Reese Witherspoon's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Return to Lonesome Dove Ferris Dunn… Revealed with Jules Asner Reese Withe… The Brendan Leonard Show Reese Withe… Movie House Reese Withe…

Main Movie Roles 2010 - How Do You Know 2009 - Monsters vs. Aliens 2008 - Four Christmases 2007 - Rendition 2006 - Penelope 2005 - Walk the Line 2005 - Just Like Heaven 2004 - Vanity Fair 2003 - Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde 2002 - The Importance of Being Earnest 2002 - Sweet Home Alabama 2001 - Legally Blonde 2000 - Little Nicky 2000 - American Psycho 1999 - Election 1999 - Best Laid Plans 1999 - Cruel Intentions 1998 - Pleasantville 1998 - Overnight Delivery 1998 - Twilight 1996 - Fear 1996 - Freeway 1993 - Jack the Bear 1993 - A Far Off Place 1991 - The Man In The Moon

BIOGRAPHY:

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976 at Southern Baptist Hospital (now Memorial Medical Center) in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the second child born to Dr. John Witherspoon and Betty Reese. Her father was a military surgeon specializing in the ear, nose and throat. Her mother was a Registered Nurse who later became a Ph.D in pediatric nursing. Reese spent the first four years of her life in Wiesbaden, Germany where her father served as a lieutenant colonel in the US Army reserves. Shortly after, John moved the family back to the States, settling in Nashville, Tennessee.

Reese was introduced to the entertainment industry at a very early age. At age 7, she began modeling. This led to appearances on several local television commercials. At age 11, she placed first in a Ten-State Talent Fair.

In 1990, she landed her first major acting role in Robert Mulligan's The Man in the Moon (1991). Her role as a 14-year old tomboy earned her rave reviews. Roles in bigger films such as Jack the Bear (1993) and A Far Off Place (1993) followed shortly after.

Following high school graduation in 1994 from Harpeth Hall, a Nashville all girls school, Reese decided to put her acting career on hold and attend Stanford University where she would major in English literature. However, her collegiate plans were shortly dashed when she accepted roles to star in two major motion pictures: Fear (1996) alongside Mark Wahlberg (I) and Freeway (1996) with Kiefer Sutherland. Although neither film was a huge box-office success, they did help to establish Reese as a rising starlet in Hollywood and open the door for bigger and better film roles. Those bigger roles came in movies such as Pleasantville (1998), Election (1999) and Cruel Intentions (1999).

Her breakthrough role came as Elle Woods in the 2001 comedy Legally Blonde (2001). The movie was huge box-office smash and established Reese as one of the top female draws in Hollywood. The next year, she scored a follow-up hit with Sweet Home Alabama (2002) which went on to gross over $100 million dollars at the box office. In 2006, she took home the best actress Oscar for her role as June Carter Cash in the Johnny Cash (I) biopic Walk the Line (2005).

Off the screen, she was married to Ryan Phillippe from 1999 to 2007. They met at her 21st birthday party and subsequently worked together in Cruel Intentions (1999). They have two children: a daughter, Ava Elizabeth (born 9 September 1999) and a son, Deacon (born 23 October 2003).


TRIVIA:

• Her mother, Betty, has a Ph.D. in pediatric nursing and her dad, John, is a surgeon.
• Named #34 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).
• At the young age of 11 she won the "Ten State Talent Award"
• Friend of 'Renée Zellweger' (qv).
• Reese is her mother's maiden name.
• Announced on October 30, 2006 that she has separated and would file divorce papers against her husband, 'Ryan Phillippe' (qv), after seven years of marriage.
• Son Deacon Reese Phillippe was born [October 23rd, 2003].
• One of her ancestors, John Witherspoon, signed the Declaration of Independence. In the movie _1776 (1972)_ (qv), the role of Dr. John Witherspoon was played by 'James Noble (I)' (qv).