Reese Witherspoon Offers Encouragement to New Elle Woods Star

WHO:

US Magazine - Lexi Minetree is the new lead for the role of Elle Woods in the Legally Blonde prequel series.

Yahoo - Reese Witherspoon is the original Elle Woods and executive producer of the prequel series.

WHAT:

US Magazine - Witherspoon advised Minetree to "always choose kindness and never go low, even when other people do."

Yahoo - The prequel series, titled "Elle," follows the character during her teenage years in the '90s.

Yahoo - Witherspoon stated that they reviewed 3,000 audition videos before selecting Minetree.

Yahoo - Minetree recreated Elle's iconic Harvard Law admissions video during her audition.

Yahoo - Witherspoon described Minetree as "such a bright light" and expressed her emotional reaction to Minetree's audition.

Yahoo - Minetree expressed gratitude for Witherspoon's support, stating, "She has been so fantastic during this whole process."

WHERE:

US Magazine - The Elle red carpet premiere took place in New York City.

Yahoo - The "Elle World" event was also held in New York.

WHEN:

Yahoo - The prequel series "Elle" is set to premiere on July 1.

WHY:

Yahoo - Witherspoon emphasized the responsibility of portraying Elle Woods, stating that "little girls are gonna come up to you and it's like a massive responsibility."

HOW:

Yahoo - Witherspoon communicated with Minetree via Zoom to discuss the significance of the role.

Yahoo - Minetree wore a dress from Witherspoon's original wardrobe, specifically a hot pink Marc Jacobs dress from the Legally Blonde premiere in 2001, which fit perfectly without any tailoring.

(UPDATED June 25, 2026 04:23 UTC)

Lexi Minetree has been announced as the new lead for the role of Elle Woods in the upcoming prequel series titled "Elle," which is set to premiere on July 1. Reese Witherspoon, the original Elle Woods and executive producer of the series, praised Minetree's audition, describing her as "such a bright light" and sharing that they reviewed 3,000 audition videos before making their decision. Minetree expressed her gratitude for Witherspoon's support throughout the process, highlighting the significance of the role and the responsibility it carries for young fans.