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Reese was born March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Reese is an
accomplished star actress. Her father was a military Physician and mother
a Registered Nurse, giving Reese a very well traveled childhood. Reese,
as we know her, was born Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon. Reese is her mother's
maiden name. She spent a lot of time in Germany and Europe as a child
before settling down in Nashville, Tennessee.
In Nashville, Reese attended the all girls school Harpeth Hall, and then
attended Stanford where her major was English literature. Reese did some
modeling and local commercials, but never seriously expected to be an
actress when she was growing up. She always just accepted the fact that
she would be some sort of physician. This all changed when Reese went
with some friends to an open audition for movie extras.
The director, Robert Mulligan, was so impressed with her screen tests
for a small speaking role that he later offered her the lead role. In
the 1991 drama "The Man in the Moon", Reese played a young girl in 1950's
Louisiana who falls in love for the first time. Like a great short story,
it's one of those masterpieces of language and mood. It flows so smoothly
from start to finish that it hardly even seems like an ordinary film.
Reese modestly admits that the main reason she was cast, was because she
was very flat chested for a sixteen-year-old. In this role, Reese immediately
gained critical praise and became part of audiences' hearts.
Reese followed this initial success with several television roles. In
1991, she appeared in the Diane Keaton television movie "Wildflower".
Reese played a Depression-Age girl who, with her older brother, helps
an epileptic girl who has been mistreated by her family. Next came "Desperate
Choices: To Save My Child", where Reese played a teenager whose family
is almost torn apart when they learn she has cancer. Her last made-for-television
movie role was on the CBS mini-series "Return to Lonesome Dove". Many
star roles followed in a wide variety of films, establishing Reese as
a true celebrity.
Reese met Ryan Phillippe, her husband now, at her 21st birthday party,
and finally became engaged in December 1998. They were married June 5th,
1999, in South Carolina at the Wide Awake Plantation. On September 9th,
1999, Reese gave birth to their daughter, Ava Elizabeth.
INTERVIEW
Did you ever keep a diary when you were younger?
Yes, I used to keep diaries when I was really little and today I'm really
glad I have them cause they're madly sweet and sort of remind me of my
childhood.
What was high school like for you?
I went to an all-girls school so I think I had a relatively tame high
school experience. There wasn't all that competition for male attention,
the competitiveness over relationships.
Did it feel awkward working with Ryan?
It was actually a great experience. We'd wanted to work together for a
long time and this opportunity arose, I thought it would be a good thing
for us because we'd always respected one another's work. We're kind of
kinda one of those little team you know, Ryan always talks about writing
something together and I'm like, "What?"
Do you remember your first love?
I was in fifth grade and I thought I was in love with Graham Locke. He
broke my heart and told everybody in fifth grade that I was flat-chested
and that's why he didn't like me anymore. So I guess it wasn't really
love at all!
Do you believe fate, played a big part in your career?
Definitely, I believe in fate a lot. A certain amount of destiny brings
you to the things that you're supposed to do and puts you away from the
things you're not. I'd get really upset sometimes that I didn't get a
role, and then I'd watch the finished film and I'd thank God I didn't
do it.
Do you think destiny had something to do with Ryan being at your birthday
party?
Yeah, I feel like so incredibly lucky and these days when I wake up and
look at him, I think how lucky I am. I'm gonna cry. I'm making myself
cry, that's so dumb! (writer's comments: At this point, Reese start crying!
Real tears!!!)
That's so sweet!
We met at my 21st birthday party and he left at 6 am the next day to go
on location. I didn't see him for like 3 months and we corresponded through
letters and telephone conversations. It's like the best way to get to
know someone on a really intellectual level. By the time we saw each other
again, it was kind of love at second sight. You know, it was wonderful.
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