Reese Witherspoon

Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actress Reese Witherspoon made her mark as a smart, driven and self-respecting actress who refused to take the easy road to stardom with mindless teen flicks and broad comedies.

She was born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon on March 22, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana to John Draper Witherspoon, Sr.and Mary Elizabeth "Betty" (née Reese), Witherspoon. Her father is a Georgia-born otolaryngologist who previously served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army reserves. Her mother is from Harriman, Tennessee, has a Ph.D. in pediatric nursing, and works as a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University. Witherspoon's Scottish-born ancestor, John Witherspoon, signed the United States Declaration of Independence. She is also a descendant of Reformation leader John Knox. Because Witherspoon's father worked for the U.S. military in Wiesbaden, Germany, she lived there for four years as a child. After returning to the U.S., she spent her childhood in Nashville, Tennessee.

A family friend recruited the perky blonde for a local TV commercial when she was seven; thus marking the humble beginnings of the girl who would one day find herself among the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. Inspired by her brush with local fame, Witherspoon began taking acting lessons, and when she was 11 years old, took first place in a multi-state talent competition.

In 1990, Witherspoon attended an open casting call for The Man in the Moon with some friends, intending to audition as a bit player. She was instead cast in 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. For this role, Witherspoon was nominated for the Young Artist Award Best Young Actress. Later that year, she made her TV acting debut in the cable movie Wildflower, directed by Diane Keaton and starring Patricia Arquette.

2001 marked her career's turning point with the breakout role as Elle Woods in the box office hit Legally Blonde, and in 2002 she starred in Sweet Home Alabama, which became her biggest commercial film success to date. 2003 saw her return as lead actress and executive producer of Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. In 2005, Witherspoon received worldwide attention and praise for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line, which earned her an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Witherspoon married actor and Cruel Intentions co-star Ryan Phillippe in 1999; they have two children, Ava and Deacon. The couple separated at the end of 2006 and divorced in October 2007.

Witherspoon married her second husband, talent agent Jim Toth, in 2011. Witherspoon owns a production company, Type A Films, and she is actively involved in children's and women's advocacy organizations. She serves on the board of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) and was named Global Ambassador of Avon Products in 2007, serving as honorary chair of the charitable Avon Foundation. On December 1, 2010, Witherspoon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Sources: Wikipedia, Yahoo! Movies