The Movie and TV Roles That Made Us Fall For Reese Witherspoon

In Witherspoon's first movie role, she showed some seriously impressive acting chops as a young girl in love with an older boy. Too bad he's in love with her more age-appropriate big sister. As a preteen experiencing love and heartbreak for the first time, Witherspoon exhibited spunk and flair for drama at an early age.

As a teen displaced into the 1950s by the wishes of her brother (Tobey Maguire), Witherspoon showed us her rebellious (and sexy) side. She may look sweet, but she knows how to turn it on when she needs to — and boy does she, infusing color into a black-and-white world.

Witherspoon used her beautiful baby face to channel sweet-as-pie innocence in this soapy drama. As Annette, she falls hard for bad boy Sebastian (but only after putting up a good fight). We related — who could say no to Ryan Phillippe?

We were blown away by Reese's performance in this dark comedy as a high school girl so desperate to win a student election that she starts playing very dirty. It's a daring good-girl-gone-bad role that's unlike anything else on her résumé.

It's possible the entire world fell in love with Witherspoon in her breakout role as a sorority girl turned law student. It's a credit to the actress that Elle never comes off as a clueless dummy; she's whip-smart and kind, while also worshiping all things pink.

Witherspoon can play sophisticated, which she shows off as a New York fashion designer in the first act of this romantic comedy. But it's when she goes back to her Alabama home and busts out her strong Southern accent as "Felony Melanie" that really won us over.

Witherspoon went dramatic (and brunette) to play the real-life wife of Johnny Cash. She weathers her own problems with her head held high, but remains passionate about her one true love. It's obvious why Joaquin Phoenix's Cash falls madly in love with her.

As Lisa, a woman who's unsure about her love life and her career, Witherspoon is believable as someone who doesn't have it all figured out. We understand her confusion (she's caught between Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson, after all), and appreciate that she's endearing as a flawed everygirl.

Witherspoon and romantic comedies are always a match made in heaven (pun intended). While Elizabeth is a bit high strung at first, we see a softer side to her as she slowly begins to fall for Mark Ruffalo's character. Seriously, who doesn't love a good romance?

Cheryl Strayed is certainly Witherspoon's most gritty role to date, but she completely nails it. Aside from getting rave reviews for her performance as the real-life writer, it also scored Witherspoon an Oscar nomination.

Delightfully whimsical, Witherspoon's rendition of the astral traveler known as Mrs. Whatsit is fun for kids of any age. We would totally feel safe taking her hand and journeying to any planet her heart desires!

Witherspoon's Madeline Mackenzie is the mother no one wants to mess with, but everyone wants on their side in a fight. While her hands aren't clean by any means, her loyalty to her friends and willingness to do whatever it takes to keep her family together make it hard to find Madeline anything other than admirable.

Taking a dip into the news world, Witherspoon went brash to play the field reporter turned morning news co-host who gets tangled in the convoluted web of lies woven by her peers on a popular news program. Bradley may not always think before she leaps but her refusal to play games and let people use her make her character — and Witherspoon's portrayal — unforgettable.