Reese Witherspoon
From LoveToKnow Celebrity
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Raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Reese Witherspoon has made it her mission to prove that blondes from the South can be both pretty and smart. By making wise decisions throughout her career, she’s solidified her place as one of Hollywood’s most popular actresses.
Early Years
Even as a child, Reese Witherspoon was determined to be a star. She used to model track suits in the Sunday paper for $50 a day. At the age of seven, she began studying acting at a local community college. When she was 14, she auditioned for a small role in The Man in the Moon and was instead cast as one of the lead characters. Since then, she has starred in a variety of films–playing both comedic and dramatic roles. In fact, Witherspoon has won awards for her roles in the following movies:
- Jack the Bear (1993)
- Freeway (1996)
- Pleasantville (1998)
- Election (1999)
- Legally Blonde (2001)
- The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)
- Walk the Line (2005)
Accomplishments
Although she sometimes comes across as overly bubbly and energetic, Reese Witherspoon is one of today’s most gifted actresses. Her accomplishments include the following:
- She surpassed Julia Roberts as Hollywood's highest paid actress by earning $29 million for The Reckoning.
- In 2006, she received the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line.
- In 2001, she was named one of People magazine's “25 Most Intriguing People.”
- She was recently named one of Time magazine's “100 Most Influential People.”
In addition to her achievements as an actress, Witherspoon also runs a production company called “Type A Films” with Debra Siegel. The company’s current project is Penelope, a film about a young woman who wishes to free herself from a curse of bad luck.
Personal Life
At her 21st birthday party in 1997, Reese Witherspoon met actor Ryan Phillippe. The two soon fell in love. After appearing together in the box-office hit Cruel Intentions, they were married on a plantation in South Carolina on June 5, 1999. They have two children together: daughter Ava Elizabeth (born September 9, 1999) and son Deacon (born October 23, 2003).
While Witherspoon has long enjoyed a reputation as the model wife and mother, it appears that her picture-perfect life may have hit a snag. On October 30, 2006, she announced that she was formally separating from her husband after seven years of marriage. It is rumored that she has contacted celebrity divorce lawyer, Robert Kaufman--the same attorney that represented Jennifer Aniston in her divorce from Brad Pitt in 2005. As the primary breadwinner in her marriage, it is expected that her divorce may turn into a battle over alimony payments and the division of assets.
Reese Witherspoon Trivia
Have you heard the following Reese Witherspoon trivia?
- She is a direct descendant of John Witherspoon, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
- Since both of her parents were doctors, many members of her family expected her to enter the medical profession.
- Reese is her mother’s maiden name.
- She was a member of her high school’s cheerleading squad and a gymnast for seven years.
- She majored in English literature at Stanford, but left in 1998 to pursue her acting career.
- She’s a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.
- She turned down the lead role in the 1996 hit horror movie Scream.
- One of her hobbies is collecting antique linens.
Additional Information
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