Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976), known professionally as Reese Witherspoon , is an American actress and producer. She began her career as a child actress, starring in The Man in the Moon in 1991. In 1996, she appeared in the independent black comedy Freeway and starred in Pleasantville in 1998. In 2000, she earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Comedy or Musical nomination for Election in the now-iconic role of Tracy Flick.