Reese Witherspoon Quotes And FAQs

The one-woman hit machine - "Little Fires Everywhere," "The Morning Show," and "Big Little Lies" - turns everything she touches into gold.

These Reese Witherspoon quotes and FAQs bring you into the world of this ultra-successful Hollywood actress, entrepreneur, and producer.

With huge, recent hits like “Little Fires Everywhere,” “The Morning Show” on AppleTV, and “Big Little Lies,” this native Louisianian is proving that it’s Reese’s world and we’re just living it.

Best Reese Witherspoon Quotes

1.) I grew up in Tennessee. We didn’t know what Louis Vuitton was. I had to order all my prom outfits out of catalogs.

2.) Attending an all-girls school has its advantages, there are no inhibitions. You can walk to school with your zit cream on and your hair in rollers and nobody cares.

3.) Many people worry so much about managing their careers but rarely spend half that much energy managing their lives. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out.

4.) I feel like there’s a race being run in Los Angeles for some unattainable goal – to be the best, the skinniest, the most beautiful. I just admit that that’s what I’ll never be.

5.) Life isn’t just about you: It’s about family and friends and giving back.
[as quoted in Woman’s World magazine 2-21-06.]

6.) I was thinking about why I make movies, and I know why. Life is hard. It’s nice to go escape and have a good time at the movies. If I can give people a movie about hope, love, and the future, then I’ve done my job.

7.) I do think things were meant to happen. I’m just this little girl from Tennessee, and here I am today. I think a lot of things are just out of your hands.

Good Reese Witherspoon Quotations

8.) It’s nice to come home to what’s real.

9.) Obviously, this isn’t the time in my life that I would have chosen to do this, but I feel like life gives you these challenges for a reason. I feel so happy and glad to be in the place that I am. I really feel blessed. This is something I need to face and take control of.
[on having a baby]

10.) I have a weird process, but the main thing is like this: I hear her voice in my head. There are a lot of wonderful scripts my agents can’t believe I pass on, but I do because I can’t hear the voice. It doesn’t appeal to me then. I’m really careful. Unless I hear the voice, I can’t do it.
[on how she choose the films she will be in]

11.) I’m lucky to find a person to share my life and the best friend I’ll ever have.
[Reese Witherspoon Quotes on Ryan Phillippe]

12.) I feel good, I’m proud of Election (1999) and very proud of this [her child]. It couldn’t be a better time. It’s always the right time when it happens. You make it the right time.
[on motherhood and her baby]

13.) We were thrilled for just the three nominations we got, but obviously, it’s a little sad. I went through so many press junkets with people saying they loved it. And Joan Allen was robbed, but she can’t get nominated every year. She’s an inspiration for every young actress. She has that calm and reserve about herself and makes you think she appreciates the normal things of every day. Then she transforms into this character that’s so different.
[on Pleasantville (1998)]

You might like Father-Daughter Duets by the Mat and Savanna Shaw

On Celebrity

14.) The battles that we face in this business aren’t financial, but they are moral. And I certainly think that the longer you can keep your values and your morality intact and keep your head on your shoulders about what is important at the end of the day, you can get the most out of this business and really emerge with something wonderful.
[Reese Witherspoon Quotes on the movie business]

15.) People want to try and move you into a place where you can be easily identifiable by every woman in America – to be this very likable woman in a romantic comedy. And it’s really hard for me. I just don’t see myself as the girl that everybody likes. I have never been, and I don’t know how to be that person.

16.) As far as being in the spotlight and under public scrutiny, a lot of that’s about how much you put yourself out there. It’s not like we go to every premiere and every celebrity function, and every charity auction. We really just try to maintain our privacy and never let our public persona get out of hand.

17.) I’m not perfect! I’m human. I make mistakes. But I try to be as conscious as I can about things I should be. If I’m going to do something commercial and mainstream and made for the masses, I just believe you can make those kinds of films with quality – and good ideas and good intentions. There’s a lot of negativity out there.

Reese Witherspoon Sayings

18.) While making Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, I had like 50 outfit changes. It was great! I’m really into the whole “girly” thing. It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it.

19.) I don’t think I can imagine a better guy than the one I’ve ended up with.
[Reese Witherspoon Quotes on husband Ryan Phillippe]

20.) There’s something timeless and important about making people laugh about being the right spot in their day.
[as quoted in the December 7, 2004 issue of Woman’s World.]

21.) I get discriminated against in three ways: I get discriminated against because I’m blond, I get discriminated against because I’m an actress, and I get discriminated against because I’m from the South.
[Reese Witherspoon quotes when asked about the ways she is discriminated against]

22.) I did. I called my attorney. My agent. My manager. I said, “You know y’all, you’re serious about this?”. I’m really. I gotta get out of this. Like, can’t they call LeAnn Rimes? I mean, she’s good.
[on trying to get out of the role of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line (2005)]

23.) The director came to us, and he said, “No, I really want you guys to learn to sing. To learn to play instruments, and I want you to record an album.” and that is what… and I just absolutely was just gob-smacked, and I said, “I don’t know. I can’t do that.” And he said, “Well, I want you to try.” Now that’s the thing for me. If someone asks me to try, I will always try.
[on doing her own singing in Walk the Line (2005)]

24.) Marriage and family come before everything. You don’t want to make a movie at the cost of your relationship.
[Reese Witherspoon Quotes on dual careers and marriage]

Reese Witherspoon Quotes On Hollywood

25.) I feel like there’s a race being run for some unattainable goal – to be the best, the skinniest, the most beautiful. I just admit that’s what I’ll never be.

26.) What gets me is how many women – young women – give up their power and sense of self. Thinking they’re going to get more out of life if they take off their clothes and objectify themselves, instead of functioning on the principle that they’re smart and capable, that you can be an actress and not be on the covers of T& magazines. I’m flabbergasted by how many legitimate actresses do that. It blows my mind.

27.) I think everyone has their own set of problems, and sometimes I feel like I’m in the middle of the biggest challenge of my life just trying to maintain normalcy in a kind of crazy lifestyle.

28.) I’m pretty conservative or old-fashioned. I should say, it’s how I grew up. I think you have to let your children be individuals, but you have to set boundaries. Ryan and I have similar ideas about all of it. You really have to support your partner in the things that are important to them and hold the line together.

29.) I have cellulite. I have stretch marks. And, I feel intimidated by Victoria’s Secret. Hollywood is one of those endless competitions, but it’s like running a race toward nothing. There’s no winning. You’re never going to win the race. I just want to be the best version of myself that I can be.

Reese Witherspoon Oscar Speech Excerpt

30.) I am so blessed to have my family here tonight. My mother and my father are here. And I just want to say thank you so much for everything, for being so proud of me. It didn’t matter if I was making my bed or making a movie. They never hesitated to say how proud they were of me. And that means so very much to a child. So thank you, Mom and Dad. I want to say thank you to my wonderful husband and my two children, who should be going to bed. And thank you for loving me so much and supporting me.

And I want to say that my grandmother was one of the biggest inspirations in my life. She taught me how to be a real woman, to have strength and self-respect, and to never give those things away. And those are a lot of qualities I saw in June Carter Cash. People used to ask June how she was doing, and she used to say — “I’m just trying to matter.” And I know what she means. You know, I’m just trying to matter, and live a good life and do work that means something to somebody. And you have all made me feel that I might have accomplished that tonight. So thank you so much for this honor.

On the Virus

31.) I’m trying to look for the most scientific facts and not listen to too much opinion. I feel flooded by opinion.

On “Little Fires Everywhere”

31.) My character is impervious to other people’s worldviews. And that’s so fun to play.

32.) At one point during a dinner scene I looked up and everybody had a choker on… I must be in the ’90s!

“Little Fires Everywhere” Trailer Video

On “The Morning Show”

33.) There seemed to be resentment as if we weren’t worth it or it was bothersome, and I thought, Why is that bothersome? I guarantee these companies are really smart, and if they agree to pay us, they’re doing it for a reason… They probably had a lot of lawyers and a lot of business people decide on that number because they knew that they were going to make more than that back. Does it bother people when Kobe Bryant or LeBron James make their contract? [on her and Jennifer Aniston making $2 million per episode]

34.) We, as women, are expected to stay in our lane—that was the inference, and I had sleepless nights over it. I remember calling one of these other women going, ‘What are we doing about this? [on amping up her production arm]

Reese Witherspoon Quotes on “Big Little Lies”

35.) I thought the book was really well-plotted. I loved all the characters. I thought they were really dynamic women and very truthful in their struggles and the way that they communicated with each other. And, I thought it was a unique opportunity to have five really talented, diverse women on screen together, which is something that doesn’t happen that often.
[Vogue Interview]

36.) I don’t think of it in terms of good and bad. I think they have an active marriage. They are working on their marriage. There are aspects that are really positive, and there are parts of it there are really difficult. I don’t know what “good” is, but there’s a lot of love there, for sure. [on whether Madeline and Ed have a good marriage]

37.) It’s really remarkable. I think it’s hit some sort of chord. I think it will take a minute for me to figure out what it is exactly. But no, I’ve never seen so many people stopping me and wanting to talk about it or wanting to — they love Madeline! I don’t know why they love Madeline so much; she’s so mean!
[on the reaction to the show] Check out one of Reese’s co-stars on Big Little Lies, Zoe Kravitz.

38.) I feel like it’s a really great time to be a woman in Hollywood. There are many barriers that still need to be broken down, but the gates are definitely opening.

Short Reese Witherspoon Quotes

39.) Confidence is everything in this business.

40.) It’s funny that it all becomes about clothes. It’s bizarre. You work your butt off, and then you win an award, and it’s all about your dress. You can’t get away from it.

41.) That said, I’d love to do a musical, either in film or on stage.

42.) Well, I always wanted to be Dolly Parton when I was a little girl. I was obsessed with her.

43.) I read while the kids play. I can see them from the kitchen window. And I’m a fast reader.

44.) I’m just chatty. But I do express my opinion.

45.) It really bothers me when people don’t use coasters. Particularly on my table.

Reese Witherspoon FAQs

There is a lot to get to know about Reese Witherspoon. Let’s start with how you may have first come into contact with her — via her TV and Movie work.

A.) What movies has Reese Witherspoon been in?

Reese has worked in lots of films, some of which are The Man in the Moon, A Far Off Place, ear, Freeway, Jack the Bear, S.F.W., Overnight Delivery, Pleasantville, Twilight, Cruel Intentions, Election, Best Laid Plans, Little Nicky, American Psycho, The Trumpet of the Swan, Legally Blonde, The Importance of Being Earnest, Sweet Home Alabama, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Penelope, Vanity Fair, Walk the Line, Rendition, Just like Heaven, Four Christmases, Monsters vs. Aliens, Mud, How Do You Know, Water for Elephants, This Means War, Wild, Gone Girl, The Good Lie, Devil’s Knot, Inherent Vice, Sing, Home Again, Hot Pursuit, A Wrinkle in Time, and Lucy in the Sky.

B.) What TV shows has Reese Witherspoon starred in?

Some of the tv series that Reese has worked in are Wildflower, Desperate Choices: To Save My Child, Friends, Return to Lonesome Dove, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Saturday Night Live, The Muppets, Freedom: A History of Us, Freedom: A History of Us, Saturday Night Live, Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, Big Little Lies, The Mindy Project, Shine On with Reese, and The Morning Show.

C.) What can you tell me about Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club?

Every month, Reese selects one book that is focused on a woman as its protagonist and shares it with her Hello Sunshine club. The estimated book club membership is about 2.5 million people. When Reese selected “Where the Crawdads Sing” as its selection, it moved the book from midlist to a NY Times bestseller for 52 straight weeks.

D.) How old is Reese Witherspoon?

Laura was born on March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. As of March 22, 2020, she is 44 years old. Her birthstone is Aquamarine, and her Zodiac sign is Aries.

E.) How tall is Reese Witherspoon?

Reese Witherspoon is five feet and a half-inch tall.

F.) Did Reese Witherspoon attend college?

Reese went to Stanford for one year before devoting herself completely to acting.

G.) Who is Reese Witherspoon’s husband?

In February 2010, Reese began dating Jim Toth. He is a co-head at the Creative Artists Agency of motion picture talent. The couple married at Ojai, California, at Libbey Ranch on March 26, 2011. The couple has one biological child, Tennessee James Toth (born September 27, 2012). Previously, she was married to Ryan Phillippe.

What’s Next For Reese Witherspoon?

Her success in TV ventures has created quite a reputation. The second season of “The Morning Show” is scheduled to come out later this year. Her book club continues to add members and fans as she promotes her literary selections.

Her work as a producer includes plans for three films including “A White Lie,” a documentary on Martina Navratilova, and “Pyros,” a sci-fi film.

In 2006 and 2015, Time magazine called Reese one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Based on her continued success in her field, it seems like it should be a no-brainer for this year as well.

— Claire Evans

Claire writes about pop culture, entertainment, personalities, and movies.