Top 10 Reese Witherspoon Movies

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon better known in Hollywood as just Reese Witherspoon, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and is the second child of her parents, military surgeon, Dr. John Witherspoon and registered nurse Betty Reese. Witherspoon spent the first four years of her life living in Germany because her father served as a lieutenant colonel is the US Army Reserves. Shortly after that, John moved the family back to the states, settling in Nashville, Tennessee. Witherspoon began her career in the entertainment industry at the age of 7 by modeling, which led to appearances in several local TV commercials. At the age of 11, she won first-place in a Ten-State Talent Fair. In 1990, she landed her first major acting role in Robert Mulligan’s 1991 romantic drama The Man in the Moon, which earned her rave reviews. More substantial roles followed such as the 1993 drama Jack the Bear and the 1993 family adventure A Far Off Place. Following her high school graduation, Witherspoon decided to put her acting career on hold and attend Stanford University where she majored in English Literature. Yet, her college plans were put on the backburner when she accepted roles in the 1996 thriller Fear with Mark Whalberg and the 1996 crime comedy Freeway with Kiefer Sutherland. Though neither film was a box-office smash, they opened the door for Witherspoon to get bigger and better roles such as in the 1998 dramatic fantasy Pleasantville and the hit romantic drama Cruel Intentions. Yet, her breakthrough role came in 2001 when she played Elle Woods in the romantic comedy Legally Blonde. The movie was a smash hit and made Witherspoon one of the biggest female stars in the industry. In 2006, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line and she received her own star on the Walk of Fame in December 2010. In honor of her 38th birthday, here is a Top 10 list of Reese Witherspoon movies.

10. Water for Elephants: This 2011 romantic drama was based on Sara Gruen’s novel of the same name. Co-starring with Twillight’s Robert Pattinson, Witherspoon played Marlena, who was married to the owner of the Benzini Brothers Circus train. Pattinson’s character, Jacob, a veterinarian, who jumps on the train by accident and is then hired to care for the animals, falls in love with Marlena and their love story is told. Witherspoon breathed a demure yet determined air into Marlena as she fell for Jacob and while enduring her husband August’s mental and physical abuse. A poignant love story, it received positive reviews from critics and showed moviegoers just how good Witherspoon is at romantic drama.

9. Fear: This 1996 thriller was one of Witherspoon’s early films, but it showed her ability to create a character moviegoers could care about and root for. Co-starring Mark Whalberg, Amy Brenneman and Alyssa Milano, Witherspoon played Nicole Walker, a 16-year-old girl who starts dating the charming David McCall (Whalberg,) but soon sees his violent, possessive nature and becomes embroiled in a race to escape with her life after trying to break up with him. The movie received mixed reviews from critics, but put made Hollywood take notice of the up-and-coming blonde and was a stepping stone to bigger roles for her.

8. Four Christmases: This 2008 romantic dramedy had Witherspoon co-starring with Vince Vaughn, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen and Kristin Chenowith. Witherspoon played Kate, who with her boyfriend, Brad (Vaughn) set out to visit all four of their divorced parents on Christmas. Witherspoon’s penchant for comedy shined through as the laughs never stopped as one hilarious mishap occurred after the other. With a winning supporting cast of some serious Hollywood heavyweights, Witherspoon was in good company in this hysterical holiday film.

7. Pleasantville: This 1998 dramatic fantasy had Witherspoon co-starring with Tobey Maguire, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels and Jane Kaczmarek. Witherspoon played Jennifer, a teenager in the 90s, who somehow finds herself stuck, along with her brother, David (Maguire) in a 1950s sitcom and while trying to find a way back to their own world, changes the world of the fictitious sitcom. Witherspoon’s glow and fervor really came through in this role as she changed how the people in the black-and-white town viewed life and in doing so, somehow colorized them. The film got positive reviews and was a movie that aided Witherspoon’s rise in Hollywood.

6. Sweet Home Alabama: This 2002 romantic comedy had Witherspoon co-starring with future Grey’s Anatomy heartthrob Patrick Dempsey along with Josh Lucas, Candice Bergen, Mary Kay Place, Fred Ward and Jean Smart. Witherspoon played Melanie Carmichael, a Southern girl, who ran away from her simple upbringing, changed her last name and became a successful New York fashion designer. She’s engaged to the Mayor’s son, Andrew Hennings, (Dempsey,) and goes home to tell her parents, but fails to tell Andrew that she’s still married to her childhood love, Jake Perry (Lucas.) Witherspoon shines as she juggles her feelings for both men and both ways of life. Critics gave it mainly negative reviews, but box office wise, it was a hit and was another positive to add to Witherspoon’s growing resume.

5. Election: This 1999 dramedy was adapted from Tom Perrotta’s novel of the same name. Witherspoon co-starred with Matthew Broderick and Chris Klein. She played overachieving high school junior Tracy Flick. Tracy runs for student body president. Broderick’s character, teacher Jim McAllister becomes at odds with Tracy and the sidesplitting antics that both Broderick and Witherspoons’ character get into in order to one up each other are nothing short of classic comedy. The movie received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and Witherspoon earned a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Actress category for the role.

4. The Importance of Being Earnest: This 2002 romantic dramedy was based on Oscar Wilde’s classic play of the same name. Witherspoon co-starred with Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Frances O’Connor, Tom Wilkinson and Dame Judi Dench. Set in 1890s London, Witherspoon played young Cecily Cardew, the young ward of John “Jack” Worthing (Firth.) Witherspoon’s character falls in love with Algernon “Algy” Moncrieff (Everett,) amid mistaken identities, secrets, undeclared love and the search for who Jack Worthing really is. An uproarious comedic romp, Witherspoon fit in perfectly with the supremely talented cast and critics gave the film positive reviews.

3. Cruel Intentions: This 1999 romantic drama was a loose adaptation of Les Liaisons dangereuses, written by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos in 1782, but here, it was set among wealthy teenagers attending a prominent private high school in modern New York City. Co-starring her future husband Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Selma Blair, Sean Patrick Thomas, Joshua Jackson and Christine Baranski, Witherspoon’s performance as the virginal Annette Hargrove was endearing yet she also gave the character a depth and the sense that she wasn’t as naïve as everyone around her thought. A twisted game of lies, betrayal, love and hate, the film received mixed reviews from critics. The triangle of Phillipe, Gellar and Witherspoon, IMO, had so many devious twists and turns, it made the film irresistibly intriguing and the supporting actors adding a nice subplot. In the end, Witherspoon’s character got the last laugh and the movie made Witherspoon an even bigger Hollywood star.

2. Legally Blonde: This 2001 romantic comedy was based on the novel by Amanda Brown, solidified Witherspoon as a bonafide Hollywood star and was a massive box office hit. She played sorority girl Elle Woods, who decides to pursue law school in order to win her boyfriend back who has dumped her for someone more “serious.” Co-starring Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Jennifer Coolidge, Ali Larter, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber and Holland Taylor, Witherspoon delighted moviegoers as the sweet, sassy girl who everyone underestimates. Witherspoon was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for the role and, IMO, she deserved to win it because she infused Elle with such a zest for life and an unconventional way of getting things done, she successfully made a one-of-a-kind character!

1. Walk the Line: This 2005 musical biopic had Witherspoon playing June Carter Cash, the wife of country star Johnny Cash. The film chronicled Johnny Cash’s early life, their romance and his ascension into country music superstardom. Witherspoon won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of the woman who won Cash’s heart, but who also endured his frequent drug abuse and emotional problems.