Reese Witherspoon was destined to be a movie star, and even though her first film didn’t exactly put her on the map, it inspired her dream of being an actor.
“When I was 7 years old, I got to be in a local flower commercial,” Witherspoon explained of her foray into the business during a Hello Sunshine video posted in January 2020.
It wasn’t until years later that she auditioned for her first movie, The Man in the Moon. “I freaked out,” she said of getting the job. “It was the summer before I started my freshman year of high school. We shot all summer, and it was the most magical experience.”
While Witherspoon said the film wasn’t a massive box office hit, it “changed” her “entire life.” Two years later, she starred in her second feature film, A Far Off Place, which she traveled to Africa to shoot when she was 16 years old.
Reese Witherspoon’s Best Movie Roles: ‘Legally Blonde’ and More
Witherspoon has since become an Oscar winner, mega film and TV star, but some of her roles have been overlooked — like both The Man in the Moon and A Far Off Place.
Scroll down for Us Weekly’s list of movies from Witherspoon’s catalog you might’ve forgotten about but need to watch right now.
‘The Man in the Moon’
The 1991 movie was Witherspoon’s first role and was billed as a “coming of age” story set in the south when Elvis Presley ruled the airwaves. In the film, Witherspoon’s Dani falls in love with an older boy named Court (Jason London), only to realize that he has feelings for her older sister, Maureen (Emily Warfield). Even if you didn’t grow up in the south the story of love and loss is sure to resonate with moviegoers.
‘A Far Off Place’
Who says teens can’t do it all? In 1993’s A Far Off Place, Nonnie Parker (Witherspoon) and visiting teenager Harry Winslow (Ethan Embry) team up with a local bushman guide to escape African poachers who raided her family farm. They must survive walking through the Kalahari desert and risk their lives to get help. (Side note: Witherspoon and Embry would go on to later costar in 2002’s Sweet Home Alabama as Melanie and Bobby Ray, respectively.)
‘Freeway’
Freeway is a “twisted take” on Little Red Riding Hood where Witherspoon’s Vanessa Lutz runs into the charming, but sadistic serial killer named Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland) on her way to her grandmother’s house. This 1996 movie shines a light on Witherspoon’s edgier side as she plays a juvenile delinquent who isn’t afraid to fight for her life and take on one of the most wanted pedophiles in the process.
‘Fear’
Fear is a quintessential ‘90s thriller about an unassuming girl named Nicole (Witherspoon), who falls head over heels for charming David (Mark Wahlberg). Her father, however, is suspicious of David from the moment they meet and soon Nicole learns that he has a dark side. This 1996 movie is ideal for adrenaline junkies, who like to be in suspense — trust Us, it’s probably not a go-to date night flick.
‘Overnight Delivery’
A rom-com with Witherspoon and Paul Rudd? Sign Us up! In 1998’s Overnight Delivery, Wyatt (Rudd) ships a letter to his girlfriend, Kimberly (Christine Taylor), after thinking she cheated on him with someone named Ricker. After realizing Ricker is a dog, Wyatt enlists Ivy (Witherspoon), a stripper, to help him get the package back. Hilarity ensues as Wyatt and Ivy drive cross country and perhaps, fall in love along the way.
‘The Importance of Being Earnest’
Bridgerton fans might fancy 2002’s The Importance of Being Earnest, which takes place in 1890s London. The cheeky movie follows two friends, Algy (Rupert Everett) and Jack (Colin Firth), who use the pseudonym “Ernest” while deceiving their respective suitors, Cecily (Witherspoon) and Gwendolen (Frances O’Connor). When the two couples end up in the country together, the men’s truths come out and it is quite the funny tale.
‘Just Like Heaven’
Mark Ruffalo and Witherspoon are a match made in heaven in this 2005 rom-com, even if their characters aren’t in the same universe. Just Like Heaven reveals what happens when a lonely architect named David (Ruffalo) rents the perfect apartment only to discover it’s haunted by Elizabeth (Witherspoon), the spirit of the previous tenant. While Elizabeth was unlucky in love while alive, maybe she’ll have a better chance now that she’s dead.
‘Penelope’
Witherspoon plays a biker babe named Annie in 2006’s Penelope. While she’s not the main character, she becomes heiress Penelope’s (Christina Ricci) biggest supporter in claiming her independence after Penelope publicly reveals her pig nose — and that her curse can only be broken with true love. Think Thelma & Louise with a touch of Shrek.
‘Rendition’
This 2007 movie is one of Witherspoon’s darker dramas. It focuses on an Egyptian chemical engineer, who is arrested upon arrival in the U.S. following a terrorist bombing in North Africa. To find answers about his whereabouts, his wife, Isabella (Witherspoon), asks a senator (Alan Arkin) for help. Isabella will stop at nothing to bring her husband home and clear his name, while the CIA investigates whether he is a terrorist.
‘How Do You Know’
When everything’s falling apart for former USA softball player Lisa (Witherspoon), she stumbles upon exactly what she needs in this 2010 rom-com. Sure, Lisa gets caught in a love triangle between baseball player Matty (Owen Wilson) and George (Rudd), who is about to be indicted, but it could be worse. Throughout the movie, viewers will continue to ask themselves, “How do you know?” what to do next, who to love among other big questions.
‘Home Again’
Home Again is a twist on your average rom-com that finds single mom Alice (Witherspoon) housing three young men she met on a bar during a drunken night out. The 2017 movie is even more complicated when feelings between Alice and the dreamy Harry (Pico Alexander) bubble up at the same time her ex-husband rolls into town. It really does give off The Holiday meets It’s Complicated vibes, which makes sense since it is from the same producers.
