One of Hollywood’s most prolific figures working today, Reese Witherspoon has created unforgettable female characters onscreen—and offscreen, with her award-winning media company Hello Sunshine. From Tracy Flick to Elle Woods to Madeline Martha Mackenzie, few actors have as many household names in their body of work as Reese does. How does she approach such roles? “It’s almost like being an anthropologist,” she tells Backstage. “You are studying contemporary behavior and how people interact and then applying it to character.” And her advice for fellow artists is evergreen: “You’re never gonna lose anything by trying. So dare greatly.”

An Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Academy Award winner, Reese began appearing in commercials at a young age in Tennessee, taking odd jobs in film production before dropping out of school to pursue acting. She broke out in “The Man in the Moon,” “Cruel Intentions,” and “Election” before starring in the “Legally Blonde” films, “Walk the Line” as June Carter Cash, “Wild” as Cheryl Strayed, and more. Reese has since pioneered female-led stories on TV, producing and starring on “Big Little Lies,” “Little Fires Everywhere,” and Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” where her performance as Bradley Jackson is nominated for two 2022 SAG Awards. This episode is brought to you by HBO.

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Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Jack Smart, Awards Editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ

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Special thanks to...

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