Reese Witherspoon biography Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon, born March 22, 1976, grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Given that both of her parents had professions in the medical field, Reese grew up expecting to become a doctor, although she always knew in her heart that she wanted to be an actress. While growing up in Nashville, a hot spot known mainly for its country music talent, Reese was exposed to the entertainment industry very early. Her career began at 7 when she was introduced to modeling. This exposure enabled her to break into the small screen by appearing in TV commercials. After winning a talent search in ten states, Reese began receiving recognition for her acting and modeling skills. She landed her first leading role at fourteen in Robert Mulligan's The Man in the Moon. This role, in particular, launched her film career, and soon after, she starred in two more made-for-TV movies: 1991's Wildflower and Desperate Choices: To Save My Child a year later. After grad...