Reese Witherspoon is an American actress who won an Academy Award for her leading role as June Carter in Walk the Line. She is one of the most decorated actors in Hollywood who got her big break when she played Elle Woods in the 2001 film Legally Blonde, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. She has been a part of many highly successful films, including Sweet Home Alabama, Wild, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Water for Elephants. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for co-producing and starring in the HBO drama series Big Little Lies. With a net worth of $440 million, Reese was named one of the richest women in America by Forbes. So, who is Reese Witherspoon? Here’s everything we know about the actress.
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Reese Witherspoon Biography
Reese Witherspoon was born on the 22nd of March 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America. She is currently 48 years old.
| Birth Name | Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon |
| Nickname | Jaws |
| Date of Birth | March 22, 1976 |
| Place of Birth | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Age | 48 years old |
| Sun Sign | Aries |
| Profession | Actress, Film Producer, Businesswoman |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and Dutch |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Ex-Spouse | Jim Toth (2011–2023) Ryan Phillippe (1999–2008) |
| Children | 3 |
| Religion | Anglican / Episcopalian |
Family and Education
Reese Witherspoon is the daughter of John Draper Witherspoon, Sr., who was a Lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve, and Mary Elizabeth “Betty” (née Reese), professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University. His father studied at Tulane University Medical School.
Witherspoon was educated at Harding Academy and graduated from Harpeth Hall School, an all-girls school in Nashville.
She then attended Stanford University to study English literature but left the university after a year to focus on her acting career.
Reese Witherspoon Married Life
Reese Witherspoon has been married twice. Her first marriage was with actor Ryan Phillippe. They got engaged in December 1998 and married on June 5, 1999, near Charleston, South Carolina, at Old Wide Awake Plantation. They have two children, a daughter, Ava Elizabeth Phillippe, born on September 9, 1999, and a son, Deacon Reese Phillippe, born on October 23, 2003. They divorced in 2007.
She then married her second husband Jim Toth, a talent agent and co-head of motion picture talent at Creative Artists Agency, on March 26, 2011, in Ojai, California, at Libbey Ranch. Together, they have a son, Tennessee James Toth, born on September 27, 2012. The couple separated in 2023 after being married for 11 years.
Her past relationships include actor Jake Gyllenhaal, whom she dated for 5 years from 2007 to 2009. She also dated her Fear co-star Mark Wahlberg from 1995 to 1997.
Physical Statistics
| Height | Feet – 5 feet 1.5 inches Centimeters – 156 cm Meters – 1.56 m |
| Weight | Kilograms – 50 kg Pounds – 110 lbs |
| Body Build | Slim |
| Body Measurements | 34-25-35 |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Shoe Size | 6.5 (US) / 37 (EU) |
| Dress Size | 2 (US) / 34 (EU) / 6 (UK) |
| Distinctive Features | Petite stature Expressive face Blonde hair and blue eyes |
Professional Statistics
Film Debut
Reese Witherspoon made her acting debut in the 1991 American coming-of-age drama film, ‘The Man in the Moon’. She played the lead role of Dani Trant, a 14-year-old country girl who falls in love for the first time with her 17-year-old neighbor. She was highly appreciated by critics and earned a Young Artist Award nomination.
Television Debut
In 1991, she landed a lead role in a television film, ‘Wildflower’ starring alongside Diane Keaton. She was then cast in another TV movie, ‘Desperate Choices: To Save My Child’ before appearing in a TV miniseries called Return to Lonesome Dove (1993) as Ferris Dunnigan.
Famous For
Witherspoon’s first major role was Elle Woods in the 2001 film Legally Blonde, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. It was one of her significant works in her career.
But when it comes to performance, her portrayal of June Carter in Walk the Line’, is regarded as the best performance in her career. She earned an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Critics Choice Award for Best Actress.
Witherspoon was highly lauded for her performance in the 2014 film, ‘Wild’, which earned her second Academy Award nomination. The film was based on Cheryl Strayed’s 2012 memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Reese Witherspoon Favorite Things
- Food – Firecrackers, fried chicken
- Restaurant – The Buffet at Magic City
- Actress – Susan Sarandon
- Actor – Tom Hanks
- Movie – Overboard (1987), Terms of Endearment (1983), Belly (1998)
- TV Show – Amish Mafia (2012-)
- Beverage – Prison wine
- Country – The Bahamas
- Book – “The End of the Affair” by Graham Greene
- Disney Characters – Scar, Tinkerbell
Reese Witherspoon Net Worth
As of 2025, Reese Witherspoon has a net worth of $400 million.
Social Media Profiles
- Facebook – ReeseWitherspoon
- Instagram – reesewitherspoon
- Twitter – rwitherspoon
Reese Witherspoon Facts
She was a cheerleader during her high school years.
At the age of 7, she appeared in a television commercial for a local Nashville florist.
She was considered for the role of Juliet in Romeo + Juliet (1996), which went to Claire Danes.
In 2002, People magazine named her as one of the “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.”
Reese Witherspoon was awarded the “Ten State Talent Award” when she was 11 years old.
In 2003, She ranked #1 on E!’s “Hollywood’s Hottest Blondes.”
People magazine voted her as “Favorite Female Film Star” in 2004.
Witherspoon was ranked at #40 in FHM magazine’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005” special supplement.
Witherspoon appeared on the annual Celebrity 100 list by Forbes magazine in 2006 and 2007, at No. 75 and No. 80, respectively.
In 2010, Witherspoon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6262 Hollywood Blvd.
In 2018, she released her first book, Whiskey in a Teacup, a lifestyle book inspired by Witherspoon’s southern upbringing. She released her children’s book, Busty Betty in October 2022.
She is friends with Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew McConaughey, Selma Blair, and Kate Hudson.
In 2019, she began starring alongside Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell in the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show.
In 2024, she starred in and produced the movie You’re Cordially Invited, which stars Will Ferrell, Geraldine Viswanathan, Meredith Hagner, and Jimmy Tatro.