Reese Witherspoon has been gracing the screen since her 1991 debut in The Man in the Moon. She played several roles in teen movies during the late 90s, garnering critical acclaim for her turn as Tracy Flick in 1999's Election. But it was her performance as Elle Woods in 2001's Legally Blonde that shot her to stardom.
The movie turned her into an A-lister, a status she cemented with her Oscar-winning turn in 2005's Walk the Line. These days she has a prolific career as a movie and television producer besides her successful acting career, but Elle will always hold a special place in her filmography. It might still be her best role to date, but she has numerous other contenders for the coveted title.
Before Legally Blonde, Witherspoon had several acting credits to her name. She received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in Election and had commercial success with Cruel Intentions. But the success of Legally Blonde was unparalleled.
The movie not only gave her a second Golden Globe nomination but also endeared her to audiences everywhere. Witherspoon became one of Hollywood's most in-demand leading ladies, as shown by her starring roles in the rom-coms Sweet Home Alabama and Just Like Heaven.
The Reese Witherspoon in Wild is almost a revelation. Audiences mostly knew her for roles in comedies, so seeing her taking on such a severe and bleak role was noteworthy. Witherspoon gives her all in this story based on Strayed's 2012 memoir, about a woman determined to complete the Pacific Crest Trail after facing turmoil in her life.
As Strayed, Witherspoon is at the peak of her abilities. She portrays the character with grit, wit, and empathy, never once trying to hide the flaws but always finding the humanity underneath. It wouldn't be an overstatement to call this the bravest performance of her career.
Throughout cinematic history, audiences can find examples of the "bimbo." She's blonde, beautiful, bubbly, and outstandingly dumb. She lacks any depth or complexity and often only wants to marry a rich man. Over the years, audiences disavowed the term, and movies like Legally Blonde redefined it.
Elle has all the elements of a prototypical bimbo. She's blonde, beautiful, likable, and seemingly vapid. However, Elle stands out because her femininity isn't in opposition to her intelligence. She goes to court in a bright pink dress and with her dog in her purse and still manages to win her case. Elle challenged stereotypes and gender roles and did it so effortlessly that audiences had no option but to cheer for her.
Little Fires Everywhere hardly received the attention it deserved. One of Witherspoon's many projects as a producer, the story follows two women, Elena Richardson and Mia Warren, whose lives collide suddenly and with unexpected results.
As Elena, Witherspoon is a force of nature. Overbearing, controlling, snobbish, and blind to her own ignorance and intolerance, Elena is an atypical role for Witherspoon. Yet, the actress disappears into it, creating a painfully accurate portrayal of white privilege.
Legally Blonde was a huge box office success. It grossed $141.7 million against a production budget of only $18 million and became Witherspoon's most successful film, up to that point, at least.
The film also received positive reviews, with most praise going to Witherspoon's star-making performance. Many critics, including the iconic Roger Ebert, noted how the film was "impossible to dislike" and attributed its undeniable success to Witherspoon's performance. It currently holds a 70% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.
From the moment it premiered in February 2017, Big Little Lies became an instant hit for HBO. Thanks to its successful combination of adult drama, character-driven plot, and old-fashioned mystery, the miniseries became an addiction for viewers, who couldn't stop watching.
Witherspoon plays the role of Madeline Martha Mackenzie with delicious authority. An alpha in every sense of the way, Madeline is relentless, resourceful, and loyal. Witherspoon and her producing partner and co-star, Nicole Kidman, didn't wait for someone else to do it for them. They auctioned the rights to the novel and put the whole thing together.
It's not easy to play an iconic character. Not every movie will be a success, and even if it is, there's no way of guaranteeing its longevity. Few actors have the privilege of having an iconic role in their filmography, despite having critical acclaim or box-office success.
Elle Woods will always be a triumph in Witherspoon's resume. Legally Blonde is still quoted to this day, proving how relevant the film continues to be. The "bend and snap" is still fondly remembered and even practiced. And Elle's influence extends outside of the field of law and into the worlds of fashion, gender studies, and even politics.
In 2006, Witherspoon won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Walk the Line. A biographical romantic drama, the movie follows Johny Cash's ascent into fame and his chaotic relationship with June Carter.
Witherspoon did her own singing in the film, a challenge she found daunting. She shares electric chemistry with Joaquin Phoenix and delivers an authentic portrayal of love and devotion that's hard to resist. Witherspoon is simply irresistible in the role, an endless fountain of joy and warmth that grounds the film when it threatens to get buried under the heavy-handedness.
In a 2017 interview, Witherspoon declared: "At least once a week I have a woman come up to me and say, 'I went to law school because of Legally Blonde.'" Indeed, Elle Woods changed the way many people saw lawyers and law school in general. A 2019 Spectrum News article even interviewed several female lawyers to further analyze the film's influence.
Legally Blonde, like other movies of the early 2000s, such as Mean Girls and 13 Going on 30, flawlessly captured the zeitgeist, creating something enduring that audiences could enjoy for years to come.
Tracy Flick might arguably be Witherspoon's best turn to date. The ambitious overachiever who became the nightmare of her high school teacher Tracy is one of the most complex and intriguing characters in modern cinema. Unapologetic and ruthless, Tracy redefined what being a movie antagonist was all about.
The character received comparisons to real-life figures, mainly politicians. To this day, Tracy remains a relevant and meaningful character, a girl who refused to be defined by her peers or society, and Witherspoon's greatest triumph.
