When Reese Witherspoon first debuted on-screen in the early ’90s, nobody could’ve anticipated she’d become one of the richest women in America (according to Forbes). Her career began as a teen, when an audition for “The Man in the Moon” landed Witherspoon the lead role. The young actress’ career blossomed over the next two decades with coming-of-age movies, romantic dramas and comedies, and biopics that proved her acting chops were no fluke. 

Beyond her dozens of roles, Witherspoon has also put in the work behind the scenes with her production company HelloSunshine, who have been behind not only Witherspoon’s own projects but massive success stories like David Fincher’s “Gone Girl.” Between her producing resume and her philanthropic efforts, it’s no surprise that her career in 2025 is a product of good will and hard work.

As one of the best rom-com actors in all of Hollywood, it’s possible that many fans of Witherspoon have seen her work in films like “Cruel Intentions” and “Four Christmases” without seeing some of the best performances in her career. Here is our list of Reese Witherspoon’s best films and TV shows.

Reese Witherspoon’s most recent hit has been the Apple TV+ series “The Morning Show,” which premiered in 2019. The show centers on the behind-the-scenes drama that takes place on a New York-based morning show after lead anchor Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) is fired for sexual misconduct and replaced by the ambitious Bradley Jackson (Witherspoon), much to the chagrin of long-time anchor Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston). 

“The Morning Show” features an all-star line-up, including an Emmy-winning performance by Billy Crudup as well as the likes of Marion Cotillard, Jon Hamm, and Julianna Marguiles. Despite that, Witherspoon’s work justifies a subscription to the Apple TV+ streaming service, earning praise during the series’ first season for playing against type as a rather unpleasant character, though it’s unsurprising to see a character played by Witherspoon who’s incredibly driven and controlling, just in a bad way this time. 

The most recent season of “The Morning Show,” however, received criticism for the lack of good writing for Bradley, though Witherspoon still garnered acclaim by TV critics, such as TV Line, who called her performance in one pivotal season 3 scene “gutting,” “gripplingly real,” and “brutally good.” Hopefully, season 4 makes up for the disappointing rest of season 3 with good material for Witherspoon, which it’s certainly capable of doling out.

Hosting “Saturday Night Live” on its own is an incredibly stressful situation for any celebrity, but it’s an especially difficult task when you’re making your debut on the first show after September 11, 2001. Airing on September 29, just barely three weeks after tragedy struck New York City, the show continued as planned with Reese Witherspoon as its host, who had the near-impossible task for following up a cold open featuring members of the New York Fire Department, mayor Rudy Giuliani, and a performance by Paul Simon. 

Witherspoon got off to a rough start, in fact, delivering a monologue that intended to lighten the mood after the heavy intro, which unfortunately fell flat with many sensitive viewers. However, she earned the respect of the higher-ups at “SNL” with her fearlessness at facing the moment, with executive producer Lorne Michaels telling Rolling Stone, “Reese just had her baby, and she got on the plane, and she came in and she was fearless. She was great and was like, ‘Whatever you need.’ I’ve always admired her enormously for that time.”

It may not be the funniest episode of “SNL” in its 50 years of comedy, and Witherspoon may not be one of the best guest-hosts ever, but nevertheless, her commitment was an important step not just for the show, but for the country. Luckily, Witherspoon got a second chance to host in 2015, which had a much stronger monologue and gave her a chance to join Cecily Strong as Two Girls You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation with at a Party on Weekend Update.

Released on Hulu in 2020, “Little Fires Everywhere” is an adaptation of a novel by Celeste Ng examining the relationship between two mothers, played by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, living in the Ohio suburbs in the 90s. Surprisingly, the miniseries would’ve never happened without Witherspoon’s support, not only as a producer of the show but thanks to her book club, which helped it become a bestseller in 2017. 

Within its first two months of being available to stream on Hulu, “Little Fires Everywhere” became the most-watched drama on the platform, particularly thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic encouraging more at-home viewings. Unsurprisingly, having Witherspoon and Washington cross paths on screen is guaranteed to produce fireworks, with The Guardian writing in their review, “Washington and Witherspoon anchor such a fixation … it’s a thrill to watch, for example, their uneasy tolerance, even understanding, evaporate in real time in a standout second episode scene.” 

Other reviews, sadly, weren’t as positive towards the series as a whole but always reserved praise for its lead actresses, though with the caveat that neither performance outdoes either of their best work. Still, if you like Witherspoon’s acclaimed work in TV melodrama, “Little Fires Everywhere” is a healthy dose of more great acting and intense scenework. 

Although Reese Witherspoon was very much an A-list star by the early 2010s, she still contributed her acting chops to much smaller-scale films, such as “The Good Lie.” Debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014, “The Good Lie” may appear like a star vehicle for Witherspoon, but it’s anything but. Witherspoon plays Carrie Davis, a job recruiter who becomes an ambassador and liaison for a trio of refugees from the Second Sudanese Civil War, colloquially known in real-life as the “Lost Boys,” who find themselves in Kansas City of all places. 

Some reviewers seemed disappointed about the fact that, despite its advertising setting “The Good Lie” up to be Reese Witherspoon’s “The Blind Side,” the actress actually plays more of a supporting role in “The Good Lie,” with Variety writing, “She doesn’t show up until 35 minutes into an uplifting and overly earnest picture that isn’t really about her character at all — nor should it be.” But the actress’ star power helps bring eyeballs to this incredibly important and heart-wrenching story. 

Though some would callously think of this film as just a sappy Hollywood biopic, it definitely deserves more attention, even if Witherspoon’s role in it is minor compared to the rest of her career. Honestly, the fact that Witherspoon leveraged her star power for a story like this shows how many other actors can use their celebrity for good.

It may not be the best Matthew McConaughey movie that got the actor an Academy Award, but “Mud” is a surprisingly great drama that deserved plenty of Oscars attention. McConaughey plays the titular Mud, a fugitive who befriends two teenagers on an island in the Mississippi River. Witherspoon plays another supporting role in this film as Juniper, Mud’s girlfriend whom the vagrant has become separated from after killing a man who impregnated and assaulted her. 

Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, the 2012 indie drama features a surprising performance from Witherspoon that many critics praised, albeit she doesn’t stick out as well as the likes of McConaughey or the young Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland at the forefront of the story. There were divided opinions about how well Witherspoon contributes to the overall film, though one reviewer for The Mirror called her out as part of its “strong cast,” writing, “‘Mud’ might feel old fashioned and familiar but it is also a delicate and atmospheric film rarely made by Hollywood these days.” 

Ultimately, “Mud” might not place Witherspoon front and center like many other films rightfully do, but she deserves credit for playing against type in a film that’s a far cry from the rest of her career. 

“Pleasantville” was relatively early in Reese Witherspoon’s movie career, releasing in 1998. She co-stars with a pre-“Spider-Man” Tobey Maguire as two siblings who are given a mysterious remote control that transports them to the idyllic 1950s (fictional) sitcom “Pleasantville.” If you’re a fan of movies like “The Truman Show” or TV shows like “WandaVision,” this is a mind-boggling comedy that you should definitely watch. 

The film has many positive reviews, with the iconic Roger Ebert giving “Pleasantville” a rare 4/4 stars, calling it “the kind of parable that encourages us to re-evaluate the good old days and take a fresh look at the new world we so easily dismiss as decadent.” Witherspoon’s performance in particular was called for being a refreshing, rebellious presence in this squeaky-clean sitcom world, bridging the gap between the attitudes of teens in the ’90s with the social norms of the 1950s. 

Most notably, “Pleasantville” holds a special place in Witherspoon’s heart, given that she was cast in it shortly after losing out on lead roles in future iconic films like “Clueless” and Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet.” Nevertheless, “Pleasantville” is one of the films that changed the trajectory of the young actress’ career, setting her up for a future of films and TV shows about nuclear families, the American dream, and the cost of domesticity for the modern woman. 

Prior to 1991’s “The Man in the Moon,” no one had heard the name Reese Witherspoon before, but they certainly would in the years to come. Although Witherspoon auditioned for the film as an extra, director Robert Mulligan saw something jump out in the future “Legally Blonde” star, telling Natchitoches Film Blog, “When I saw Reese’s test, she just jumped off the screen, simply as a personality. I couldn’t tell whether she could act or not, but she’s got a wonderful face and there’s a brightness and intelligence there.”

In the film, Witherspoon plays Dani, a tomboy forced to overcome her first experience with heartbreak in 1950s Louisiana. The film was subject to critical acclaim, particularly for the young Witherspoon, given how much of the film is carried by her breakout performance. Roger Ebert even included the film on his Best Films of 1991 list, citing it as Mulligan’s best work prior to his death in 2008.

And yet, despite all the acclaim surrounding Witherspoon’s debut performance, it wasn’t without some controversy in the years since it premiered. Several airlines made significant edits to the film that resulted in Mulligan requesting his name being taken off, which included a skinny dipping scene involving the teenage Witherspoon as well as some light swearing. Clearly for some audience members, “The Man in the Moon” has aged poorly, but in terms of Witherspoon’s career, it was a home run of a debut. 

It may be surprising to some that the performance that won Reese Witherspoon the Academy Award for Best Actress isn’t her #1 film on this list, but that just goes to show how many great films and iconic roles she’s been ain. “Walk the Line” may have centered on Joaquin Phoenix as the legendary Johnny Cash, but it’s Witherspoon who stole the show as his longtime partner and collaborator June Carter, as the film chronicles their romance, her writing of Cash’s hit song “Ring of Fire,” and the drug addiction that nearly tore them apart. 

Even though Witherspoon was hoodwinked into singing for “Walk the Line,” her commitment to the part paid off in spades, with reviewers commending the incredible energy and levity she brings to the film. As written in Sight and Sound magazine, “Standing ovations, too, for Witherspoon, who has perhaps the tougher task of lending depth and darkness to the role of June … [her] performance is pitch perfect, even when buried beneath a (historically accurate) mass of hair and make-up.”

Witherspoon completely dominated the Best Actress categories at various awards ceremonies after “Walk the Line,” taking home not just the Oscar but the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance. It may not be the most defining role of Witherspoon’s career, but it proved that the rom-com actress also had the dramatic chops to outshine even Joaquin Phoenix on-screen. 

Among the more iconic performances in Reese Witherspoon’s long and illustrious career is “Legally Blonde,” a 2001 comedy in which she originated the role of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law and becomes an incredibly successful legal mind despite only initially entering the profession as an act of revenge against her ex-boyfriend, played by Matthew Davis. Witherspoon may not have won an Oscar for playing Elle, but she did take home a trio of MTV Movie Awards for Best Comedic Performance, Best Line, and Best Dressed, and she walked away with something more important than an Academy Award: movie stardom.

Witherspoon’s performance was at the forefront of every positive review of “Legally Blonde,” with Variety writing, “Witherspoon once again proves herself a comedienne worthy of comparison to such golden era greats as Carole Lombard and Ginger Rogers … [she] is one of a very small number of screen actors one wants to see in anything she does.” Witherspoon reprised the role in a 2003 sequel, but despite poor reviews, she still earned praise for an Oscar-worthy performance. 

It’s hard to imagine that a film like “Legally Blonde” would’ve spawned a multimedia franchise, including a third installment taking inspiration from “Top Gun: Maverick,” without Witherspoon at the center of it all. Many other actresses would’ve probably done a fine job playing Elle Woods, but only Witherspoon’s comedic strength and chipper sassiness could’ve turned her into a decade-defining character in film. 

“Wild” was Reese Witherspoon’s second nomination at the Academy Awards for Best Actress, though unlike “Walk the Line” she sadly lost to Julianne Moore. Nevertheless, many critics felt that “Wild” was Witherspoon’s most powerful performance yet. In a review from Variety, they commended director Jean-Marc Vallée, whose previous work includes Matthew McConaughey’s Oscar-winning turn in “Dallas Buyers Club,” for “[eliciting] from Witherspoon an intensely committed turn that, in its blend of grit, vulnerability, physical bravery and emotional immediacy, represents easily her most affecting and substantial work in the nine years since ‘Walk the Line.'”

The 2014 film tells the true story of memoirist Cheryl Strayed, whose 2012 book of the same name chronicled her mid-20s hike along the Pacific Crest Trail after a series of personal tragedies had left her grieving, divorced, and battling addiction. Witherspoon plays Strayed herself, having relied on the author herself for much of her research prior to filming, in what ended up being the most difficult role of her career. 

While “Wild” may have given Witherspoon one of the best performances of her entire career, it also did something incredibly important by introducing her to not only Vallée but Laura Dern, who also netted an Oscar nom playing Strayed’s deceased mother in “Wild,” both of whom she’d reteam with for an HBO limited series that became her next runaway hit. 

“Big Little Lies” started as just a miniseries based on a 2014 novel by Liane Moriarty, but its success and acclaim on HBO in 2017, including eight Emmy wins, resulted in a surprising second season renewal two years later. Reese Witherspoon stars as Madeline, one of five matriarchs in Monterey, California along with Celeste (Nicole Kidman), Jane (Shailene Woodley), Renata (Laura Dern), and Bonnie (Zoë Kravitz) who are unwittingly involved in the murder of Celeste’s husband Perry (Alexander Skarsgård), and in season 2, face repercussions in the form of Perry’s mother Mary Louise (Meryl Streep). 

Although Witherspoon herself lost the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie to co-star Kidman, she took home an Emmy herself for Outstanding Limited Series after the first season of “Big Little Lies,” but that shouldn’t discredit her incredible character work. Variety even compared her performance in the first season to James Gandolfini’s iconic role of Tony Soprano, writing, “[I]n Witherspoon’s hands, Madeline’s rage is oceanic — seething and vast, concerned only with expanding its territory.” 

In season 2, critics predictably flocked to showering Streep with praise for stealing every scene, though Witherspoon still earned heaps of praise for her vicious confrontations with Streep’s character. Whether “Big Little Lies” will get a third season is still up in the air, but if it does, perhaps that will be the year that Witherspoon’s characterization of Madeline gets the accolades it deserves. 

As far as star-making performances go, even Reese Witherspoon’s work on “Legally Blonde” was predated by one memorable performance in 1999’s “Election.” The Alexander Payne film stars Matthew Broderick as a high school teacher whose personal hatred for one overachieving student, Tracey Flick (Witherspoon), causes him to go to great lengths to ensure she does not win an election for student body president. Despite the film’s financial disappointment, it received many accolades, with Witherspoon herself nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes.

Of course, Witherspoon’s portrayal of Tracey Flick may go down as one of the most iconic performances in the history of political films, with Roger Ebert saying that Witherspoon “hits her full stride in ‘Election’ as an aggressive, manipulative vixen … I kind of liked Tracy Flick some of the time, and even felt a little sorry for her.” If Witherspoon’s previous work had established her as a young up-and-comer, “Election” proved that there could be more than meets the eye. 

Witherspoon herself has claimed that many women in politics have told her about how inspired they were by the character of Flick, while Payne himself claims that it’s Barack Obama’s favorite political film, which is certainly some high praise. Witherspoon is set to return for a sequel, “Tracey Flick Can’t Win,” at Paramount+, which will be a great way to show how much she’s grown as an actress since maybe her best role yet.