On Wednesday July 1st, Amazon's Prime Video streaming service is debuting the new series "Elle". It's a prequel to the "Legally Blonde" movies, about Reese Witherspoon's character Elle Woods as a high school teen in Seattle in the '90s. MGM had been wanting to revive the "Legally Blonde" brand for a long time, mainly with a third feature film starring Witherspoon. In fact, five years ago, I watched the 2001 original and 2003 sequel, "Legally Blonde 2: Red White and Blonde", to get ready.
However, as is often the case in Hollywood, plans change. When Amazon acquired MGM, they sought to capitalize on the success of Netflix's Wednesday Addams series with Jenna Ortega, and Peacock's "Ted" prequel show. A search for a young Elle Woods was underway in September 2024, and about six months later, Witherspoon revealed to actress Lexi Minetree that she got the role. Witherspoon, who serves as an executive producer on the series, loved Minetree's video audition, which had plenty of references to the films. And Minetree credits dying her hair blonde, on a whim, just a few months earlier.
The first "Legally Blonde" opened 25 years ago next month, to a $20 million debut, topping the weekend box office. Witherspoon's star was on the rise, after earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress: Comedy or Musical for 1999's "Election". She would return to the Globes as a nominee in that category for her work as Elle Woods, a spunky Harvard Law School student who loves the color pink. It's a fun film, with many memorable and quotable moments, from Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Jennifer Coolidge, and the pup that stole the show — Elle's dog Bruiser. The sequel, which co-starred Sally Field, Regina King and Bob Newhart, also has some entertaining sections, but it didn't make quite as much money and wasn't as well-received as the first film. A Broadway musical followed a few years later, as well as a 2009 direct to video spinoff movie about Elle's twin girl cousins, called "Legally Blondes".
"Elle" co-stars June Diane Raphael (from "Grace and Frankie") and Tom Everett Scott (of "That Thing You Do!") as Elle's parents, as well as "Dawson's Creek" actor James Van Der Beek in his final role, as school superintendent Dean Watson. Van Der Beek died in February from colorectal cancer.
"Elle" was given an early Season 2 renewal by Amazon in January. I think it's going to be one of the major TV events of the summer. "Legally Blonde" has a large fanbase, from those who grew-up seeing the two films — and this current generation of teens. It's similar to the lasting impact of other 2000's female-led comedies, like "Freaky Friday" with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, and "The Devil Wears Prada" with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway — both of which had recent hit sequels.
And I discovered this connection when I saw the "based on a true story" dramedy film "Tow" earlier this year. An excellent Rose Byrne plays Amanda Ogle. Her 1991 Toyota Camry was stolen and then impounded. She can’t afford to pay the fee to get her car — which is also her current home — out of the tow yard. The filmmakers reference and then present legitimate parallels to Elle Woods and the story arc of “Legally Blonde.” Amanda (often dressed in pink) is determined to do what’s right, fighting the legal system for what she believes in. Here's hoping "Elle" also makes the grade.
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