Raised in Nashville, Tennessee

Began acting in local commercials at age seven

Film debut in "The Man in the Moon"; also marked first on-screen kiss

TV acting debut in Lifetime movie "Wildflower"; directed by Diane Keaton

First starring role, "A Far Off Place"

Co-starred in CBS miniseries "Return to Lonesome Dove"

Acted in Marshall Herskowitz's "Jack the Bear"

Starred as satirical mini-mart hostage who lets loose a bitchy side in "S.F.W."

Played a troubled, precocious girl with a dark past in "Freeway" (aired on HBO before its theatrical release)

Starred as the object of Mark Wahlberg's obsession in "Fear"

Played the daughter of Gene Hackman and Susan Sarandon in Robert Benton's "Twilight"

Transported back to the black-and-white world of 1950s television in Gary Ross' "Pleasantville"

Cast as a virginal teenager in "Cruel Intentions," a modern-day spin on "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"

Cast as Tracy Flick, a manipulative overachiever running for class president in Alexander Payne's "Election"

Starred alongside Alessandro Nivola and Josh Brolin in "Best Laid Plans"

Made two-episode appearance as the kid sister of Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) in the NBC sitcom "Friends"

Starred in the surprise hit comedy "Legally Blonde"

Played Cecily Cardew in a film remake of "The Importance of Being Earnest"

Starred as a Southern girl who remakes herself as a New York socialite in "Sweet Home Alabama"

Reprised the role of Elle Woods for "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blond"

Starred in the period film "Vanity Fair" directed by Mira Nair

Co-starred opposite Joaquin Phoenix, as June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line"; a biopic of late country music legend Johnny Cash, directed by James Mangold

Witherspoon surpassed Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts to become the highest paid actress of all time; She will earn $29 million for the horror film "Our Family Trouble"

Played a pregnant Midwestern woman who discovers that her Egyptian husband is being secretly held by the U.S. government in "Rendition"

Producing debut (also co-starred), "Penelope" starring Christina Ricci in the title role (lensed 2006)