Reese was born March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Reese is an accomplished star actress.
Her father was a military Physician and mother a Registered Nurse, giving Reese a very well traveled
childhood. Reese, as we know her, was born Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon. Reese is her mother's maiden
name. She spent a lot of time in Germany and Europe as a child before settling down in Nashville,
Tennessee.
In Nashville, Reese attended the all girls school Harpeth Hall, and then attended Stanford where
her major was English literature. Reese did some modeling and local commercials, but never seriously
expected to be an actress when she was growing up. She always just accepted the fact that she would
be some sort of physician. This all changed when Reese went with some friends to an open audition
for movie extras.
The director, Robert Mulligan, was so impressed with her screen tests for a small speaking role
that he later offered her the lead role. In the 1991 drama "The Man in the Moon", Reese played a
young girl in 1950's Louisiana who falls in love for the first time. Like a great short story,
it's one of those masterpieces of language and mood. It flows so smoothly from start to finish
that it hardly even seems like an ordinary film. Reese modestly admits that the main reason she
was cast, was because she was very flat chested for a sixteen-year-old. In this role, Reese
immediately gained critical praise and became part of audiences' hearts.
Reese followed this initial success with several television roles. In 1991, she appeared in the
Diane Keaton television movie "Wildflower". Reese played a Depression-Age girl who, with her
older brother, helps an epileptic girl who has been mistreated by her family. Next came "Desperate
Choices: To Save My Child", where Reese played a teenager whose family is almost torn apart when
they learn she has cancer. Her last made-for-television movie role was on the CBS mini-series
"Return to Lonesome Dove". Many star roles followed in a wide variety of films, establishing Reese
as a true celebrity.
Reese met Ryan Phillippe, her husband now, at her 21st birthday party, and finally became engaged
in December 1998. They were married June 5th, 1999, in South Carolina at the Wide Awake Plantation.
On September 9th, 1999, Reese gave birth to their daughter, Ava Elizabeth.
(2004) Vanity Fair
Character played: Becky Sharp
Coming 9/1
(2003) The Party's Over
Character played: Herself
(2003) Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
Character played: Elle Woods
Credits: Executive Producer
(2002) Sweet Home Alabama
Characters played: Melanie, Melanie Carmichael
(2002) The Importance of Being Earnest
Character played: Cecily Cardew
(2001) Legally Blonde
Character played: Elle Woods
(2001) Trumpet of the Swan
Characters played: Serena [voice], Serena
(2001) Saturday Night Live: Reese Witherspoon
Character played: Host
(2000) American Psycho
Character played: Evelyn Williams
(2000) King of the Hill: Hanky Panky
Character played: Debbie
(2000) Little Nicky
Character played: Holly
(1999) Election
Character played: Tracy Flick
(1999) Cruel Intentions
Character played: Annette Hargrove
(1999) Best Laid Plans
Character played: Lissa
(1998) Twilight
Character played: Mel Ames
(1998) Pleasantville
Character played: Jennifer/Mary Sue
(1996) Freeway
Character played: Vanessa
(1996) Fear
Character played: Nicole Walker
(1996) Overnight Delivery
(1995) No Fear
(1994) S.F.W.
Character played: Wendy Pfister
(1993) Jack the Bear
Character played: Karen Morris
(1993) Return to Lonesome Dove
1993) A Far Off Place
Character played: Nonnie Parker
(1992) Desperate Choices: To Save My Child
Character played: Cassie Robbins
(1991) The Man in the Moon
Character played: Dani Trant
(1991) Wildflower
Character played: Ellie Perkins
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Alyssa Milano
