Reese Witherspoon's type, take 2

[Totenkindly]

"Vibes" don't count!

Oh, I know. Take it with a grain of salt, dear... Mostly as "possibilities not to overlook."

(I don't have time to do the serious personality research on these people that I'd need to in order to present a concrete case, so I'm afraid this is the most you'll get from me nowadays...)

 

[ladypinkington]

You guys have no idea how this silly discussion has consumed my husband!

Everyone here is wrong wrong wrong!
RW is an alien and goes by different personality rules because she is not human. I repeat RW is from the planet Wokichakidoki and is here to collect as many oscars as she can as they are secret space travel warp drive supplementers.

She can take on many forms and is designed to be perceived as whatever people want her to be with the exception of ENTP's who are the most objective and see what her true Human form type is but is still wrong because her true type is whatever her alien type is and we currently do not have the knowledge and technology to discern such a conundrum.

Why doesn't her people just steal all the oscars you ask? Well simple- they have an honor code system much like vampires do in never going into someone's home without first being invited in- so as this type of alien won't take an oscar without first earning it.
Marissa Tomei is an alien as well- but her people doesn't care about "earning" as they are about getting an oscar without desvering to- it gives them sick pleasure. They are not above paying off judges or using extortion to get their oscars.

I have said too much.

So alas good people- trying to type an alien is simply a waste of time and you are all wrong.

Thank you, that is all.

 

[Economica]

RW is an alien and goes by different personality rules because she is not human. (...) trying to type an alien is simply as waste of time

You have no idea how close to my own conclusion that is.

 

[Usehername]

In the past, she has made much of her debutante background, of how her conservative Southern values, perfect propriety, immaculate manners, mono-grammed napkins, thank-you notes and neat drawers set her apart from many Hollywood stars.

suggests J.
Google Image Result for http://www.babble.com/CS/photos/jun2007/images/25352/340x480.aspx

 

[The Grey Badger]

OK - that last post convinced me. ESFJ, like my sister. The drama queen of the SJs.

 

[The_Liquid_Laser]

suggests J.
Google Image Result for http://www.babble.com/CS/photos/jun2007/images/25352/340x480.aspx

This is an interesting article. A couple other things caught my attention.

Witherspoon acknowledges that she has always been incredibly driven, and has felt a deep need to prove herself to other people.

This seems to describe an NJ to me. I've said ENP's can appear driven, but they don't appear this way when young. Being P's it takes them longer to realize a vision. Here is another thing that caught my attention:

As a child, I made great grades in school and had some friends – not a lot of friends, but a significant number

Somehow this doesn't quite fit with our earlier ENF typing. Aren't ENF's considered the type that can most easily make friends? It could be nothing, but when you put all the details that we've said about her together there is only one type that fits all of them.

-Puts a high conviction on her values which is typical of NF's.
-Can be very neat and particular like a J. (Must use coasters, immactulate manners, neat drawers, etc...)
-"Appears" to be an extravert
-Has a keen awareness of people like someone who has perception as a dominant function.
-Independant, and gives children more independence than a typical ENFJ.
-Driven even from an early age. (A trait which describes NJ's).
-Has great social skills and knows how to work a room.
-While growing up she had some friends but not a lot.
-Notoriously hard to type.

There is only one type that possesses all of these characteristics: INFJ. But you are thinking, "How can she be an I when she clearly looks like an E?" It's very common for INxJ's to appear as extraverts. This is one reason that INFJ's are notoriously hard to type. To many people they appear as ESFJ or ESFP.

Also when you consider the INFJ type, we were all right and all wrong at the same time. Proteinmix said ENFJ, and was only off on E/I (which is very easy to do on an INxJ). Usehername said INTJ and was only off on T/F. I said ENFP, so I only had NF right, but I thought she was a dominant perceiver. And to everyone who said ESFJ, well INFJ's are often mistyped as ESFJ. It's like we all saw a different aspect of her, but we couldn't put all of our ideas together in a way that made sense. Now after putting all of our ideas together I believe she is an INFJ.

 

[Economica]

Now after putting all of our ideas together I believe she is an INFJ.

Are you serious?

But you are thinking, "How can she be an I when she clearly looks like an E?" It's very common for INxJ's to appear as extraverts.

I agree (well, I don't know if it's common, but I do know it's possible), but RW as an introvert emulating extroversion? I don't believe it will have to mull that one over.

Proteinmix

Haha, it's proteanmix! Makes a big difference:

pro-te-an
adj.
1. Readily taking on varied shapes, forms, or meanings.
2. Exhibiting considerable variety or diversity

... Very ENFJ.

 

[proteanmix]

TLL, you're great seriously Now RW has gone from ENFP to INFJ?? You've completely bypassed the ENFJ AND the ESFJ reading most people are giving? ESFJs and ENFJs share the same dominant function. I've never confused an INFJ for an ESFJ. It's more confusing distinguishing ENFJ/ESFJ, not ESFJ/INFJ.

You really don't want her to be an ENFJ don't cha?? Can you name any celebrities (besides Oprah) who you think is ENFJ so we can compare?

 

[findthejake]

People people! You are missing the most important part of dear Reese!

After just watching 2 recent movies in which she stars, I can say for a fact that she is enfp. It's all about the eyes baby! Nobody's eyes sparkle like an enfp's and her's dazzle, not quite as pretty as mine but close enough!

 

[cascadeco]

but RW as an introvert emulating extroversion? I don't believe it will have to mull that one over.

Just to address this comment -- I can, and do, emulate extroversion in certain settings.

I got a job once (which I ultimately hated) because I really believe I came across as ESFJ, which is the type of person the company wanted. I was silly, and just wanted the job, so I turned my extroversion 'On', and pretended to be someone much more vivacious than I really am. So in interviews, I can definitely appear E, although it takes a lot of focus for me to be able to do that. And in college, there were some social events where I totally had to become ESFJ. I won't go into the details of why, but there you have it.

Just thought I'd add that. As for Reese....INFJ? I dunno. I highly doubt she'd be able to appear that extroverted, so consistently over the years, if she were actually an INFJ. So, I still tend to think she's an E.

 

[Economica]

Just to address this comment -- I can, and do, emulate extroversion in certain settings.

I myself do the same. As I wrote, what I don't know is whether it is decidedly common among INXJs to appear E.

 

[Vortex]

Coaster rant

---

I agree (in this thread, anyway ) that the coasters thing does not exclude ENFP. My SO's major pet peeve is smoking. Smoke in his presence and he becomes a study in cognitive dissonance: As a smoker you are part of a group of people that he hates with a passion - but he still likes you, of course.

---

And an ENFP on coasters: I'm always chasing people with them. It can become my sole focus of attention. I'll be desperately trying to listen to what people are saying, but in reality I'm watching their glass and trying to get a coaster underneath it. If it's people I know well, I'll continually move their glass without thinking about it. And they'll move it back to a more convenient location. And I'll move it back...sometimes I can't bear it and just slap coasters under all the glasses and move the glasses that are placed in a wrong way onto them anyway. People bloody well need to learn how to use the damn things.

 

[cascadeco]

Yeah, to continue with the end of my post....If she were actually an I, I think by now her 'I' sides/tendencies would have shown up. At least for me...I can't 'appear' Extroverted for a very long time...eventually my introverted nature shines through. I couldn't put on a charade for very long, before beginning to feel that I was being 'fake', and since I hate being fake, that would be the end of that.

An interesting theory though.

 

[ladypinkington]

I can appear very extraverted- especially when in an "acting" setting. Anything to do with entertainment and I am a different person- I turn the performer button on and stay that way-while all the while it is draining me like crazy.

Most people mistake me for an extrovert- I enjoy certain socializing times but all of them drains me and can make me anxious. Even the best time is still draining and I need days alone to recoop. I have a lot of more energy then the average introvert as well.

Being interviewed is different then a regular social setting. I don't even know how to explain it. It just is.

I think TLL might be on to something.

A strength that an INFJ actor has is being incredible at mimicking and imitating another person. Becoming another person- but a person the actor has seen in action or has met. If you asked me to come up with a new character completely all by myself- it would be hard- I would end up imitating someone I already knew. INFP actors can make up from scratch a character wonderfully- but an INFJ is better suited for a biography/imitating piece.

RW seems to have this strength- not saying any other type couldn't be good at it- but that it comes easier and more naturally for INFJ's.

You never hear of RW going to bars and clubs and parties. She seems to just love to be with her family and has made family a huge priority. She doesn't prostitute herself for publicity either. She seems very low key- out of sight- and private really when you think about it.

The only time she was in the tabloids was when word got out about her divorce with Ryan Phillipe.

What we could really use is a lot of interviews of other people talking about RW. Working with her- living with her-directing her.

She seems actually like a homebody to me-when not working of course- which is an I trait to me.

Here is a quote I found interesting.

A self-identified Southerner who has credited her family with fomenting her imagination and love for storytelling and privacy, she has said that her parental philosophy has roots in her upbringing. "We weren't the kind of children that were shadowed. We didn't have nannies. We didn't have housekeepers. This whole L.A. culture is so foreign to me, because when I was growing up you wouldn't watch your children every moment. I'm always confused when people bring their children over and then want to sit with them while they play. I think part of the joy of being a child is privacy. Your fantasies and dreams are so important to you at that moment."[16]

That just sounds like something a fellow introvert would understand and be sensitive to with their children.

 

[Usehername]

INFJ would be my 2nd vote, behind INTJ. (still. yes, still. i believe she dreamt up her life, went out to get it, and is exercising the previously-mentioned southern values, etc. as the system to achieve her goals.)

and yes, i'm another INTJ who appears extremely extroverted when i'm actively socializing. it's just how little i do it that makes me an introvert.