Can you believe it’s been 25 years since Reese Witherspoon stepped into the shoes of Tracy Flick in the movie Election? As the film celebrates this big milestone, Witherspoon is taking a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about the role that helped shape her career.
Let’s dive into the article, and see what Witherspoon had to say about stepping into Tracy’s shoes and how the role has shaped her career.
Witherspoon felt she was perfect for the role
Reese Witherspoon was only 23 when she played Tracy Flick in Election. Speaking during PEOPLE’s 50th-anniversary cover story, Witherspoon looked back on her career and the memorable characters she’s portrayed over the years. “It was so fun playing Tracy Flick. I remember when I read the script I was like, ‘I have to play this part. I must play this character.’” recalls Witherspoon.
She was so confident about the role that during the audition, she told the director, Alexander Payne, “You can audition other people, but I’m the right person for this part.” Witherspoon’s co-stars in Election included Matthew Broderick and Chris Klein. She describes her time on set as such a delight, especially working with director Alexander Payne. “He and I would laugh all the time, and he just let me be free to be as silly and strange as I wanted to be,” says Witherspoon.
Mixed feelings about the character
When Witherspoon first saw the finished film, she was a bit emotional. She wasn’t happy with how her face was shown on screen, saying, “He did this thing where he stops motion on my face while I’m talking. I was like, ‘Why did you do that? I looked so bad’, and I was crying.”
But soon, her feelings changed when people started to love the movie. “Then people started calling me and going, ‘I love this movie. I’m obsessed with this movie. This movie is so fun and it’s so great,’” she shared.
The role that stole her heart
Tracy Flick has become an iconic character in American cinema, and Resse is proud of that. She says, “We don’t have that many [iconic female political characters], and she is an archetype of American ambition and this idea of a woman wanting to get ahead.”
Reflecting on Tracy’s ambition, Witherspoon finds it interesting to think about how people’s views have changed over time. She says, “What are the qualities that we thought were not great about her ambition, and now that we encourage in young women? It’s a real shift.”
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Looking forward
Witherspoon has hinted that she might reprise her role as Tracy Flick in a sequel called Tracy Flick Can’t Win. She seems really excited about the potential comeback, emphasizing Tracy’s importance as a symbol of American ambition and every woman’s desire to succeed in life.
Well, with a filmography that’s grossed over a billion dollars, she’s proven herself as a powerhouse in Hollywood. Her notable films include The Man in The Moon, Freeway, Pleasantville, Twilight, Election, Cruel Intentions, Just Like Heaven, Mud, Wild, Inherent Vice, Sing, A Wrinkle in Time, and many more.
