Birth Name: Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon
Height: 5' 2"
Nationality: American
Date: March 22, 1976
Birth Place: Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Occupation: actress
Education: Harpeth Hall, Nashville, TN
Stanford University, Stanford, CA (majored in English Literature)
Husband: Ryan Phillippe (actor; married on June 5, 1999 in Charleston, North Carolina)
Daughter: Ava Elizabeth Phillippe (born on September 9, 1999)
Claim to fame: as Annette Hargrove in Cruel Intentions (1999)

Facts about Reese Witherspoon:

Witherspoon has a very special reason to mourn the death of her heroine June Carter Cash who she's portraying in a new biopic – The actress will take on the project after giving birth to her second child later this year, but she's disappointed that she never got the chance to meet the legend before she died, in June 2003.

In 1999 she starred alongside Mark Wahlberg in FEAR. Reese Witherspoon plays Nicole Walker, the unwitting teenager who gets the hots for David McCall (Wahlberg). David only seems like a nice guy until he gets upset by the girl's overly protective father. That's when hell breaks loose and the love-struck Romeo turns into a deadly threat who just won't go away.

Witherspoon says her new movie LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE & BLONDE is about more than just stylish clothes and cute puppy dogs – She says, “It's bigger in theme than that. It's about the rights of all people, the rights of anyone living in a democracy to stand up and be heard, whether it be at your school or in your community or government. (July 1, 2003)

Steve Dontanville from the William Morris Agency is still her agent. They got together after Man In The Moon.

Was one of the most powerful celebrity according to 2003 Forbes Top 100 Celebrity List (#58)

LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE & BLONDE came out in summer 2003 but Witherspoon has already agreed to play Elle Woods in a third film with her 'dumb blonde' character coming to Europe -- Witherspoon explains, Marc Platt, the producer, thought it would very funny to have Elle in London, having to go up to the bar with all the barristers. Europe is the next big world to conquer. Elle's conquered America. It's time to conquer the globe.

Witherspoon has linked up with toy-makers Mattel to create a new Barbie modeled on Elle Woods, her Legally Blonde character. The idea came to her when she was looking for politically correct Barbie dolls for her daughter Ava. (May 6, 2003)

Witherpsoon's film bosses are so intent on ensuring she has a comfortable pregnancy they're flying over 100 journalists to interview her to save her from traveling – The actress is currently beginning production on the movie VANITY FAIR in England and film studio Mgm has decided that rather than make her fly back and forth between America and Britain to promote her upcoming flick LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE & BLONDE, they're transporting the press to her. (May 2, 2003)

Witherspoon will star in a movie about Amy Biehl, the slain human rights activist -- Both Witherspoon and Biehl were at college together at Stanford and, according to the film's director Anant Singh, Reese knew of Amy and they are like-minded people. (April 25, 2003)

Voted as the Best Comedic Performance in the MTV Movie Awards 2002 from her appearance in LEGALLY BLONDE.

Witherspoon is to follow in the footsteps of Hollywood idol Marilyn Monroe by recreating the role that first made the blonde bombshell famous in the 1950's – She will play singer Lorelei Lee in a remake of the 1953 musical GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, which first shot buxom Monroe to worldwide fame. (February 27, 2003)

Reese Witherspoon and her fellow actor husband Ryan Phillippe are to follow in the footsteps of Madonna and Gillian Anderson by buying a house in London – a source says they adore London and want somewhere to call their own rather than living out of suitcases in hotels. (January 14, 2003)

Witherspoon's pals are worried her husband Ryan Phillippe is becoming hooked on marijuana after pictures of him allegedly sucking on a hash pipe appeared in an American tabloid -- Phillippe was spotted smoking with a pal in the corner of a California car park, and bystanders who spotted him are convinced he was puffing on marijuana. (January 4, 2003)

Witherspoon's SWEET HOME ALABAMA is among GLAAD nominees – her character in the movie isn't gay, but her best friend is, so ALABAMA is among the nominees for the 14th annual GLAAD Media Awards, which honor ''fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect [them].'' (December 19, 2002)

She won Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress - Drama/Romance in 2000 for CRUEL INTENTIONS and for Best Actress at Catalonian International Film Festival, Sitges, Spain in 1997 for FREEWAY.

Witherspoon will chill in WHITEOUT – the actress will play a U.S. Marshal tracking a killer in Antarctica. (November 6, 2002)

Witherspoon is furious with Nicole Kidman after she stole the role of Samantha in the film version of hit comedy BEWITCHED -- according to Glamour magazine's website, Reese was shocked to read Nicole had accepted the part, while the former was still in talks with the studios. (October 28, 2002)

In LEGALLY BLONDE, her character wears 40 different hairstyles throughout the film.

To prepare for her role as Elle in LEGALLY BLONDE (2001), Reese Witherspoon studied the behavior of sorority girls. She also observed women shopping at Neiman Marcus.

Her brother John Draper Witherspoon, 29, was arrested Saturday morning facing charges of aggravated burglary and sexual assault. (October 10, 2002)

Reese is delighted to be living in London at the moment because actors are not given special treatment there -- Witherspoon is currently filming an adaptation of VANITY FAIR in the British capital and can't believe how calm the natives are about celebrities. (July 4, 2003)

Reese Witherspoon is planning to move to London's trendy Notting Hill with husband Ryan Phillippe -- The couple are taking their cue from other stars who have flocked to the fashionable west London area, including singers Robbie Williams and Geri Halliwell, and actress Minnie Driver. (July 25, 2003)

Witherspoon insists her husband Ryan Phillippe bears no envy for the multi-million paychecks she earns -- Although the actress admits they have fights like any married couple, she says they often laugh about the massive difference in their salaries, saying, “He's incredibly supportive of me, as I am of him. We work as a team and the bottom line about the money issue is that it's part of our job.” (July 17, 2003)

The mystery surrounding Reese Witherspoon and husband Ryan Phillippe's recent injuries has been solved - they're just a clumsy couple. A publicist said before attending a charity fundraiser in Hollywood last week Phillippe cut himself getting out of the bath and his wife had a nasty fall at her daughter Ava's third birthday party. (October 8, 2002)

Witherspoon is so happy with Jennifer Aniston's Emmy win, she's considering making a return to TV show FRIENDS. (September 26, 2002)

She's a vegetarian.

Called to play the female lead in I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (1997), but she refused the part.

Considered for the role of Juliet in ROMEO + JULIET (1996).

Her mother has a Ph.D. in pediatric nursing and her dad is a surgeon.

Majored in English Literature at Stanford University; on leave from her studies as of 1998.

Named one of People Magazine's '25 Most Intriguing People of 2001'.

Refused the lead roles in two horror movies, SCREAM (1996) and URBAN LEGEND (1998).

Shortly after she started acting she had an audition for a role in CAPE FEAR. She was supposed to meet with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorcese for the auditon, but at the time didn't really know who they were. On the plane she was talking to the man next to her about her audition, and the man started to rave to her about De Niro and Scorcese. This made her so nervous that she completely blew the audition and the role eventually went to Juliette Lewis.

Quotes
[talking about Pleasantville (1998)]: "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 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 motherhood and her baby]: "I feel good, I'm proud of Election 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."

I literally beat him up when we had to do the breakup scene.We'd gotten so tired and we'd done the scene so many times. He was off camera giving me my lines and he started to ad lib - which is a bad thing when you're doing this kind of scene, and talking like, 'I never loved you! You're not attractive!' Terrible things. I got upset. I just hauled off and socked him in the face. And everybody in the crew was like 'Gasp! Can you believe she did that?' And I'm screaming my lines and I just yelled 'Get out!' And then he ran off and threw up in a stairwell. And I'm, like, sobbing, saying, 'I can't believe he said those things to me!' And the director came in and said 'Oh God, I can't believe it, that was so great! Can you do it again?' [on the break-up scene she had to do with Ryan Phillippe in CRUEL INTENTIONS (1999)]

I'm definitely happy with the way my career has gone, the success; but I even feel glad that I've experienced some failure in my life. That gives you perspective and humility about this business; it's good to realize that you're always just one movie away from not being in Vogue anymore.

I'm lucky to find a person to share my life, and the best friend I'll ever have. [talking about Ryan Phillippe]

The joy we get as actors is out of transforming ourselves into something that's not necessarily anything true to ourselves. And it's a power - not being yourself, and being in the role; it's just like another prop.

Being a Southern person and a blonde, it's not a good combination. Immediately, when people meet you, they think of you as not being smart.

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.

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. [on having a baby]