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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| Years active | 1991–present |
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| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Full list |
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Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born on 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 recognized her as 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 named her the world's highest-earning actress. By 2023, she was one of America's richest celebrities.
Reese Witherspoon started acting when she was a teenager. Her first movie was The Man in the Moon in 1991. She became more 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 some time, Witherspoon made a big comeback. She produced and starred in the drama Wild (2014), which earned her another Academy Award nomination. Since then, she has mostly worked in television. She produces and stars in shows with strong female characters through her company, Hello Sunshine. These shows include Big Little Lies (2017–2019) on HBO, The Morning Show (2019–present) on Apple TV+, and Little Fires Everywhere (2020) on Hulu. She won an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series for Big Little Lies.
Witherspoon also owns Reese's Book Club and a clothing company called Draper James. She actively supports organizations that help children and women. She is on the board of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF). In 2007, she became a Global Ambassador for Avon Products, supporting women's causes.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father was a doctor, and her mother was a nursing professor. Reese grew up in the Southern United States and learned the importance of family and being kind to others.
When she was seven, she started modeling for TV ads, which 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 books. She even called herself "a big dork who read loads of books." Her parents nicknamed her "Little Type A" because she was very driven. She attended Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, where she was a cheerleader. Later, she went to Stanford University to study English literature but left to focus on her acting career.
Career Highlights
Starting Her Acting Journey (1991–2000)
Reese Witherspoon's first big role was in the 1991 movie The Man in the Moon. She played a 14-year-old girl falling in love for the first time. Critics praised her performance. Later that year, she appeared in the TV movie Wildflower.
In 1996, she starred in the thriller Fear and the dark comedy Freeway. Her role in Freeway helped her become known as a rising star. She said that movie helped her feel like she "could try anything."
In 1998, she appeared in Pleasantville, a movie about teenagers who get transported into a 1950s TV show. Her performance earned her a Young Hollywood Award. In 1999, she co-starred in ... Intentions, a modern story based on an old French novel. She also starred in Election, where she played Tracy Flick. This role earned her many awards and nominations.
Becoming a Global Star (2001–2006)
The 2001 movie Legally Blonde was a huge success for Reese. She played Elle Woods, a fashion student who goes to Harvard Law School. The movie was a big hit and critics loved her performance. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for this role.
In 2002, she starred in the romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama. She played a fashion designer who returns to her hometown in Alabama. This movie became her biggest box office success at the time. The next year, she returned as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. For this movie, she was paid $15 million, making her one of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses.
In 2004, Witherspoon starred in Vanity Fair, based on a classic novel. She played Becky Sharp, a determined woman trying to make her way in society.
In 2005, Reese played June Carter Cash in the movie Walk the Line. She sang all her own songs in the film, which was a big challenge for her. Her performance was highly praised by critics. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress, Golden Globe, British Academy Film Award, and a Screen Actors Guild award for this role. After this success, she starred in the fantasy film Penelope, which her company produced.
New Challenges and Big Comebacks (2007–Present)
After some personal changes, Reese Witherspoon took some time to find roles she was truly passionate about. In 2007, she appeared in the thriller Rendition. In 2008, she starred with Vince Vaughn in the comedy Four Christmases, which was a box office success. In 2009, she voiced Susan Murphy in the animated movie Monsters vs. Aliens, which earned $381 million worldwide.
She returned to live-action films with romantic comedies like How Do You Know (2010) and Water for Elephants (2011). For Water for Elephants, she trained with a circus. Her film This Means War (2012) was also a romantic comedy.
In 2012, she had a small role in the drama Mud. She also starred in ... Knot, a film based on a true crime story.
In 2012, Reese founded her production company, Pacific Standard. Her goal was to create movies and shows with strong female lead characters. Through this company, she produced ... Girl (2014) and starred in Wild (2014). In Wild, she played Cheryl Strayed on her 1,000-mile hike. This role was seen as a big comeback for her and earned her another Academy Award nomination.
She also appeared in The Good Lie (2014), a story about Sudanese refugees, and the comedy Hot Pursuit (2015) with Sofía Vergara.
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In 2016, Witherspoon voiced a character in the animated musical comedy Sing, which became her most successful film financially. That same year, she began filming Big Little Lies, a TV miniseries she also co-produced with Nicole Kidman. The show premiered in 2017 and was very popular, earning her much praise. A second season was released in 2019. She also starred in the romantic comedy Home Again (2017).
In 2018, she starred in Disney's A Wrinkle in Time. She also started hosting her own talk show, Shine On with Reese, where she interviews successful women.
Reese Witherspoon currently produces and stars in the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell. The show premiered in 2019. She also produces the Apple TV+ series Truth Be Told. In 2020, she produced and starred in the Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere. She also narrated the Quibi nature documentary series Fierce Queens, which focuses on female animals.
In 2023, she executive produced the country music show My Kind of Country. She also starred in the romantic comedy Your Place or Mine on Netflix.
Other Ventures
Business and Helping Others
Reese Witherspoon used to own a production company called Type A Films. In 2012, she combined it with another company to form Pacific Standard. In 2016, she gained full control of Pacific Standard, which is now part of Hello Sunshine. This company focuses on telling stories about women through movies, TV, and digital content. Reese also runs the Hello Sunshine book club, where she recommends books with female characters at their heart.
In 2015, Witherspoon launched Draper James, a retail brand for fashion and home decor inspired by the Southern United States. The brand is named after her grandparents. In 2017, she became the chief storyteller for Elizabeth Arden, Inc., helping to create marketing campaigns that celebrate women.
Witherspoon is very involved in helping children and women. She supports Save the Children, an organization that provides education and healthcare to children worldwide. She is also on the board of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF). In 2006, she visited New Orleans to help publicize the needs of Hurricane Katrina victims.
In 2007, she became the first Global Ambassador for the cosmetics company Avon Products. She is a spokeswoman for Avon and helps lead the Avon Foundation, which supports women's causes like breast cancer research and preventing domestic violence. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she started the "Draper James Loves Teachers" program, offering free dresses to teachers.
Other Creative Work
In 2013, Reese Witherspoon recorded a song called "Somethin' Stupid" with Michael Bublé for his album. In September 2018, she published her first book, Whiskey in a Teacup, which shares lifestyle tips inspired by her Southern upbringing. In 2018, she joined other entertainment professionals to create the Time's Up initiative, which works to stop harassment in the workplace.
In 2017, Reese started Reese's Book Club. She shares books she loves, especially those with strong female characters. One of the club's most popular picks was Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. This book was later made into a movie in 2022 by Witherspoon's company, Hello Sunshine.
Personal Life
Family Life
Reese Witherspoon met actor Ryan Phillippe in 1997. They married in 1999 and had two children: a daughter, Ava Elizabeth, born in 1999, and a son, Deacon Reese, born in 2003. They separated in 2006 and their divorce was finalized in 2007. They share joint custody of their children.
In 2010, she started dating Jim Toth, a talent agent. They married in 2011 and had a son, Tennessee James, born in 2012. Toth also helped raise Ava and Deacon. In March 2023, Witherspoon and Toth announced their divorce. Their divorce was finalized in August 2023.
Beliefs and Inspirations
Reese Witherspoon is a practicing Episcopalian and attends church regularly. She has said she believes in a "higher power" and does not fear death.
She has mentioned many actors and actresses who have inspired her acting career, including Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, and Tom Hanks. Some of her favorite movies include Splendor in the Grass and Broadcast News.
Filmography and Awards
Some of Reese Witherspoon's most praised and highest-earning 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 two Academy Awards, nine Golden Globe Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG Awards), and two British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs). She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, the SAG Award, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as June Carter in Walk the Line (2005). In 2010, Reese Witherspoon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Written Works
- Whiskey in a Teacup (2018)
See also
In Spanish: Reese Witherspoon para niños
