Lexi Minetree stars as Elle Woods in the new Legally Blonde prequel series titled Elle, which premiered on Prime Video on Wednesday. The show follows Elle, a high school student transitioning from her luxurious life in Bel Air to the more modest environment of Seattle, where she learns to embrace authenticity while navigating new challenges.
Minetree's Unique Approach to Elle Woods
Minetree, 25, adopted a meta approach to land the iconic role, recreating a memorable scene from the original film during her audition. "What’s more Elle Woods than being extra AF and putting a whole on production for this little slate?" she told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview. Her casting was announced by Reese Witherspoon, who serves as an executive producer for the series, in May 2025.
To prepare for her role, Minetree studied Witherspoon’s performance, watching the original movie 150 times. However, she is focused on making Elle her own character while honoring the legacy of the beloved role. "[It’s] 25 years later and people are still talking about Elle Woods," she noted, emphasizing the character's lasting impact.
Support from Reese Witherspoon
In her journey to portray Elle Woods, Minetree received invaluable guidance from Witherspoon. The actress shared a memorable clip with Minetree, showcasing Elle's strong yet kind demeanor during a pivotal moment in the original film. "Reese was really, really helpful, especially in the beginning with helping create the tone of Elle," Minetree said.
