Reese Witherspoon

Life isn’t just about you: It’s about family and friends and giving back.

[On how she handles people who disagree with her] I’ve learned the art of ignoring people. When people give you some piece of direction you don’t like, you just nod and ignore it. Just don’t do it! Most people want to be heard and acknowledged, anyway. Just do what you want to do.

Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their lives. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out.

I read while the kids play. I can see them from the kitchen window. And I’m a fast reader.

It’s fun to do a comedy and hook people in and then hoodwink them into watching a serious movie. I like to lead in with the comedy and then hit them over the head with a drama.

[On husband Ryan Phillippe] I don’t think I can imagine a better guy than the one I’ve ended up with.

I’m the closest that hip-hop is getting to God. In some situations I’m like a ghetto Pope.

I’ve got to the point now where I can poke some fun at my old image and really enjoy letting go when a juicy role comes along.

I moved to New York last year and I love it. It’s a huge change and I’ve always wanted to spend time there. It’s like a more intense London, and everything’s up a few notches. The lights are brighter, the pace is faster and the food’s better.

Prison sentences are a lot like penises – if they’re used correctly, even a short one can do the trick… is a rumor I have heard.

Working with someone like Dustin Hoffman is a huge honor and, after you kind of get through that, you’re frightened about working with a screen legend, and I was just in awe.

I took piano lessons when I was younger and I’ve been trying to learn how to play the guitar recently. I’d realy like to learn how to play the drums. They’re alot of fun and they require a lot of focus.

I think a movie can inspire change, absolutely. Art, a book, a painting, a song, can definitely inspire change, whether it’s a small change or a big change but you know there’s novels I’ve read or a scene in a film that I’ve seen where I definitely inspired something and made a change or addressed an issue in my life or done something cliché like make a phone call. Absolutely, that’s the power of art you would call it because it inspires movement within yourself. You know it’s only really powerful when it reflects on you and you can relate to it or are moved by it in some way.

A lot of actresses start out modeling because it’s a great way to sort of get your foot in the door. That’s all it is, though. They open the door, and you have to walk through it.

What I have to say is far more important than how long my eyelashes are.

I don’t have any illusions anymore. The illusion that rock ‘n’ roll could change anything – I don’t believe that. I’ve changed. Who would have ever thought that I’d end up saying that I want to be an all-around entertainer? But that’s what I want to be.

The Lion King always makes me cry, especially when Simba’s father gets trampled.

When you get a chance to step back, you notice all these great things you’ve done and all these great people that you’ve worked with.

I wanna sing about something that’s sexy and edgy.

I find Hollywood really toxic.

I gossiped when I was given a chance because I wasn’t popular so the few times someone would invite you into the group to have a conversation it was usually about someone else and you just joined in because it was great to be a part of something, and that I feel bad for.