Reese Witherspoon Turns 47, and We’re Bringing You 8 Intriguing Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Her

With her diverse movie roles and her irresistible charm, Reese Witherspoon has kept us glued to the screen over the past decades, but she is so much more than just a talented actress. A mother of 3, Witherspoon has successfully balanced her career and family life, worked hard on both the big screen and on television, and proved herself as both an actress and producer. Ahead of her forty-seventh birthday, we are revealing some curious facts about her past and future that made us appreciate her even more.

1. She was only 7 years old when she started acting.

From her very first appearance in a commercial at the age of 7 and her big screen debut in the movie, Man in the Moon, when she was 14 to her Oscar-winning role in Walk the Line, Witherspoon’s career has come a long way. Thanks to her talent and dedication, she managed to become one of the biggest names in Hollywood.

2. Her real name is different from what most of us think.

Born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon, the star legally changed her name because she thought it was more unique and suitable for her Hollywood career. Reese is actually her mother’s maiden name.

3. She studied English literature before becoming an actress.

Back in the ’90s, before reaching stardom, Witherspoon decided to take a break from acting and started studying English literature at Stanford University. Being a straight-A student in high school, Witherspoon fit in well and really enjoyed her university days. However, her wish to pursue a career in movies kept her so busy that she never completed her studies.

4. She considered quitting her Oscar-winning role.

Witherspoon admitted that her Oscar-winning role as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line was so intimidating that she even considered quitting: ’’I called my lawyer and was like ‘get me out of this.’ I told the director I can’t do it anymore.’’

The reason behind this was her fear that her musical talent won’t be good enough. But luckily, she changed her mind. Ultimately, her hard work paid off, and she won her first Oscar for Best Actress for this role.

5. Acting in front of a live audience was too scary for her.

Fans of the beloved sitcom, Friends, probably remember Witherspoon’s guest appearance as Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) younger sister. She did only 2 episodes, but when she was asked to reprise the role again, Witherspoon declined because she gets too nervous in front of live audiences.

In an interview she and Aniston gave together in 2019, Witherspoon confessed that she was ’’too scared.’’ To everyone’s delight, the 2 actresses teamed up again in the drama, The Morning Show.

6. She’s not the only famous person in her family.

The Witherspoon family has more than one famous member. The actress’s ancestor, pastor John Witherspoon, played an important role in American history as one of the founding fathers of the United States.

7. She was only 23 when she became a mom.

Witherspoon is a mother of 3 beautiful kids, Ava and Deacon, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Ryan Phillippe, and Tennessee James from her marriage with her current husband, Jim Toth. She welcomed her first baby when she was only 23.

Looking back, Witherspoon says she’s ’’glad’’ that she had kids early on but confessed that early motherhood was also quite ’’scary’’ for her in the beginning. After her divorce from Phillippe, Witherspoon was a single mom for a while, but today, both her career and family life seem to be thriving.

8. Being an actress is not her only job.

Besides wowing the world with her acting skills, Witherspoon is also a successful producer and writer. But her industrious spirit got her in trouble back in the day when she was suspended from school for selling hair accessories.