Reese Witherspoon Posted the Cutest Throwback Ahead of Her 45th Birthday
Emma Horne
Published Feb 22, 2026
Reese Witherspoon wears many hats—she's an actor, producer, clothing brand owner, and book club leader. But ahead of her 45th birthday on March 22, she looked back on a gig that she excelled at early in life: Girls Scout cookie salesperson. Witherspoon posted an adorable throwback photo of herself as a Girl Scout on March 19. Keep reading to see the picture and other throwback photos of young Reese Witherspoon, and for another cute throwback you may have missed, check out Goldie Hawn's Adorable Throwback for Kurt Russell's 70th Birthday.
Witherspoon said she sold the most cookies of anyone in her Girl Scout troop.
Along with her Girl Scout photo, Witherspoon noted that she reached quite the achievement at the time. "I bet you can guess who sold the most cookies for Troop 1077," she captioned the post. In the photo, which received nearly half a million likes, she smiles at the camera while wearing her green uniform and badges.
Many fellow actors commented on the adorable post. Natalie Portman wrote, "Whaaaaaa? The cutest." Isla Fisher said, "That little face! You are so cute." Kristin Chenoweth added, "But of course!!! I expect no less!!! (i may or may not have done the same.)" Author Cheryl Strayed commented, "Cutie!" And Mindy Kaling simply wrote, "REESE."
In addition to these celeb comments, many fans noted that they weren't surprised a go-getter like Witherspoon would be the one to sell the most cookies, and some referenced her ambitious character from the 1999 movie Election, Tracy Flick.
For more on Witherspoon's career, Relive Reese Witherspoon's Last 25 Years in Hollywood, in Photos.
Witherspoon's company also shared a throwback in honor of her birthday.
Going back to the many hats Witherspoon has worn, she founded the clothing and home company Draper James in 2015—and in honor of her birthday, the brand's official account also celebrated Witherspoon with a throwback. "Once a goddess, always a goddess," the post reads. "Happy birthday to our founder @reesewitherspoon!"
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Witherspoon had an interest in film very early on.
Witherspoon is a fan of sharing old photos, whether she's making a joke or reliving a more significant memory from her life. Though she's now a big time actor and producer with her own production company, as a toddler she was already studying filmmaking. "Not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty sure I started #FemaleFilmmakerFriday," she wrote next to a photo of herself playing with a camcorder as a kid.
And she also once aspired to be the first woman president.
In Aug. 2020, Witherspoon posted a throwback of one of her school pictures, and wrote a lengthy caption reflecting on Kamala Harris' nomination for vice president.
"In the 3rd grade our teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, I raised my hand and said, 'I want to be the first female President of the United States of America,'" Witherspoon wrote. She explained that some of her classmates laughed, but her teacher said she would vote for her.
Speaking to "the young Black and Brown girls of our nation" in particular, she continued, "Now you know that YOU too can work hard, dedicate your life to service and show up every day to help others, and YOU can RISE to become a Vice Presidential nominee in the United States of America."
The throwback photos show just how much her kids resemble her.
If you've ever seen a photo of Witherspoon and her daughter, Ava Phillippe, you know that they basically look like twins. But it's not just Ava who resembles Witherspoon. Her two sons, Deacon Phillippe and Tennessee Toth, also take after their mom. Tennessee is only eight years old, but you can see that he looks a lot like little Reese.
And for more from famous families, check out What Billy Ray Cyrus Thought of His Daughter's Controversial Grammys Look.
Lia Beck Lia Beck is a writer living in Richmond, Virginia. In addition to Best Life, she has written for Refinery29, Bustle, Hello Giggles, InStyle, and more.Read moreFiled UnderActors • Celebrities • NewsRead This NextReese Witherspoon's Daughter Is Truly Her Twin
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