An Open Letter to Reese Witherspoon

Dear Reese,

We need to talk about your career. What's going on? What direction are you going in? What do you want to achieve? Because, at the moment, I can't understand what's happening with you. You know I have massive amounts of respect for you, and I think you're a fantastic actress, but I think you need to sack your agent and listen to my advice when it comes to your career.

When you first started, it was going so well, and you earned many award nominations including a Golden Globe nomination (for Election) in the 90s. And then Legally Blonde came along, and, although really not the best film in the world, it became your turning point as you received greater recognition and acclaim for your work; this was followed by Sweet Home Alabama, your biggest box office hit to date and what you describe as a "personal role" to you.

All looking very good in terms of career - let's not forget that you were also married and had a family at this point too. Everything is looking rosy.

And in 2005, Walk the Line happens, and finally, finally, you get the awards, all the big ones, and quite rightly. But what happens now? Surely amazing offers are flooding in for the woman who will now forever have "Academy Award winner" in front of her name? Well, apparently not, and this is the reason your agent needs to be ditched. You really chose some stinkers after Walk the Line, and I don't understand why. Aren't all doors open to you now? You can now be a really credible actress taken very seriously for her dramatic work as well as comedy, but no, instead you appear in films like Four Christmases and do voice work for family film Monsters vs. Aliens. What's going on?

As you have proved on numerous occasions, you have the potential to be such a brilliant actress. I am just so disappointed you never fully took advantage of the recognition you received earlier on in your career, especially after your Oscar/BAFTA/Golden Globe/SAG Award wins.

However, things are looking up. Water for Elephants was released this year and was one of my favourite films of 2011 (I may be biased but let's not get into that), and finally you were back on track. You have This Means War coming up, and if the trailer is anything to go by, it looks like it will be really good - Tom Hardy and Chris Pine are always a plus as well. Is your career finally on the mend? Have you gone back to making films that aren't slated?

You know I love you anyway, no matter what you choose to do (I sound like a parent) but I do worry about your decisions sometimes. I think you need to diversify (i.e. stop appearing in sappy love films where you're the centre of a love triangle - three in two years is quite enough, I think) and be daring - that's what happened with Walk the Line, which you didn't even want to do at first, and look where that got you! I know you think it's important to choose roles that have a personal meaning to you and that you can relate to, but you also need to be sensible when deciding. Are people going to actually like this? What are they going to think of my talent after watching this? Will offers still keep coming in? You haven't really changed a whole lot as an actress since starting, and the film choices you've made which are the most acclaimed are the ones where you do something a little different that usual - just something to think about.


Just a nice gratuitous shot of lovely Reese with Christian "Jesus" Bale, after presenting him with his Academy Award this year


Basically, please Reese, start picking good films! You are so wonderfully talented - Walk the Line and Water for Elephants make the list of my favourite films of all time, so I know you can do it! You're just such a lovely person and a brilliant actress, and I don't want to see that go to waste or see other people judging you because you keep making the wrong choices. Make the right ones and you'll be recognised with the great actors in the industry again.

Your trusted friend,
Emily

P.S. I also love your singing voice. Your doubts over singing for Walk the Line were completely unnecessary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxkvHmc2qZM

Trailers:
Legally Blonde: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18cRPnOdQHU
Walk the Line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydrr5zDJGzA
Water for Elephants: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuKY9kuLWvU
This Means War: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsAqVvlR5DQ