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' (qv)'s _The Man in the Moon (1991)_ (qv). Her role as a 14-year old tomboy earned her rave reviews. Roles in bigger films such as _Jack the Bear (1993)_ (qv) and _A Far Off Place (1993)_ (qv) 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)_ (qv) alongside 'Mark Wahlberg (I)' (qv) and _Freeway (1996)_ (qv) with 'Kiefer Sutherland' (qv). 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)_ (qv), _Election (1999)_ (qv) and _Cruel Intentions (1999)_ (qv). Her breakthrough role came as Elle Woods in the 2001 comedy _Legally Blonde (2001)_ (qv). 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)_ (qv) 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' (qv) in the 'Johnny Cash (I)' (qv) biopic _Walk the Line (2005)_ (qv). In the late 2000s and early 2010s, Reese continued to star in more romantic comedies such as _Four Christmases (2008)_ (qv) and _How Do You Know (2010)_ (qv). In December 2010, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Off the screen, she was married to 'Ryan Phillippe' (qv) from 1999 to 2007. They met at her 21st birthday party and subsequently worked together in _Cruel Intentions (1999)_ (qv). They have two children: a daughter, Ava Elizabeth (born 9 September 1999) and a son, Deacon (born 23 October 2003). In March 2011, Reese remarried talent agent Jim Toth.
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Reese Witherspoon
- [on having a baby]: "Obviously, this isn't the time in my life that I would have chosen to do this, but I feel like life gives you these challenges for a reason. I feel so happy and glad to be in the place that I am. I really feel blessed. This is something I need to face and take control of."
- [talking about how she choose the films she will be in]: "I have a weird process, but the main thing is like this: I hear her voice in my head. There are a lot of wonderful scripts my agents can't believe I pass on, but I do because I can't hear the voice. It doesn't appeal to me then. I'm really careful. Unless I hear the voice, I can't do it."
- [talking about 'Ryan Phillippe' (qv)]: "I'm lucky to find a person to share my life, and the best friend I'll ever have."
- [Talking about motherhood and her baby]: "I feel good, I'm proud of _Election (1999)_ (qv) and very proud of this [her child]. It couldn't be a better time. It's always the right time when it happens. You make it the right time".
- [talking about _Pleasantville (1998)_ (qv)]: "We were thrilled for just the three nominations we got, but obviously it's a little sad. I went through so many press junkets with people saying they loved it. And 'Joan Allen (I)' (qv) was robbed but she can't get nominated every year. She's an inspiration for every young actress. She has that calm and reserve about herself and makes you think she appreciates the normal things of everyday. Then she transforms into this character that's so different."
- [talking about the movie business]: "The battles that we face in this business aren't financial, but they are moral. And I certainly think that the longer you can keep your values, and your morality intact, and keep your head on your shoulders about what is important at the end of the day, you can get the most out of this business and really emerge with something wonderful."
- "I grew up in Tennessee. We didn't know what Louis Vuitton was. I had to order all my prom outfits out of catalogs".
- People want to try and move you into a place where you can be easily identifiable by every woman in America - to be this very likable woman in a romantic comedy. And it's really hard for me. I just don't see myself as the girl that everybody likes. I never have been and I don't know how to be that person.
- As far as being in the spotlight and under public scrutiny, a lot of that's about how much you put yourself out there. It's not like we go to every premiere and every celebrity function and every charity auction. We really just try to maintain our privacy and never let our public persona get out of hand.
- I'm not perfect! I'm human. I make mistakes. But I try to be as conscious as I can about things I should be. If I'm going to do something commercial and mainstream and made for the masses, I just believe you can make those kinds of films with quality - and good ideas and good intentions. There's a lot of negativity out there.
- "While making _Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)_ (qv), I had like 50 outfit changes. It was great! I'm real into the whole "girlie" thing, it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it".
- Attending an all-girls school has its advantages, there are no inhibitions. You can walk to school with your zit cream on and your hair in rollers and nobody cares.
- "It's nice to come home to what's real." - E! _"Revealed with Jules Asner" (2001)_ (qv).
- [on husband 'Ryan Phillippe' (qv)] "I don't think I can imagine a better guy than the one I've ended up with".
- There's something timeless and important about making people laugh, about being the right spot in their day. - as quoted in the Dec 7, 2004 issue of Woman's World.
- I was thinking about why I make movies, and I know why. Life is hard. It's nice to go escape and have a good time at the movies. If I can give people a movie about hope, love and the future, then I've done my job.
- I do think things were meant to happen. I'm just this little girl from Tennessee, and here I am today. I think a lot of things are just out of your hands.
- [Asked about the ways she is discriminated against] "I get discriminated against in three ways: I get discriminated against because I'm blond, I get discriminated against because I'm an actress and I get discriminated against because I'm from the South."
- I did. I called my attorney. My agent. My manager. I said "You know y'all, you're serious about this? I'm really.. I gotta get out of this. Like, can't they call 'LeAnn Rimes' (qv)? I mean she's good" - On trying to get out of the part of 'June Carter Cash' (qv) in _Walk the Line (2005)_ (qv).
- The director came to us and he said "No, I really want you guys to learn to sing. To learn to play instruments and I want you to record an album". and that is what... and I just absolutely was just gob-smacked and I said .. "I don't know. I can't do that." And he said "Well I want you to try." Now that's the thing for me. If someone asks me to try, I will always try. - On doing her own singing in _Walk the Line (2005)_ (qv).
- Life isn't just about you: It's about family and friends and giving back. quoted in Woman's World magazine 2-21-06.
- About dual careers and marriage: "Marriage and family come before everything. You don't want to make a movie at the cost of your relationship."
- I feel like there's a race being run for some unattainable goal - to be the best, the skinniest, the most beautiful. I just admit that's what I'll never be.
- What gets me is how many women - young women - give up their power and sense of self. Thinking they're going to get more out of life if they take off their clothes and objectify themselves, instead of functioning on the principle that they're smart and capable, that you can be an actress and not be on the covers of T&A magazines. I'm flabbergasted by how many legitimate actresses do that. It blows my mind.
- (Part of Oscar Speech) I am so blessed to have my family here tonight. My mother and my father are here. And I just want to say thank you so much for everything, for being so proud of me. It didn't matter if I was making my bed or making a movie. They never hesitated to say how proud they were of me. And that means so very much to a child. So thank you, Mom and Dad. I want to say thank you to my wonderful husband and my two children who should be going to bed. And thank you for loving me so much and supporting me. And I want to say that, my grandmother was one of the biggest inspirations in my life. She taught me how to be a real woman to have strength and self respect, and to never give those things away. And those are a lot of qualities I saw in 'June Carter Cash' (qv). People used to ask June how she was doing, and she used to say -- 'I'm just trying to matter'. And I know what she means. You know, I'm just trying to matter, and live a good life and make work that means something to somebody. And you have all made me feel that I might have accomplished that tonight. So thank you so much for this honor".
- I think everyone has their own set of problems, and sometimes I feel I'm in the middle of the biggest challenge of my life just trying to maintain normalcy in a kind of crazy lifestyle.
- I'm pretty conservative or old-fashion, I should say, it's how I grew up. I think you have to let your children be individuals, but you have to set boundaries. Ryan and I have similar ideas about all of it, you really have to support you partner in the things that are important to them and hold the line together.
- Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their lives. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out.
- I have cellulite. I have stretch marks. I feel intimidated by Victoria's Secret. Hollywood is one of those endless competitions, but it's like running a race toward nothing. There's no winning. You're never going to win the pretty race. I just want to be the best version of myself that I can be.
- I feel like there's a race being run in Los Angeles for some unattainable goal -to be the best, the skinniest, the most beautiful. I just admit that that's what I'll never be. (Marie Claire - September 2005)
- I don't think these women are stupid. I think they're selling a personality that's very marketable: Wouldn't it be fun if we were all gorgeous and didn't have a care? But creating a cultural icon out of someone who goes, "I'm stupid, isn't it cute?" makes me want to throw daggers at them! I want to say to them, "My grandma did not fight for what she fought for, and my mother did not fight for what she fought for, so you can start telling women it's fun to be stupid." Saying that to young women, little girls, my daughter? It's not OK. (Marie Claire - September 2005)
- I feel there are certain people who are systematically ripping [feminism] down because of their lack of regard and their ignorance about what the women before us had to go through. (Marie Claire - September 2005)
- What gets me is how many women - young women - give up their power and their sense of self. Thinking they're going to get more out of life if they take off their clothes and objectify themselves, instead of functioning on the principle that they're smart and capable, that you can be an actress and not be on the covers of T&A magazines. I'm flabbergasted by how many legitimate actresses do that. It blows my mind. (Marie Claire - September 2005)
- I'm wary of what goal I set, because then I'll have to accomplish it. (Vanity Fair - September 2004 - "Regally Blonde" by 'Leslie Bennett (IV)' (qv)).
- Since when is self-improvement a negative? Why wouldn't I be interested in psychology? I like to read a lot of psychology books. I'm obsessed with child behavior; I would love to be a child psychologist. [on being criticized after admitting she and then-husband 'Ryan Phillippe' (qv) have gone to couples therapy] (Vanity Fair - September 2004 - "Regally Blonde" by 'Leslie Bennett (IV)' (qv)).
- I've learned the art of ignoring people. When people give you some piece of direction you don't like, you just nod and ignore it. Just don't do it! Most people want to be heard and acknowledged, anyway. Just do what you want to do. [on how she handles people who disagree with her] (Vanity Fair - September 2004 - "Regally Blonde" by 'Leslie Bennett (IV)' (qv)).
- Even now, people want to marginalize me. They want to attribute all my success to teenagers seeing my movies. I really resent it when people say, "It's just a genre film; it's a teen comedy". It takes a lot of work to make these things have heart and resonance so they're not just empty, disposable confections. But I don't give a damn about other people's perceptions, because I'll show them. For women in this business, ascendancy is always a battle. It's scrape and claw. I just try to stick to my guns and respect myself. I want to take the ingénues aside and say, "Value yourself! It's O.K. if you have opinions!" [on struggling to be taken seriously in the industry] (Vanity Fair - September 2004 - "Regally Blonde" by 'Leslie Bennett (IV)' (qv)).
- They want people they can push around. I was the girl who was always asking, "Why? Yeah, I know you want me to do that - but why?" I always thought people wanted to hear my opinions. [Grins] But I gave them anyway. It's just blind self-confidence. I get like a little terrier about things. My mother says I should have been an attorney [on asserting herself, even with her employers] (Vanity Fair - September 2004 - "Regally Blonde" by 'Leslie Bennett (IV)' (qv)).
- It's one of those endless competitions, but it's like running a race toward nothing. "There's no winning. You're never going to win the thin race. You're never going to win the pretty race. You're never going to win the smart race. You're never going to win the funny race. I just want to be the best version of myself I can be [About the harsh standards placed on women by Hollywood] (Vanity Fair - September 2004 - "Regally Blonde" by 'Leslie Bennett (IV)' (qv)).
- I like work. If it's not hard enough, I try to make it harder. I like the process of being daunted by it, tackling it, and knowing I can do it (Vanity Fair - September 2004 - "Regally Blonde" by 'Leslie Bennett (IV)' (qv)).
- {On roles resembling the title character in _Penelope (2006)_ (qv)] I like this girl because she is a bit of a bad-ass. I grew up watching movies with people like 'Barbara Stanwyck' (qv) and, sometimes, I get frustrated that there aren't a lot of great female characters out there that young women can look at and go, 'I want to be like that'. I go to movies and yell at the women on-screen, 'Shoot him; just shoot him'. I mean, why why does the guy always have to shoot him?
- When I was a question on _"Jeopardy!" (1984)_ (qv), that's when I felt famous.
- There's always going to be somebody younger or sexier. That's why I like to say, and it's become my famous line, "Funny doesn't sag."
- [on storing her Oscar] I have it out [at home] with the kids artwork... I think it's great when they hold it and dress it up.
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