Breaking into Hollywood
Reese Witherspoon starred in her first movie, The Man in Moon, at just 14 years old. However, she landed her big break playing Annette Hargrove in the cult teen romance flick Cruel Intentions in 1999. She reportedly earned a cool $250,000 for the role. The movie earned around $76 million at the global box office, putting Reese firmly on the map as a rising star.
One of her most iconic roles was playing law student Elle Woods in the 2001 rom-com Legally Blonde. Witherspoon earned a trio of MTV Movie Awards in 2002 for her work on the flick, which also starred Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, and Jennifer Coolidge. The film was a box office hit, grossing $141 million. Its success paved the way for a series of spin-off movies, as well as a musical adaptation that ran on Broadway and in London’s West End.
Reese also starred in 2003’s Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, which saw Elle Woods embark on a quest to promote an anti-animal testing bill. The star commanded a $15 million salary for the role and reportedly also got to take home her character’s extensive shoe collection. Despite Witherspoon’s star power, the sequel wasn’t quite as successful as the original, grossing $124 million.
Reese’s acting career hasn’t just made her millions. It’s also seen her score some of the most prestigious awards and accolades in Hollywood. The A-lister won an Oscar for her performance as June Carter in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line and was nominated for the same award again for her role in the 2014 flick Wild. She also scored a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her starring turn in Big Little Lies.
Profitable Productions
Following in the footsteps of many other Hollywood stars, Reese is also a successful entrepreneur. She founded the production company Type A Films in 2000, which would later become Pacific Standard in 2012. Reese was inspired to venture into producing after she noticed a lack of female-driven content in the entertainment world. The company is behind hit movies including Gone Girl and Wild (both 2014).
In 2016, Reese partnered up with Otter Media (now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery) to turn Pacific Standard into Hello Sunshine. With the support of The Chernin Group, the company began creating content with a focus on material with female narratives. As well as film and TV, Hello Sunshine also covers podcasting, web series, and books – the latter via the hugely popular Reese’s Book Club.
The ambitious company has also collaborated with major brands such as DirecTV and Audible to break into the world of audiobooks and video streaming. With its focus on female-driven stories, Hello Sunshine has produced hit shows such as Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, Apple TV’s The Morning Show, and Amazon Prime Video’s Daisy Jones & The Six. The company has also produced films like Where the Crawdads Sing (2022), based on the bestselling novel by Delia Owens, and the rom-com You’re Cordially Invited (2025), starring Witherspoon herself.
One of Hello Sunshine’s biggest hits is the HBO series Big Little Lies, based on the bestselling novel by Liane Moriarty. Witherspoon starred in and produced the hit drama, which also featured Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz, and Shailene Woodley. When the second season of the hit show aired in 2019, Reese reportedly took home a whopping $1 million per episode, or a grand total of $7 million.
Sky-high Salaries and Lucrative Revenue Streams
Witherspoon also made a fortune thanks to Little Fires Everywhere. Based on the bestselling book by Celeste Ng, the series aired in 2020. Her acting and behind-the-scenes production work on the critically acclaimed show earned her a juicy $1.1 million per episode. What’s more, Witherspoon is starring alongside Jennifer Aniston in Apple TV’s The Morning Show, with the fourth season currently airing. For her work as both an actress and executive producer, she reportedly earns a staggering $2 million per episode, or $20 million per season.
Following a string of successful projects, Reese Witherspoon sold a majority stake in Hello Sunshine to a Blackstone-backed media firm in August 2021. The deal valued the entertainment company at an incredible $900 million. However, Witherspoon still retains an estimated 18% stake in Hello Sunshine and continues to have creative input on its productions.
An avid reader, Reese launched Reese’s Book Club in 2017. The club highlights a different book each month, with a focus on celebrating female authors. Many of the titles she’s selected have gone on to appear on The New York Times bestseller list. The club boasts three million followers on Instagram. Members can customize a reading package online or choose from pre-selected book bundles. Clever brand partnerships have also helped boost revenue. For example, a collaboration with furniture brand Havenly encouraged readers to design their perfect “book nook” at home.
Witherspoon has also authored several books. Her first release, Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life (2018), a part memoir and part cookbook, became a bestseller on its release. She followed it up with her popular children’s book Busy Betty (2022), which has since sparked two sequels published in 2023 and 2024. Next up, Reese is set to publish a mystery novel titled Gone Before Goodbye, co-written with acclaimed crime writer Harlan Coben.
In 2015, the famed fashionista launched her own Southern-inspired clothing line Draper James. In addition to operating as a successful e-commerce business, Draper James has two brick-and-mortar stores located in Nashville, Tennessee. While Draper James is positioned as a mid-market brand, it partnered with American department store Kohl’s in 2022 to launch a more affordable collection.
Reese also rakes in millions from endorsement deals. She’s appeared in commercials for leading brands such as Crate & Barrel, Avon, and Elizabeth Arden. In July 2021, she was named the global brand ambassador for clean beauty brand Biossance, signing a five-year deal. Most recently, in 2023, she partnered with healthy pet food brand Blue Buffalo. As part of the collaboration, she launched Reese’s Bark Club – a spin-off of her popular book club targeted at dog lovers.
A Success to Rival Oprah
Reese’s impressive self-made success has led to the actress being hailed as one of the most influential names in Hollywood, with many comparing her entertainment empire to that of billionaire media mogul Oprah Winfrey. To date, her combined movie salaries are estimated to be around the $250 million mark, while her TV earnings from producing and acting only continue to grow. Earlier this year, she unveiled Sunnie, a sister brand to Hello Sunshine focused on Gen Z women with a mission to inspire the next generation of female creatives. With Witherspoon showing no signs of slowing down on and off the screen, there’s every chance she’ll soon join Winfrey in the illustrious billion-dollar club.
