Throughout her career, Reese Witherspoon has played many inspiring women. From the brave Cheryl Strayed in Wild to the fearlessly clever Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, Witherspoon has a lot of female characters to look up to.
“I have always been inspired by Elle Woods,” Witherspoon tells SheKnows in an email interview this month. “Her constant belief in her own abilities, never listening to people who doubt her and a positive attitude towards life seems like a great life strategy.”
Though Witherspoon admires Woods’ unwavering resilience, she also recognizes her own. “Early in my career I had to audition two or three times a week, and frequently I was told I wasn’t right for the job,” she explained. “I got a lot of feedback that I could have taken personally. I was too young and naive or I was too smart and overconfident. I never let other people’s opinions get to me. I had to become very resilient in order to become the actor I wanted to be and build my career.”
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She continued, “Rejection can be a great teacher.” We’re writing that one down!
The actress, who founded her production company Hello Sunshine in 2012, is all about using her platform to continue inspiring women and empowering them to use their voices. As for her life advice for other women out there, Witherspoon kept it simple: “Never be afraid to ask questions.”
She continued, “Even if it feels like a very basic question. There is always an opportunity to learn more about your business. And curiosity should always be encouraged.”
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Most recently, Hello Sunshine partnered with Stacy’s Pita Chips to celebrate Stacy’s Rise Project class, a grant and mentoring program for female entrepreneurs, and the debut of a new short film, Rise. Created by filmmaker Nisha Ganatra and featuring poetry from bestselling author Rupi Kaur, “Rise illustrates the resilience of women today and those who came before them, bringing to light the dedication and behind-the-scenes struggles people often don’t see,” reads the short’s synopsis.
“Hello Sunshine’s mission is to amplify women’s stories and experiences, and that’s why it was so important for us to team up with Stacy’s Pita Chips for the Stacy’s Rise Project,” Witherspoon noted in a statement. “I’m so proud of what we created together and am excited for everyone to see Rise and be inspired by these incredible women.”
On Jan 19, Rise debuted in a special screening at the Sundance Film Festival and the 14 promising winners of Stacy’s Rise Project class were announced.
We’re wishing these 14 winners an endless amount of strength and resilience – let’s call it the Elle Woods special.
Before you go, click here to see 2022 TV shows and movies with fascinating female characters over 50.
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