With the release of the 1999 films Cruel Intentions and Election, Reese Witherspoon began to gain the popularity that she was careful to avoid early in her career. Witherspoon made her debut in 1991's The Man in the Moon, and has since maintained a careful balance between steady work and limited success. Never one to put too much stock in the Hollywood mystique, Witherspoon left acting for two years to pursue an English degree at Stanford. Her return to acting in 1996 brought her recognition -- for Fear -- as well as acclaim -- for the indie sleeper Freeway. She has since joined the "$20 Million Club" due to the hits Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama.
