Reese Witherspoon has officially introduced Lexi Minetree as the young Elle Woods in the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle.
The Legally Blonde icon, who first brought Elle Woods to life in 2001 and again in 2003, shared the heartwarming moment she surprised Minetree with the big news.
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‘You got the part!’ – Witherspoon’s special announcement
Witherspoon took to Instagram to share a touching video of the moment she told Minetree that she had landed the role.
“Your audition tape was amazing… and we wanted to tell you in person. You don’t have to audition anymore—because you got the part. You’re Elle Woods!” she told Minetree.
Overwhelmed with excitement, Minetree hugged Witherspoon before calling her mother to share the emotional moment.
Meet the new Elle Woods: Reese Witherspoon reveals the star of the ‘Legally Blonde’ prequel
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A dream come true for Minetree
Minetree later expressed her gratitude on Instagram, saying her “brain is going nuts” over the opportunity.
She thanked Witherspoon for “handing me down Elle Woods”, promising fans that “she’s in good hands”. She also joked about how excited she was to “look as amazing as Reese does in the future”.
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What to expect from Elle
The Legally Blonde prequel series, produced by Witherspoon’s media company Hello Sunshine, will explore Elle Woods’ high school years in the 1990s.
The show will highlight Elle’s journey through teenage life, including her first love, heartbreak, and the early moments that shaped her into the iconic, ambitious woman fans know and love.
“Viewers will get to experience how Elle Woods navigates her teenage world with her unique spirit and creativity. What could be better than that?” Witherspoon said in a statement.
The series, created by Laura Kittrell, was first announced by Amazon Prime Video in May 2024. While there’s no official release date yet, fans can look forward to a fresh take on the beloved character.
Protecting Elle Woods’ legacy
Witherspoon has been selective about expanding the Legally Blonde universe, ensuring that any continuation of Elle’s story is done with care.
“These characters feel like friends to me, so I protect them. I would never want to create a subpar or mediocre version of their story,” she previously told USA Today.
For Legally Blonde fans, Elle promises to be an exciting deep dive into the early years of one of cinema’s most beloved characters. And as Elle Woods herself would say, “What, like it’s hard?”
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Featured Image: IMDB & Instagram | leximinetree
