Actress Reese Witherspoon has been taken to hospital after she was hit by a car while jogging.

The Legally Blonde star was running in Santa Monica on Wednesday afternoon (Thursday morning Australian time) when she was knocked down by the car.

Santa Monica police revealed to "Entertainment Tonight" the car was travelling about 30km/h when it struck the 35-year-old actress.

Her representative told People.com Witherspoon was injured seriously in the accident and was resting at home.

Earlier this year Witherspoon married Hollywood agent Jim Toth.

The actress has two children from a marriage to fellow actor Ryan Phillipe, before the pair divorced in 2007.

Shooting to fame with films such as "Cruel Intentions", "Sweet Alabama" and "Legally Blonde". The Hollywood actress has acted in 32 films to date.