Reese Witherspoon. Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (/ˈriːs ˈwɪðərspuːn/; born March 22, 1976) is an American actress, producer, and entrepreneur. Born in New Orleans and raised in Tennessee, she began her career as a child actress, making her professional screen debut in The Man in the Moon (1991), for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award.