Reese Witherspoon can be said to be a true southern belle. She was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana but moved to Nashville, Tennessee early on. Reese is a direct descendant of John Witherspoon who was one of the signers of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Reese attended the prestigious Harpeth Hall School in Nashville. After graduation she went to Stanford University in California. However, her college career was short-lived. She only spent a year there before dropping out and pursuing a full time acting career.
Reese Witherspoon started out acting in local commercials. When she was just 14 years old she went to audition for a very small role in the movie The Man in the Moon. The casting director didn't give her the small role she was looking for, he gave her the lead. This role really got her noticed in Hollywood and she was soon building a quite impressive filmography.
Reese went on to star in such films as Freeway, American Psycho, Pleasantville, Election, Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde, and Legally Blonde 2. For Legally Blonde 2 Reese was paid $15 million. Reese is being paid $29 million for her role in the horror film Our Family Trouble. This beats Julia Roberts record paycheck of $25 million for Mona Lisa's Smile.
In 2006 Reese won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Walk the Line. In this movie she plays the wife of legendary country star Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash's real life wife, June Carter Cash personally chose Reese to play her in the movie.
