Lexi Minetree has revealed how Reese Witherspoon would consistently check on her during the filming of the new Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle. The 25-year-old actress portrays a teenage Elle Woods in the Prime Video show, set in 1995.
Witherspoon's Support on Set
Speaking at a special screening, Minetree told the Press Association that Witherspoon, who starred as Elle in the original film and serves as executive producer on the series, regularly ensured she was caring for herself. “One thing that she does is so sweet, is that she’s always checking in on me and making sure I am taking care of myself, because when you’re doing something like this, it’s a juggernaut project,” Minetree said.
She added: “Of the five months filming 15-hour days, I had two days off. And she was like: ‘Are you drinking water, are you sleeping?’ And, of course, I go: ‘No, I’m not, I should do more of that.’” Minetree emphasized the importance of maintaining health for the role: “Making sure my body, mind and spirit were all healthy was important, especially playing a character like Elle, who is so lovely, and you need to have that energy there. So, having her there to check in on me and making sure I was doing those things is amazing.”
Stepping into Elle's Shoes
Minetree discussed the pressure of following Witherspoon's iconic portrayal. “I always would flip back and forth. There are moments where I was like: ‘Oh, I got this in the bag,’ and then there are moments where I was like: ‘Oh no,’ but I think the reason why I felt that way is because she means so much to me,” she said. “The fact that 25 years later people are going to law school because of her… I truly love Elle so much. I feel like she brought out my favourite version of myself. I am really proud of what I did and put my heart into it.”
Explaining the character's ongoing relevance, Minetree noted: “I still think very feminine things are looked down upon by society, you know. But what I’m hoping is young girls see this and say: ‘Oh, it’s actually cool to be girly, and it’s cool to be feminine, and to care about people, and to care about things.’”
Cast Insights and Themes
Tom Everett Scott, who plays Elle’s father Wyatt, shared that his daughter inspired him to audition. “I remember seeing it when it came out in the theatres, and I love it, it’s a perfect movie. But my daughter was telling me how inspirational the character of Elle Woods was for her and I thought I had to get the job and felt so much pressure,” he said. “Luckily I got it, and we were able to celebrate that together. It’s just been really wonderful, and such an honour to be part of this.”
Scott added that the series teaches important lessons: “I think it’s more of the same, like you’ve got to give yourself permission to make mistakes, and even though things might be tough, they will get through it, and to also be determined but also be friendly and to make friends and not judge a book by its cover.”
Gabrielle Policano, who plays classmate Liz, said the cast felt pressure to honor the original. “Elle Woods is like a real cultural phenomenon 25 years after the movie. And we just wanted to give people a little insight to how she got to be the confident awesome woman she is. So, I hope they love it,” she said.
Series Details
Elle also stars June Diane Raphael, Jacob Moskovitz, Chandler Kinney, and Zac Looker. The series is based on Amanda Brown’s novel, which inspired the 2001 film Legally Blonde, grossing $142 million worldwide on an $18 million budget. The film earned two Golden Globe nominations. Elle streams from July 1 on Prime Video.
