25 Impressive Facts About Reese Witherspoon

It's not a big deal, she's just the highest paid actress in the world and she's Elle Woods!

Chelsi

• Published in Film & TV
• April 10, 2022

Reese Witherspoon is one of Hollywood's favorite sweethearts. She has played many iconic characters in her three-decade acting career.

You may know her as Annette from Cruel Intentions, Madeline Mackenzie in Big Little Lies, or her cameo as Rachel's spoiled sister Jill in Friends. Of course, who can forget her most quoted and legendary performance as Elle Woods, lawyer extraordinaire, in Legally Blonde?

In all her years of acting, Reese Witherspoon has cemented herself as a powerhouse among Hollywood's elites. In fact, she has consistently been one of the highest-paid actors in Tinseltown.

Reese has ventured beyond acting and is currently a businesswoman and a producer. She owns the clothing company, Draper James and is currently running a remarkable media production company called Hello Sunshine.

Hello Sunshine was founded in 2016 by Reese, Otter Media, and Seth Rodsky. Together, they advocate for more female-led stories in media like Hulu's Little Fires Everywhere.

Long before Hello Sunshine was created, Reese has been producing female-driven stories under the company Pacific Standard. She was a producer for the Oscar-nominated film Gone Girl and the hit TV series Big Little Lies.

Aside from being a talented actress, businesswoman, advocate, and producer, what else should we know about Reese Witherspoon? Here are some facts that you need to learn about this amazing person:

1. Her parents named her Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon. She got Reese from her mom Betty's maiden name.

2. Although unverified, she is said to be a descendant of John Witherspoon; one of the 56 signers on the Declaration of Independence.

This claim has not been verified by genealogists of the Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence.

3. Reese lived in Wiesbaden, Germany for four years of her childhood because of her father's job.

Reese's father, Dr. John Draper Witherspoon was a lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.

4. Her production company's name, Type A, was a nod to an inside joke with her family.

Reese said in an interview that she understood complicated medical terms such as the difference between Type A and Type B personalities. She was also a diligent student and an avid reader making her family give her the nickname, "Little Miss Type A."

5. Her first acting gig was for a florist commercial.

She was a model for the ad and it pushed her to get acting lessons.

6. Her first "real" acting job earned her a nomination for the Best Young Actress at the Young Artist Awards.

She went to an open casting call for the movie The Man in The Moon, hoping to land a bit character. She got cast as the lead character, Dani Trant.

7. Like Elle Woods, Reese was also an Ivy League student.

She got accepted by Standford University as an English literature major. She dropped out after a year to pursue her blossoming acting career.

8. She met her ex-husband, Ryan Phillippe, during her 21st birthday party.

One of their mutual friends brought Ryan to Reese's birthday party in 1997. They hit it off and by the end of the night, she told him, "I think you're my present."

9. Ryan Phillippe proposed during a breakfast in bed.

He prepared a homemade meal of waffles with strawberries and cream. They got married in South Carolina in June 1999 and their daughter, Ava (who could pass for Reese's twin), was born 3 months later.

10. She hosted the first Satuday Night Live episode after the 9/11 terrorists attacks.

She said during a 2015 interview with Katie Couric that while it was an incredibly difficult time, she was proud to have stood on stage with the New York City Firemen, Paul Simon, and Lorne Michaels. She was proud to have made the country laugh after a national tragedy.

11. Mira Nair, the director of the film Vanity Fair, jokingly told Reese she should get pregnant to gain weight for her role. Two months later, the actress announced her second pregnancy.

It was in the middle of the filming of the movie. They had to carefully make her costumes to conceal her growing belly.

12. Her son Deacon was named after the former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and her ex's relative, Deacon Phillippe.

13. Reese won an Academy Award, a Critic's Choice, a BAFTA, a SAG Award, and a Golden Globe for one role.

She played June Cash in Walk The Line, a film about Johnny Cash's life. She is one of the few actresses who have won those awards for a single performance.

14. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe called it quits after 7 years of marriage.

They have two kids together, Ava and Deacon.

15. Reading a terrible script pushed her to become a producer.

In an interview with Chelsea Handler, Reese revealed what she thought during that moment. She thought that every female actress in Hollywood was gunning for that role then she must make a movie because a script of that caliber is not worth their talents.

16. Reese and her husband, Jim Toth, met at a party where he "saved" her from getting hit on by a drunk guy.

Jim intervened and told Reese to excuse his drunk friend as he had just been broken up with. Jim and Reese said their "I do's" at a wedding in Ojai, California in 2012.

17. She was arrested in 2013 for disorderly conduct.

Her husband was weaving in and out of lanes and the couple was pulled over by Atlanta PD. When the officers were arresting her husband, Reese allegedly got irate and asked the police if they knew who she was.

When they replied they didn't have to, Reese replied, "You're about to find out who I am," she was arrested after that. The actress has since apologized for her behavior and statement.

18. Reese still has a lot of the wardrobe pieces from her character Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.

That's a lot of pink and fur! The actress revealed that she has 60 of the outfits and even showed herself trying them on, via Snapchat, during the film's 15-year anniversary in 2016.

19. She looooooves Tupperwares!

She said in an interview with People magazine that she is obsessed with containers. Reese said that every time she passes by a Hold Everything store, she simply must go in.

20. She was the voice talent for the Playhouse Disney's block of children's programming.

From 2007 to 2011, Reese voiced promos, commercials, and bumpers for the channel. The cartoons were made for children aged 8 years old and below.

21. Reese can sing!

The actress, model, mom, businesswoman, and producer is also a singer. She was featured in a Michael Buble cover of Frank and Nancy Sinatra's song "Somethin' Stupid."

22. Her first clothing retail brand, Draper James, was named after her grandparents — William James Witherspoon and Dorothea Draper.

The brand is inspired by American Southern living and offers fashion accessories and home decorations. The first store is in Nashville and it opened in 2015.

23. Reese is also an author!

Her first book, Whiskey in a Teacup, was released in 2018 and was inspired by her Southern childhood. The avid reader has found kinship with other book lovers through her Instagram book club where she announces a must-read book every month.

24. She almost played Merida in Pixar's movie, Brave.

Reese had to quit the role when she couldn't quite perfect the Scottish brogue essential to the story. She also almost played Juliet to Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo before ultimately losing to Claire Danes.

25. She was instrumental to the Time's Up Movement.

Reese messaged and emailed everyone she knew in Hollywood before urging all the women to organize their conversations and plan their actions. She also found the designer who made the logo and pin design for the movement.

The multi-talented actress is also one of the most influential people and powerful women in the world according to Forbes magazine. In 2021, she was also named the richest actress in the world according to the magazine.

We may only know her from the roles she plays in TV and films but it seems the actress gets more impressive the more we learn about her. Surely, we are not alone when we say, we can't wait to see what she does next!

Chelsi