Amazon Prime Video has officially cast Lexi Minetree in the lead role of the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel series, titled Elle. Minetree, a rising star in television, will portray a young Elle Woods, following the character’s high school years before she famously heads off to Harvard Law School. The series will explore the experiences that shaped Elle into the iconic character audiences first met in the 2001 Legally Blonde film.
Reese Witherspoon, who portrayed Elle Woods in the original film, made the announcement on Instagram, sharing her excitement over the casting. “Allow me to introduce you to the new Elle Woods!” Witherspoon wrote. “After watching so many incredible auditions for the new Elle prequel series on @PrimeVideo, we finally found our Elle. And today, I got to break the news myself! Meet @leximinetree.”
The official logline for the series reveals that Elle will delve into Elle Woods’ high school years, uncovering the life experiences that helped shape her into the confident, determined woman that fans loved in the first Legally Blonde movie.
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Minetree’s casting marks her first lead role in a television series. Although she is a newcomer to the spotlight, she has made appearances in various well-known TV shows and films. Minetree has previously guest-starred in episodes of Law & Order: SVU and appeared in TV movies such as The Murdaugh Murders, Crowdsource Murder, and The Paramedic Who Stalked Me. She is represented by Stewart Talent, Framework Entertainment, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
The Elle series was greenlit by Amazon in May 2024. The show was created by Laura Kittrell, who serves as co-showrunner and executive producer alongside Caroline Dries. Reese Witherspoon, through her production company Hello Sunshine, will also executive produce, alongside Lauren Neustadter and Lauren Kisilevsky. Marc Platt also serves as an executive producer. Amazon MGM Studios will handle production for the series.
The original Legally Blonde film, released in 2001, became a box office hit, grossing over $140 million worldwide. The movie, which introduced Reese Witherspoon as the lovable yet determined Elle Woods, earned widespread acclaim and became a cultural touchstone. Witherspoon’s portrayal of the character earned her a Golden Globe nomination, cementing Elle Woods as one of her most beloved roles.
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The success of Legally Blonde led to a sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde, which was released in 2003. While the sequel was met with more mixed reviews, it still performed well at the box office. A third film, Legally Blondes, was released directly to video in 2009. However, Witherspoon did not reprise her role in this installment but remained involved as a producer.
In addition to the films, Legally Blonde also found success as a Broadway musical. Premiering in 2007, the stage adaptation of the 2001 film received several Tony and Drama Desk nominations, further solidifying Elle Woods’ place in popular culture.
Fans of the Legally Blonde franchise have long hoped for more content surrounding Elle Woods, and the upcoming Elle prequel series is set to offer a deeper look into the character’s formative years. With Lexi Minetree taking on the role of young Elle, many are eager to see how the prequel will explore the character’s high school experiences, which ultimately led her to become the trailblazer audiences first admired in the original movie.
While the new series promises to be an exciting new chapter for the Legally Blonde franchise, the production is still in its early stages. Fans will have to wait for more details about the release date and storyline as the show continues to develop.
In the meantime, Witherspoon’s enthusiastic endorsement of Minetree suggests that Elle will stay true to the original spirit of the beloved franchise, offering a fresh yet familiar take on Elle Woods’ journey to Harvard and beyond.
