Editing Reese Witherspoon (section)

==Early life and education ==
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Monitor|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=March 22, 2013|issue=1251|page=25}}</ref> at [[Ochsner Baptist Medical Center|Southern Baptist Hospital]], in [[New Orleans]], Louisiana, while her father, John Draper Witherspoon, was a student at [[Tulane University]] medical school.<ref name="tulane">{{cite web| title = Green Threads on the Red Carpet| author = Martin, Aaron| publisher = Tulane University magazine| date = March 1, 2006| url = http://www2.tulane.edu/article_news_details.cfm?ArticleID=6294| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070311170410/http://www2.tulane.edu/article_news_details.cfm?ArticleID=6294| archive-date = March 11, 2007| access-date = April 30, 2007}}</ref><ref name="dork" /> Her father was born in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and served as a lieutenant in the [[United States Army Reserve]].<ref name="movieyahoo">{{cite web |title=Reese Witherspoon biography |publisher=[[Yahoo! Movies]] |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800018812/bio |access-date=October 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070605184759/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800018812/bio |archive-date=June 5, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="That's Reese">{{Cite journal|title = That's Reese: stepping into the ring of fire|last = Slschy|first = Ingrid |date = December 1, 2005|journal = [[Interview (magazine)|Interview]]|issn = 0149-8932}}</ref> He was in private practice as an [[Otolaryngology|otolaryngologist]] until 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/crime/reese-witherspoon-parents-lawsuit-mother-sues-father-for-bigamy/ |title=Reese Witherspoon's Mom: My Husband Married Another Woman |first1=Mike|last1=Fleeman|first2=Kay|last2=West |publisher=People|date=May 10, 2012 |access-date=January 20, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102173200/http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2C%2C20594553%2C00.html |archive-date=January 2, 2016}}</ref><!---Dr. Witherspoon received her bachelor's in nursing in 1971 from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's predecessor the University of Tennessee at Memphis; a master's in nursing from the University of Alabama; and a doctor of education from California Coastal College. ---> Her mother, Mary Elizabeth "Betty" ([[née]] Reese) Witherspoon, is from [[Harriman, Tennessee]]. She was a professor of nursing at [[Vanderbilt University]] and had a PhD in [[pediatric nursing]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.uthsc.edu/nursing-2012-outstanding-alums |title=College of Nursing Honors 2012 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipients |author=Communications and Marketing |publisher=uthsc.edu |date=June 4, 2012 |access-date=January 20, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102173202/http://news.uthsc.edu/nursing-2012-outstanding-alums/ |archive-date=January 2, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="tiscali1">{{cite web |author=Wills, Dominic |title=Reese Witherspoon biography (page 1) |publisher=[[Tiscali]] |url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/reese_witherspoon_biog.html |access-date=November 26, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015052438/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/reese_witherspoon_biog.html |archive-date=October 15, 2007 }}</ref>

Reese Witherspoon has claimed descent from Scottish-born [[John Witherspoon]], who signed the [[United States Declaration of Independence]].<ref name="newsindependent">{{cite news|title=Reese Witherspoon: Legally Blonde. Physically flawed? |author=Stuges, Fiona |date=August 7, 2004 |work=The Independent |location=UK |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/reese-witherspoon-legally-blonde-physically-flawed-555711.html |access-date=November 18, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707021148/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/reese-witherspoon-legally-blonde-physically-flawed-555711.html |archive-date=July 7, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Reese Witherspoon: Legally Blonde... Again |publisher=Agirlsworld.com |url=http://www.agirlsworld.com/rachel/hangin-with/reesewitherspoon_legally2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030812012242/http://www.agirlsworld.com/rachel/hangin-with/reesewitherspoon_legally2.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 12, 2003 |access-date=October 25, 2007 }} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928104619/http://www.agirlsworld.com/rachel/hangin-with/reesewitherspoon_legally2.html |date=September 28, 2007 }}</ref> However, this claim has not been verified by the Society of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence genealogists.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Witherspoon – The Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence |author=DSDI Staff |date=December 11, 2011 |location=USA |url=http://www.dsdi1776.com/signers-by-state/john-witherspoon/ |access-date=February 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212194841/http://www.dsdi1776.com/signers-by-state/john-witherspoon/ |archive-date=February 12, 2013 }}</ref> Her parents are still legally married, although they separated in 1996.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/10/showbiz/witherspoon-bigamy-suit/ |title=Reese Witherspoon's parents in bigamy dispute |work=[[CNN]] |date=May 10, 2012 |access-date=January 23, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123044410/http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/10/showbiz/witherspoon-bigamy-suit/ |archive-date=January 23, 2015}}</ref>

Witherspoon was raised an [[Episcopal Church (USA)|Episcopalian]], and has said she is proud of the "definitive [[Culture of the Southern United States|Southern]] upbringing" she received. She has said it gave her "a sense of family and tradition" and taught her about "being conscientious about people's feelings, being polite, being responsible and never taking for granted what you have in your life".<ref name="talent" /><ref name="sweethome" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.etonline.com/news/194799_reese_witherspoon_opens_up_about_religion_and_the_afterlife|title=Reese Witherspoon Opens Up About Religion and the Afterlife: 'I Think You Get an Angel and Wings and a Halo'|work=Entertainment Tonight|access-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531125106/https://www.etonline.com/news/194799_reese_witherspoon_opens_up_about_religion_and_the_afterlife|archive-date=May 31, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> At age seven, she was selected as a model for a florist's television advertisements, which motivated her to take acting lessons.<ref name="tiscali2">{{cite web|url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/reese_witherspoon_biog/2|title=Reese Witherspoon biography (page 2)|author=Wills, Dominic|publisher=[[Tiscali]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015052443/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/reese_witherspoon_biog/2|archive-date=October 15, 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=November 26, 2007}}</ref> At age 11, she took first place in the Ten-State Talent Fair.<ref name="tiscali2" /> She received high grades in school,<ref name="tiscali2" /> loved reading, and considered herself "a big dork who read loads of books".<ref name="dork">{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/north-america-travel/us-travel/california/the-dork-who-grew-into-a-hollywood-princess-d5f9lq7rdjh|title=The dork who grew into a Hollywood princess|last=Hurst|first=Greg|date=March 5, 2006|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=November 26, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815092546/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/article737573.ece?token=null&offset=12|archive-date=August 15, 2011|url-status=live|location=UK}}</ref> On mentioning her love for books, she said, "I get crazy in a bookstore. It makes my heart beat hard because I want to buy everything."<ref name="reader's digest">{{cite web|url=http://www.rd.com/face-to-face-with-reese-witherspoon/article18040-3.html|title=Face to Face With Reese Witherspoon|author=Grant, Meg|date=September 30, 2005|work=Reader's Digest|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512055151/http://www.rd.com/face-to-face-with-reese-witherspoon/article18040-3.html|archive-date=May 12, 2008|access-date=October 19, 2009}}</ref> She has been described as a "multi-achiever" and was nicknamed "Little Type A" by her parents.<ref name="ambition">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/reese-witherspoon-a-novel-challenge-for-blonde-ambition-18059.html|title=Reese Witherspoon: A novel challenge for blonde ambition|date=January 7, 2005|access-date=June 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904093721/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/reese-witherspoon-a-novel-challenge-for-blonde-ambition-18059.html|archive-date=September 4, 2015|url-status=live|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|location=London}}</ref><ref name="fashion">{{cite news|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20020927-9999_1c27reese.html|title=A type A is already on A-list|author=Meyer, Norma|date=November 13, 2005|newspaper=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050507112108/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20020927-9999_1c27reese.html|archive-date=May 7, 2005|url-status=dead|access-date=November 26, 2007}}</ref> She attended middle school at [[Harding Academy (Nashville)|Harding Academy]] and graduated from the all-girls' [[Harpeth Hall School]] in Nashville, during which time she was a [[cheerleader]].<ref name="page1">{{cite news |title=Playing It Straight (page 1) |author=Booth, William |date=November 13, 2005 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111100442.html |access-date=November 10, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511191249/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111100442.html |archive-date=May 11, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="talent" /> She later attended [[Stanford University]] as an English literature major,<ref name="commitment">{{cite news|title=Reese Witherspoon; Commitment, Success and the Age of Ambivalence |author=Gardner, Elysa |date=September 13, 1998 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01E0DA1F3FF930A2575AC0A96E958260 |access-date=October 25, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108022406/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01E0DA1F3FF930A2575AC0A96E958260 |archive-date=January 8, 2008}}</ref> but left prior to completing her studies to pursue an acting career.<ref name="talent">{{cite news|title=Talent behind Witherspoon's win |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4581664.stm |access-date=October 25, 2007 |date=January 17, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070905162643/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4581664.stm |archive-date=September 5, 2007 }}</ref>