22 Must-See Reese Witherspoon Throwback Photos

Mar. 15, 2025

A young Reese Witherspoon.Photo: Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

No one does a throwback likeReese Witherspoon.In her time on Instagram, the actress — who turns 48 years old on March 22, 2024 — has perfected the art of the time hop, giving fans and followers glimpses into her childhood as well as her early days in the industry.Here, see some of our favorite throwback photos of a young Reese Witherspoon.

No one does a throwback likeReese Witherspoon.

In her time on Instagram, the actress — who turns 48 years old on March 22, 2024 — has perfected the art of the time hop, giving fans and followers glimpses into her childhood as well as her early days in the industry.

Here, see some of our favorite throwback photos of a young Reese Witherspoon.

01of 22Future FilmmakerA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramReese Witherspoonwas clearly destined for a career in film! Don’t believe us? Check out this photo of her behind the lens when she was just a toddler.“Not to brag or anything, but I’m pretty sure I started #FemaleFilmmakerFriday 📹,” Witherspoonjoked on Instagram.

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Future Filmmaker

A young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

Reese Witherspoonwas clearly destined for a career in film! Don’t believe us? Check out this photo of her behind the lens when she was just a toddler.

“Not to brag or anything, but I’m pretty sure I started #FemaleFilmmakerFriday 📹,” Witherspoonjoked on Instagram.

02of 22Brotherly LoveA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramIn 2017, Witherspoon shared a photo of herself as a toddler (with a bowl cut, no less!) alongside her brother, John. “Happy#nationalsiblingsdayto my brother John,” Witherspoon wrote. “Thanks for always laughing at my jokes…and making me laugh….from back in the day till today!”

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Brotherly Love

In 2017, Witherspoon shared a photo of herself as a toddler (with a bowl cut, no less!) alongside her brother, John. “Happy#nationalsiblingsdayto my brother John,” Witherspoon wrote. “Thanks for always laughing at my jokes…and making me laugh….from back in the day till today!”

03of 22Bang, Bang!A young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramThis throwback of Witherspoon is major"#BackToSchool vibes 🍎.“Witherspoon posted the adorable shot, revealing in its caption that, “Yes, my dress has ‘Reese’ stitched on the front … 😂.”

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Bang, Bang!

This throwback of Witherspoon is major”#BackToSchool vibes 🍎.“Witherspoon posted the adorable shot, revealing in its caption that, “Yes, my dress has ‘Reese’ stitched on the front … 😂.”

04of 22Sweet SmileA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramIn August 2020, after Kamala Harris was announced as Joe Biden’s running mate, Witherspoon shared atouching anecdote on Instagramalongside a photo of her as a young girl.She wrote, “I woke up this morning thinking about a moment from my childhood. 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.’ Some of the kids laughed, but my teacher looked me in the eye and said, ‘I will be the first person to vote for you, Reese.'“She continued, “My thoughts today are with women in our country, especially the young Black and Brown girls of our nation. Who have watched their mothers hold up their families, their communities, their cities, their states. 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. Today is a truly historic day! #KamalaHarris #WeHaveHerBack”

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Sweet Smile

In August 2020, after Kamala Harris was announced as Joe Biden’s running mate, Witherspoon shared atouching anecdote on Instagramalongside a photo of her as a young girl.

She wrote, “I woke up this morning thinking about a moment from my childhood. 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.’ Some of the kids laughed, but my teacher looked me in the eye and said, ‘I will be the first person to vote for you, Reese.'”

She continued, “My thoughts today are with women in our country, especially the young Black and Brown girls of our nation. Who have watched their mothers hold up their families, their communities, their cities, their states. 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. Today is a truly historic day! #KamalaHarris #WeHaveHerBack”

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School Picture Day

Yep, that’s Witherspoon on school picture day with pigtails and a candy necklace around her neck.

06of 22Scout’s HonorA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramWhat’s sweeter than Girl Scout Cookies? This photo of young Reese in her uniform! “I bet you can guess who sold the most cookies for Troop 1077. 💯🍪🤗,” the starshared on Instagram.

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Scout’s Honor

What’s sweeter than Girl Scout Cookies? This photo of young Reese in her uniform! “I bet you can guess who sold the most cookies for Troop 1077. 💯🍪🤗,” the starshared on Instagram.

07of 22Girl with a PlanA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/Instagram"Even at 7, she had a plan.#tbt😎,” Witherspoon captioned asmiley school photo.

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Girl with a Plan

“Even at 7, she had a plan.#tbt😎,” Witherspoon captioned asmiley school photo.

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Witherspoon posted a photo from 1987 where Little Reese wears bottle cap glasses and rocks some pretty great bangs.

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Go, Reese, Go!

10of 22Howdy, Y’allA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramWhat’s that saying? You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl?

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Howdy, Y’all

What’s that saying? You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl?

11of 22Forever a FashionistaA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramOn National Siblings Day in 2019, Witherspoonshared another sweet photowith her brother, John, joking in the caption, “Fashion fades but family is forever?? 😂”

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Forever a Fashionista

On National Siblings Day in 2019, Witherspoonshared another sweet photowith her brother, John, joking in the caption, “Fashion fades but family is forever?? 😂”

12of 22Strike a PoseA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramNow that’ssome headshot!TheLegally Blondestar joked that her height, marked as 4'11” on her résumé, is now “a much more impressive 5'2”.”

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Strike a Pose

Now that’ssome headshot!TheLegally Blondestar joked that her height, marked as 4'11" on her résumé, is now “a much more impressive 5'2”."

13of 22Big BreakA young Reese Witherspoon.GARCIA/PAT/Gamma-Rapho via GettyWitherspoonshared a memoryfrom 1991 when she was just 15 years old, when she attended Deauville Film Festival in France— her first fest!

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Big Break

A young Reese Witherspoon.GARCIA/PAT/Gamma-Rapho via Getty

Witherspoonshared a memoryfrom 1991 when she was just 15 years old, when she attended Deauville Film Festival in France— her first fest!

14of 22Red Carpet ReadyA young Reese Witherspoon.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via GettyWitherspoon rocked up to the 1991 red carpet premiere ofThe Man in the Moonin cowboy boots, of course!

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Red Carpet Ready

A young Reese Witherspoon.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Witherspoon rocked up to the 1991 red carpet premiere ofThe Man in the Moonin cowboy boots, of course!

15of 22Too CoolA young Reese Witherspoon.The LIFE Picture Collection via GettyAnd she looked impeccably cool at the premiere of the 1993 film,Amongst Friends.

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Too Cool

A young Reese Witherspoon.The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty

And she looked impeccably cool at the premiere of the 1993 film,Amongst Friends.

16of 22Old PalsA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramTwo ageless wonders, Witherspoon and Paul Rudd (who starred together inOvernight DeliveryandHow Do You Know)took a selfie togetherin 1996.

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Old Pals

Two ageless wonders, Witherspoon and Paul Rudd (who starred together inOvernight DeliveryandHow Do You Know)took a selfie togetherin 1996.

17of 22Masks OffA young Reese Witherspoon.S. Granitz/WireImageThe actress looked like she was having a blast on the red carpet forRomeo + Julietin 1996.

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Masks Off

A young Reese Witherspoon.S. Granitz/WireImage

The actress looked like she was having a blast on the red carpet forRomeo + Julietin 1996.

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What’s Up, Bro?

19of 22Puppy LoveA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramIf you’re going to twin, you might as well do it with your dog! In 2016, Witherspoonshared a photoof her “#twinning” with a pup in matching sweater vests. So chic!

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Puppy Love

If you’re going to twin, you might as well do it with your dog! In 2016, Witherspoonshared a photoof her “#twinning” with a pup in matching sweater vests. So chic!

20of 22College DaysA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/Instagram"#TBTto the good ‘ol days 🤓 (aka#CollegeYears)," Witherspoon captioned this photo. Witherspoon attended Stanford, but left after her freshman year to pursue acting.

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College Days

“#TBTto the good ‘ol days 🤓 (aka#CollegeYears),” Witherspoon captioned this photo. Witherspoon attended Stanford, but left after her freshman year to pursue acting.

21of 22'90s StyleA young Reese Witherspoon.Steve Eichner/WireImage"There’s a lot to unpack here," Witherspoon joked of this photo taken at an afterparty in 1996.She asked Instagram of her very trendy look, “I mean…what is happening with my hair?🤣But most importantly… who else enjoyed this 90’s brown lipstick trend?”

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’90s Style

A young Reese Witherspoon.Steve Eichner/WireImage

“There’s a lot to unpack here,” Witherspoon joked of this photo taken at an afterparty in 1996.

She asked Instagram of her very trendy look, “I mean…what is happening with my hair?🤣But most importantly… who else enjoyed this 90’s brown lipstick trend?”

22of 22On SetA young Reese Witherspoon.Reese Witherspoon/InstagramWitherspoonposted this polaroidfrom the set of the 1998 filmPleasantville.

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On Set

Witherspoonposted this polaroidfrom the set of the 1998 filmPleasantville.

source: people.com