Reese Witherspoon

Born: 22nd March 1976
Where: Nashville, Tennessee

After establishing herself in well-received independent movies, Witherspoon now commands $15m a movie after starring turns in the likes of Legally Blonde.

The daughter of a military surgeon and a nurse, she spent the first four years of her life in Wiesbaden, Germany, where her father was stationed with the US Army Reserves.

Returning to America, by seven she was doing modelling work (for a Nashville florist) and by eleven she'd won a state talent contest and was also cheerleading for her high school.

As an extra credit for high school class, she worked as an office production assistant on the 1995 film Devil in a Blue Dress.

She first came to the attention with her feature debut in Man in the Moon, which she followed with Jack the Bear, opposite Danny DeVito and Gary Sinise.

She studied English Literature at Stanford university but soon after graduation continued her pursuit of a succesful acting career.

In 1996 she was cast opposite Mark Wahlberg in Fear, but it was her role in Pleasantville that really brought the attention of critics and producers alike.

Roles followed in the superior Cruel Intentions, she showed her hand at black comedy in Election opposite Matthew Broderick and the cult hit Best Laid Plans.

She also made a cameo appearance as Rachel's younger sister in Friends before hitting paydirt with Legally Blonde.

The film about a fashion-obsessed girl who triumphs over the law earned her a Golden Globe nomination and was also up for best picture.

Married to actor Ryan Phillippe, by whom she has a daughter Ava Elizabeth, Witherspoon then tried her hand at Wilde in The Importance of Being Earnest.

Next up was the lukewarm comedy Sweet Home Alabama before she reprised the role of Elle Woods in the lacklustre sequel Legally Blonde 2.

In 2004, she led an all-star cast including Jim Broadbent and James Purefoy in Mira Nair's adaptation of Vanity Fair.

Reese will soon be seen alongside Joaquin Phoenix in the bio-pic of legendary country singer, Johnny Cash.

She's also expected to star in Sports Widow, a comedy about a wife that tries to outwit her sports-loving husband.