Biography: Reese Witherspoon is an American actress perhaps most familiar as Elle Woods in the film Legally Blonde (2001) and its sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003). Witherspoon was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and spent much of her childhood and adolescence in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. After graduating high school from Nashville's prestigious Harpeth Hall School, she attended Stanford University, but dropped out before completing her degree requirements. Witherspoon is a direct descendant of John Witherspoon, signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and founder of Princeton University. Her father is a surgeon and her mother is a nurse and college professor. She has a younger brother named John, who works as a real estate broker. Witherspoon married actor Ryan Phillippe on June 5, 1999. They have two children together, Ava Elizabeth Phillippe, born September 9, 1999 and Deacon Phillippe, born October 23, 2003. She is known for her versatility as an actress, playing both comedic and dramatic roles and has won Best Actress awards from the National Society of Film Critics and the Online Film Critics Society. Witherspoon was the voice behind the character of Greta Wolfecastle in an episode of The Simpsons .