Beginning at the age of 7, Witherspoon was modeling and appearing in television commercials. During high school, she appeared in The Man in the Moon, Jack the Bear and A Far Off Place. Witherspoon left Stanford University to focus on expanding her career with strong roles in Pleasantville, Election and Cruel Intentions. Witherspoon’s career was upgraded with the great success of Legally Blonde in 2001, which increased both her box office draw and her standing among critics. Witherspoon then starred in a sequel to Legally Blonde and led Sweet Home Alabama. The part of Johnny Cash’s wife in Walk the Line earned her an Academy Award for best actress in 2006.