs Reese's Book Club. She recommends books each month that feature women at the center of the story. One of her club's most popular picks was Where the Crawdads Sing. Her company, Hello Sunshine, later turned it into a successful movie in 2022.
In 2015, Witherspoon launched Draper James. This is a retail brand that sells fashion and home items inspired by the American South. It is named after her grandparents.
Reese Witherspoon cares a lot about children's and women's rights. She supports Save the Children, an organization that helps children worldwide. She is also on the board of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF). In 2006, she visited New Orleans with CDF to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
In 2007, she became the first Global Ambassador for the cosmetics company Avon Products. She is also the honorary chair of the Avon Foundation. This charity supports women and focuses on breast cancer research and preventing domestic violence. She said she joined because she cares "deeply about the well being of other women and children."
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Witherspoon started the "Draper James Loves Teachers" program. It offered free dresses from her clothing line to teachers.
Personal Life
Reese Witherspoon met actor Ryan Phillippe in 1997. They got married in 1999. They have two children together: a daughter named Ava Elizabeth (born 1999) and a son named Deacon Reese (born 2003). They separated in 2006 and their marriage officially ended in 2007. They share custody of their children.
From 2007 to 2009, Witherspoon dated actor Jake Gyllenhaal. In 2010, she started dating Jim Toth, a talent agent. They got engaged that December and married in 2011. They have one son together, Tennessee James Toth, born in 2012. In March 2023, Witherspoon and Toth announced their divorce.
Reese Witherspoon is a practicing Episcopalian. She has said, "I believe deeply that there’s a higher power" and "I don’t fear death, because I know there’s heaven."
Filmography and Awards
Some of Reese Witherspoon's most famous films include Election (1999), Legally Blonde (2001), Walk the Line (2005), Monsters vs. Aliens (2009), Mud (2013), Wild (2014), and Sing (2016).
She has been nominated for many awards. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as June Carter in Walk the Line (2005). She also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, a SAG Award, and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for this film. In 2010, Reese Witherspoon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Images for kids
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Reese Witherspoon's signature
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