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"There's no bad consequence to loving fully, with all your heart. You always gain by giving love." Reese Witherspoon is an American actress who has been performing in the industry since 1991. With 60+ credits to her name, Witherspoon has done a little bit of everything. An Oscar-winning performer, Witherspoon has found herself the center of attention for both her comedic chops and her finely-tuned dramatic skills.

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Witherspoon is probably most well-known for her starring roles in Legally Blonde and Walk the Line, but she actually has done quite a bit more in her career. Witherspoon has worked in film, television, and as a voice actress in video games. Witherspoon owns her own clothing company, Draper James, and she serves on the board of the important Children's Defense Fund (CDF). Witherspoon also earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010. As such a decorated performer, it can be interesting to see how she became the actress that she is today. 

Born in Louisiana

Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her parents were John Draper and Mary Elizabeth. Draper ran a private practice as an otolaryngologist while Mary was a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt. Witherspoon was raised in a traditional southern household with a priority on family and tradition. While Witherspoon's family didn't come from acting, they would go on to be supportive of her theatrical pursuits.

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Witherspoon first began performing at the age of seven when she scored her first commercial. The ad was for a local florist. This brief brush with the entertainment world would send Witherspoon toward acting with a gusto. She would begin taking acting classes almost immediately. Witherspoon attended Harding Academy before graduating from high school at Harpeth Hall School in Nashville. During her school years, Witherspoon was a great student as she always got good grades.  After graduating from high school, Witherspoon attended Harding Academy before graduating from high school at Harpeth Hall School in Nashville. Witherspoon would attend Stanford University as an English Lit major, though she would drop out in order to pursue acting full-time.

Winning an Oscar

Reese Witherspoon began her career as an actress by attending an open casting call for the 1991 film The Man on the Moon. Witherspoon had intended on auditioning for a minor role, but the producers loved her and gave her the lead part.  Witherspoon would be nominated for a Young Artist Award for her performance, and she would even score high praise from critics like Roger Ebert.

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After leaping into the film industry with such a strong performance, Witherspoon was quickly booked up. Witherspoon would appear on the TV movie Wildflower (1991) before also appearing in A Jar Off Place (1993), Jack the Bear (1993), and Return to Lonesome Dove (1993). Despite continually working, Witherspoon was struggling to leave the same impression that her breakout performance had garnered. Fortunately, things would change for the better, and quickly.

In 1998 Witherspoon scored a role in the hit film Pleasantville (1998) as Jennifer. The film also starred Tobey Maguire and William H. Macy. Pleasantville would score a trio of Oscar nominations while firmly putting Witherspoon back on track as a critical darling. Reese would parlay her success in Pleasantville into two more iconic performances, Election (1999) and Cruel Intentions (1999). It was during this period of her life that she would begin a relationship with co-star Ryan Philippe. The two would end up getting married and having children together before divorcing in 2007.

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After the success of Cruel Intentions, Reese would land the role that would make her famous. Witherspoon would lead the box office hit Legally Blonde to surprise franchise status. Witherspoon portrayed Elle Woods, a sorority girl who followed her ex in order to attend Harvard Law School. The film would garner a sequel in 2003, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde. The franchise would serve to catapult Witherspoon into the A-list, and she was reportedly earning close to $20 million per film.

With momentum fully on her side, Witherspoon would soon find herself with an Oscar for her performance in Walk the Line (2005). In the film,  Witherspoon played June Carter alongside Joaquin Phoenix's Johnny Cash. The film was a commercial hit and a critical darling. Witherspoon was the belle of the ball with an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for her efforts. Despite feeling the heights of her career, things got rockier back home. Witherspoon and Philippe would end up calling it quits. Witherspoon would later allude to the relationship as an aspect of her life that had been holding her career back.

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After the smash success of Walk the Line, Witherspoon had her choice of films. She would star in Rendition alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in 2007. She would then appear in Monsters vs. Aliens (2009), How Do You Know (2010), and Water for Elephants (2011). The last film, Water for Elephants, struggled at the box office but was relatively well-received by critics.

When 2012 rolled around, Witherspoon would establish her production company, Pacific Standard. The production company would be behind both Wild and Gone Girl in 2014. Witherspoon starred in Wild as Cheryl Strayed, a woman pursuing the road after the loss of her mother. The film was a critical darling, and she was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe, and SAG Award. Most recently, Witherspoon has appeared in A Wrinkle in Time (2019) and the television series, Big Little Lies (2017). Witherspoon is currently slated to appear in the animated film Sing 2 (2021) and Legally Blonde 3 (2020).

In her private life, Witherspoon is married to Jim Toth. The two tied the knot in 2011. Witherspoon has three children, and she lives in Los Angeles, CA.  Outside of acting, Witherspoon has become active as an advocate. She not only serves on the board for the Children's Defense Fund, but she also supports Save the Children. Witherspoon has also worked closely with the Avon Foundation in order to support several domestic violence foundations.